I recently returned from Japan, and because I wanted a luxurious start to my trip that would get me ready for Japan right away, I chose to book my outbound flight in Japan Airlines business class. So what did I think of Japan Airlines business class? Keep reading to find out….

 

Quick Rundown

U.S. to Japan

Route flown: ORD to HND

Miles used: 75,000 Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (but they have since devalued their program and this route will now cost 89,000 Asia Miles)

Miles transferred: I transferred points from American Express Membership Rewards® and Capital One Venture Miles to Cathay Pacific

Taxes/surcharges: $348/person

Aircraft flown: Japan Airlines 787-9 Dreamliner (2-2-2 business class configuration; every seat has aisle access)

Japan to U.S.

Route flown: HND to ORD

Miles used: 60,000 American Airlines miles

Miles transferred: None! I earned these miles from the welcome offer on the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®

Taxes/surcharges: $48.65/person

Aircraft flown: Japan Airlines 787-9 Dreamliner (2-2-2 business class configuration, so every seat has aisle access)

 

Pre-Departure

I booked a positioning flight from Houston to Chicago for the day before my flight from Chicago to Japan, and used 6,500 Hyatt points to reserve a room at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare for that night. But as my positioning flight got closer, I saw that bad weather was predicted in Houston for the day of my positioning flight, and I ended up deciding to fly to Chicago a day earlier than planned.  I didn’t want to get stuck in Houston and miss my flight to Japan if my positioning flight were canceled.  So at the last minute, I redeemed another 6,500 Hyatt points for an additional night and moved my positioning flight a day earlier. In total, I used 13,000 Hyatt points + $0 for my stay at the airport hotel.  The Hyatt Regency O’Hare also has a free shuttle to and from the airport.

I met up with my two stepdaughters in Chicago, and we were off to Japan! Because we were flying Japan Airlines business class, we had access to the American Airlines Flagship Lounge at ORD. (Japan Airlines and American Airlines are both members of the Oneworld alliance, so they share that lounge.) Our flight was scheduled to depart at 10:20 AM, so we arrived at the airport bright and early to enjoy breakfast in the lounge.

 

 

The Cabin

The business class cabin on the Japan Airlines 787-9 Dreamliner is arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration. All seats have direct aisle access, which was very convenient.

 

 

All seats in business class also recline into a lie-flat bed. There were headphones, slippers, a pillow, a blanket, and an amenity kit waiting at our seats. The amenity kit contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, tissues, a sleep mask, ear plugs, a phone holder, and a phone charger. (I loved this addition!)

 

We made up three of five total passengers in business class, so we practically had the entire cabin to ourselves! While not the most updated of the business class cabins I’ve flown, I found the seats comfortable. The flight was a daytime flight, but I still managed to nap for a couple of hours before our arrival in Tokyo.

 

The Food

You will not go hungry on a Japan Airlines flight, that’s for sure! Most airlines allow you to pre-order your meals three to seven days before your flight if you’re a premium cabin passenger. A few days before our flight, I pre-ordered the Japanese meal for all three of us.

Don’t worry—if you aren’t able to place an order in advance, you’ll still have options. Pre-ordering just guarantees that they set aside that specific meal for you and that they don’t run out of what you might want to choose.

We all really enjoyed the traditional Japanese meal. It included things like lobster, shrimp, egg, veggies, fish, rice, miso soup, and more! I meant it when I said you wouldn’t go hungry.

 

 

 

They also have an “International meal” option for those who don’t want Japanese food. The International meal featured options like beef filet or flounder.

There’s also an à la carte menu you can order from any time during the flight. It includes things like sandwiches, salads, ramen, ice cream, fruit, and more. The best part? You order directly from the remote control for your in-flight entertainment, and the flight attendants deliver it to your seat.

 

 

 

The Service

The service onboard was excellent. Flight attendants regularly checked in to ask if there was anything we needed. The ability to order food via the remote was also great because we never had to flag a flight attendant down, and the food and drinks were always promptly served.

My stepdaughters are both pescatarian, and the flight attendants could easily accommodate their preferences.

There was also a basket of self-serve items in the galley which was a nice touch. It included things like chocolate, cookies, crackers, and even gentle steam eye masks. (I took one, and it was amazing!)

 

 

Bottom Line

I would not hesitate to fly Japan Airlines business class again. The seat was comfortable even though it wasn’t the nicest I’ve experienced, but they’ve thought of everything from ordering via remote control to the self-serve basket to the wonderful service. If you can snag a saver award seat in business class (like I did for the return flight from Tokyo), it’s a no-brainer!