I've taken business class flights on Japan Airlines several times throughout the years, and each time it has completely blown me away.
The food is outstanding, and the service is consistently excellent.
It represents Japanese service in all its purest forms, in my opinion.
I had a great experience when I last flew with the airline in 2019, therefore I was anxious to go back.
On my way home from Indonesia last month, I finally had the opportunity.
Even though the award space wasn't ideal, I was still able to use miles to travel from Jakarta to Chicago via Tokyo.
I reserved it and was looking forward to my travel.
I was unable to exit the Tokyo airport because of COVID-19 restrictions imposed by Japan.
However, the lounge visit and the flight from Tokyo to Chicago offered me a taste of Japanese culture that I had been missing since my previous visit to the nation.
Here is a brief account of my 2022 business class Japan Airlines flight experience.
warning: It was amazing.
Booking
For my award ticket, I used American Airlines AAdvantage miles.
My complete reservation cost 70,000 miles and just more than $50 in taxes and fees to travel from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) to New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) via Tokyo's Narita International Airport (NRT) and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD).
I used 90,000 Cathay Pacific Asia Miles that I converted from American Express Membership Rewards to purchase a second ticket for my traveling companion.
This prize had extra taxes and fees, which came to about $200 one-way.
I paid the taxes and fees using The Platinum Card® from American Express, which offers 5 points for every dollar spent on flight when booked directly with an airline or through Amex Travel (up to $500,000 annually).
To get better travel protections like trip delay insurance, you might also think about using a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card when making reservations.
Ground experience
To my amazement, despite Japan's present border restrictions, changing planes at Tokyo's Narita International Airport from my aircraft from Jakarta to my long-haul journey to Chicago was surprisingly simple.
I simply needed to get through security and head to the airline's lounge.
I couldn't help but note how deserted Narita was on the way.
With the exception of a duty-free shop, all of the shops were closed, and there were hardly any travelers inside the terminal.
This is probably because there are still entrance restrictions in place, and because there weren't many international flights leaving the airport when I was transiting.
In any case, it seemed to time travel back to March 2020.
I made my way through the terminal to the area I assumed to be the business-class lounge for JAL.
I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived at the entry to find that the first-class lounge was open but the business-class lounge was closed.
I went to the receptionist, checked in, and then I went to the elevator to go up to the lounge.
Unlike the rest of the airport, everything looked to be going as usual in this area.
Surprisingly, there was a full food and drink service, and the dining area was filled.
A self-serve bar featuring Champagnes, wine, and liquor as well as tea, coffee, and soda machines was located next to the dining room's entrance.
In the back of the lounge, there was a refrigerator filled with several Japanese beers, like Kirin, Asahi, and others.
The lounge itself was sizable and had a selection of seats.
Although the decor lacked creativity and had an office-like feel to it, it seemed like a good enough location to eat and drink while you waited for your next trip.
The dining area was situated in the middle of the lounge, which I found appealing. Despite being a tiny room, it was able to accommodate the demand at the time and I had no trouble finding a seat.
Any dining room table that has a QR code allows you to place an order for food.
There is a large selection of food in the first class lounge, but I only picked out a few nigiri that looked appetizing.
My companion and I both enjoyed the cuisine we ordered, and for a little moment, I thought I was dining at a sushi bar in Tokyo.
I've wanted to do this ever since the pandemic started, and it only made me more eager for Japan to someday reopen its borders.
I headed to the gate after indulging in a beer, coffee, and club soda - what a combination, right?
The boarding procedure went off without a problem and was just how I recalled it from my previous JAL travel in early 2019.
I promptly boarded and started making my way down the jet bridge to my flight to Chicago.
However, there was one intriguing development throughout the boarding procedure.
It indicated I wasn't qualified for boarding when I scanned my boarding pass at the gate.
I briefly panicked, but then the gate agent came over and informed me that the reason for the alert was that I had forgotten my hat on the Jakarta to Tokyo aircraft.
I hurriedly boarded the aircraft when she gave my hat back.
This was just great to me.
Yes, baggage left on flights is a common occurrence.
However, getting it back is unusual, so I highly doubt I'd get a lost hat back if I did so on a journey to my next destination with any U.S. airlines.
This demonstrates the excellent service provided by JAL, which persisted for the duration of my trip.
Seat and cabin
In order to increase privacy, the middle seats in the three-seat center section of JAL's Boeing 777-300ER business-class cabin are somewhat offset to the front of the two aisle seats on either side.
Additionally, it creates a small lane so that even middle-seat fliers have easy access to the aisle between the front of the adjacent seats and the back of the row ahead.
My boyfriend and I were in the middle section because I purchased my tickets close to the flight date.
For our voyage, thankfully, one of the seats was vacant, so we had a block of three seats to ourselves.
Although each seat has a privacy divider, the middle seats felt particularly open to the rest of the cabin.
Thank goodness, my companion had an aisle seat next to her, so this didn't bother us.
Although I slept for the most of the journey, the aisle seats also seemed fairly open to the elements.
I was concerned about how cramped the seats were on the airline's 777-300ER when I took it out for the first time.
Honestly, the pictures on JAL's website make them appear to be coffins.
They're actually 25.5 inches wide, so even for a larger 6'1" person like myself, they're very comfy.
There is plenty of space to relax, whether you want to sit or lie down.
Some of the taller flyers may need to hunch a little because the bed is 75 inches long when in the bed position, but I didn't find that to be essential.
I used the storage compartment under my aisle seat to keep my phone, wallet, and passports safe during the journey.
It was also big enough to hold my closed 13-inch MacBook Air and iPad when I wasn't using them, saving me a journey to the overhead compartment when it came time to sleep.
