Japan Airlines unlocks ancillary revenue with Expedia Group

Like many airlines, Japan Airlines (JAL) wanted to grow revenue beyond ticket sales while giving loyalty members more value across the trip. Hotels were a natural extension of that journey, but the existing offer created friction: Mileage accrual rules varied by destination and payment method, which created confusion for members, generated extra work for internal teams and made it difficult to explain in market. u2028

JAL needed a solution that was simple for members to understand, lighter for teams to manage and easy to scale across the channels already used to reach JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) members.

Japan Airlines (JAL) partnered with Expedia Group to make hotel booking simpler for members and easier for the airline to manage. Members start on JAL's website or access opportunities through booking confirmations, emails or promotions, then booku2028A hotel through Expedia and enter their JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) number to earn miles.

This gave JAL access to Expedia Group's global lodging supply and a scalable means to earn ancillary revenue through stays. This is achieved without needing to negotiate rates, contract directly with hotels or manage the bookings that followed.u2028u2028

It also helped JAL:

• Expand their offering with a more complete travel experience
• Grow ancillary revenue without adding operational complexity
• Simplify the loyalty offer into a more seamless member experience
• Scale promotion across existing channels

With a standardised mileage and customised traveller experience, JAL made it easier for members to earn miles consistently, no matter where they booked or how they paid. The result was a stronger loyalty offer and a simpler, more compelling storey to bring to market.

Expedia Group also supported the full setup: a co-branded experience, custom links for commissions and loyalty linking and dedicated account support for eligible partners, making the programme easier to launch and manage from day one.

The results spoke for themselves. In just one year, JAL surpassed its affiliate revenue targets. Affiliate revenue grew 25% year over year and nearly 30% in international hotel revenue via Expedia bookings.*

And the impact went beyond revenue. With a clearer offer to promote, JAL activated it across their website, emails, booking confirmations and campaigns. For airlines ready to grow non-air revenue, this is the playbook: Simplify the loyalty offer and the business results follow.

JAL discovered that a one-stop travel experience isn't just better for members: It's better for business, too. By simplifying how loyalty members book hotels and earn miles, the airline proved that a stronger loyalty offer and a stronger revenue model aren't a tradeoff. They're the same thing.