Dormy Inn over JAL and ANA! The “shareholder special benefit” for travelers is changing due to the rising cost of lodging… What do money professionals recommend?
Popular “Lodging” and “JR” Shareholder Benefits
JAL and ANA are well-known as shareholder special benefit plans popular among travel lovers, but their popularity has been declining in recent years.
On the other hand, “lodging-related” shareholder benefits are now attracting attention. Many companies offer lodging benefits, including Kyoritsu Maintenance (9616), which operates Dormy Inn, Washington Hotel (4691), and Fujita Kanko (9722).
Lodging benefits offered by railroad companies that operate hotel businesses are also a good target. In many cases, both fares and accommodations are offered, and the benefits can be combined when traveling by train.
In this article, we will introduce some “lodging” shareholder special benefits that allow you to enjoy travel at a reasonable price.
Why did the popularity of JAL and ANA special benefit coupons decline…?
Japan Airlines (JAL) (9201) and ANA (ANA Holdings, Inc., ANA HD) (9202) each offer special benefit tickets to their shareholders that allow them to fly domestic flights at half the price of regular fares.
These airline company shareholder special benefit tickets have been useful as a way to “fly cheaply.
However, with the rise of low-cost carriers (LCCs) in recent years, it is not uncommon to find one-way tickets for domestic flights for only a few thousand yen, and even full-service airlines such as JAL and ANA frequently hold airline ticket sales, with discounts often greater than those offered by shareholder benefits if booked early. In addition, the number of seats available for special benefit tickets is limited, and some say that reservations have become more difficult to obtain than in the past.
As a result, JAL and ANA HD shareholder benefits appear to be less attractive than before, leading to a decline in popularity.
Let’s compare the fares for actual reservations using the shareholder special benefit with those for reservations without using it, in the case of ANA.
In the above case, the discount rates for “Flex” fares, which offer the greatest flexibility in reservations, are approximately 53.5% for “Value 7,” which can be used with reservations made up to 7 days in advance, and approximately 59.6% for “Value 21,” which can be used with reservations made up to 21 days in advance. If one’s schedule is fixed in advance, simply making an early reservation is cheaper than using the shareholder discount.
However, this “early bird discount” has some drawbacks. Once a reservation has been made, it is basically impossible to change the departure date or flight*. (*) In principle, reservations must be cancelled before changes can be made. A cancellation fee is also charged. (*If you are unable to travel due to illness or other reasons, it is possible to change your reservation or receive a full refund after completing the prescribed procedures, such as submitting a doctor’s note.)
On the other hand, reservations made using shareholder benefits are treated in the same way as Flex, so reservations can be changed. If seats are available, reservations can be made until the day of departure, and there is no cancellation fee before departure. This service is highly valuable for those who wish to use a full-service airline at a discounted fare while maintaining flexibility in reservations.
In addition, shareholders holding 100 or more shares of ANA HD stock as of the end of March and September will be issued “ANA Group Discount Coupons. These coupons include a coupon for hotel stays at ANA Group hotels. In addition to discounts on fares, there are still many benefits to be gained from this “lodging” benefit.
JAL also offers a 3% or 8% discount on package tour travel for shareholders holding 100 or more shares.