A USB port and an AC power outlet were located underneath this cubby.
Both functioned properly, even if the USB-A connector is becoming less and less relevant as USB-C takes over.
As we got closer to Chicago, I plugged in my fast charger because it was charging my iPhone 13 Pro Max very slowly.
The privacy divider and the seat controls were adjacent to each other.
I enjoyed how adaptable every part of the seat was, even if the buttons were worn from years of use.
It shouldn't be difficult for passengers to choose the arrangement that is most comfortable for them.
Throughout the journey, the atmosphere was warm but not stuffy.
To preserve some airflow through my seat, I would have loved personal air nozzles, but thankfully I had dressed lightly and didn't become too hot.
The tray table was 12 inches long and 19 inches wide, and it protruded from the armrest close to the storage nook.
For my MacBook Air, this was more than sufficient, and using the in-flight Wi-Fi was convenient.
I could get up from my seat during meal service without having to manage a tray or glasses because to the table's additional swivel.
Despite being directly behind my seat, the business-class restrooms weren't an issue for me during the 12-hour journey.
To keep you fresh during flight, they were clean and packed with toothbrushes, mouthwash, and other amenities.
Although JAL's business class service is beginning to age and some passengers may find the lack of privacy in center seats to be an issue, I found it to be very comfortable for the lengthy flight from Tokyo to Chicago.
My window seat was more private on my 2019 flight, but having easier access to the aisle was a wonderful perk of my center aisle seat.
In-flight entertainment and amenities
The 23-inch entertainment monitors on JAL's business class seats are operated by a touch-screen remote.
My screen had a clear image, and the remote worked well.
On the oddly small touchscreen of the remote, I could only preview titles and screen controls.
Although I rarely watch in-flight movies, I took a quick look at the schedule and discovered a selection of genre-spanning Japanese, American, and foreign films and TV shows.
If you didn't have your own entertainment, it wouldn't be the world's largest variety, but it could get you through a lengthy flight.
At the start of the flight, each passenger received an amenity kit and a pair of slippers.
These contained earplugs, eye masks, and lotion.
Additionally, there was a provided moisture mask that you could use to wet the otherwise dry cabin air by placing it over your nose and mouth.
The flight attendants also offered cardigans, but I declined because the cabin was already pretty warm.
Beverages and food
The best part of my trip with Japan Airlines was the food.
It's obvious that the airline takes great effort to deliver top-notch meal service, both on flights and in the lounge, and it was just as amazing in 2019 as I remembered it being.
No drinks were provided prior to flight, however immediately after takeoff, we received a bag of chips and a drink.
I chose Suntory The Premium Malts, a Japanese beer I had never tried before, and it was excellent.
It's important to note how broad the beverage choices was.
There are numerous wines, sakes, liquors, beers, and pretty much any other non-alcoholic beverage you can imagine to choose from.
The flight attendant questioned me about whether I would prefer a Japanese or Western meal when the first meal service began.
Since I don't have any immediate plans to visit Japan, I chose the Japanese dish created by Mishina Jun of the renowned Kagurazaka Ishikawa and Kohaku restaurants.
The first course consisted of a substantial appetizer and several minor dishes.
It was a great way for me to try new Japanese foods because there was everything from octopus to stewed abalone and sake-steamed scallops.
Everything was quite tasty, but the octopus was my favorite.
Also wonderful was the main course.
Once again, it was a sampler with dishes like king salmon, pork cutlets, miso soup, and curry that were all presented in a style that reminded me of a high-end Japanese restaurant.
I thought it was very exquisite way the rice was packaged in a cube and covered in paper.
The last course was Mizu Yokan, a sweet Japanese custard.
On the touchscreen remote, you can place food orders at any time throughout the trip.
During non-meal hours, I used this to get drinks and snacks, and the service was prompt.
I did see that ordering in this manner is not always available, as about 25% of the flight was devoid of on-demand service.
I simply used the flight attendant button in this instance to request an additional bottle of water.
I had a cheese plate and green tea ice cream for a mid-flight snack, both of which were great.
The ice cream did need some time to soften before I could consume it.
Just before landing, I had breakfast and let me tell you, the eggs Benedict was amazing.
As a fan of eggs Benedict, I thought the ham was tasty and the poached egg was cooked to perfection.
Without hesitation, I would have this on Sunday brunch outside.
Freshness was evident in both the accompanying bread and the tangy strawberry jam.
For JAL business class, the food was the main attraction.
Everything tasted delicious and was presented beautifully.
The Japanese lunch gave my experience the impression of a fleeting visit to Japan, which has made me even more eager to travel there whenever its borders are once again open to tourists in general.
Service
Service on JAL was excellent.
As mentioned before, I was reunited with the cap I misplaced on my connecting flight from Jakarta to begin the voyage.
The flight attendants on my long-haul leg were exceptionally competent, cordial, and attentive.
They frequently came by to see what I needed, if I wanted a drink refilled, or if they could bring me anything to eat.
Throughout the entire trip, I felt incredibly well taken care of, and I am forward for my next interaction with the airline.
Impression in general
A connecting flight on JAL provided an excellent alternative to visiting Japan, which is closed to foreigners.
I felt like I was on a short tour of the Japanese culinary scene, from the sushi bar at the airline's Narita airport first-class lounge to the onboard tasting menu.
The drinks were of the highest quality, and there was polite service throughout the entire event.
Even though Narita airport had a post-apocalyptic appearance and had very few passengers, the transportation experience there was simple.
In any case, the lounge experience was fantastic, and the onboard experience doesn't appear to have suffered as a result of the epidemic.
I cannot stress enough how excellent JAL business class is if you are planning a trip to Asia soon.
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