Hello from New York, as I’m wrapping up my current review trip. I just had the chance to fly Japan Airlines’ Airbus A350-1000 first class from Tokyo to New York. This is a brand new aircraft for the airline, featuring an all-new passenger experience.
I had high hopes for this product, but even so, my expectations were exceeded by a long shot. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and it’s rare that a product really makes me go “WOW!” But that’s exactly what Japan Airlines did. This is an experience that pictures don’t do justice. Heck, I’m really excited to be heading home and seeing my family, but I didn’t want this flight to end.
I’ve been lucky enough to fly just about all of the world’s best first class airlines, but Japan Airlines is really raising the bar. The only other first class hard product that’s comparable is Emirates’ “Game Changer” 777 first class, but I think Emirates may have been outdone.
My biggest complaint about the flight? No one else was drinking the 2013 Salon champagne, so I felt an immense obligation to polish off the $1,200 bottle, to avoid it being wasted, even though I’m not really a drinker nowadays. And I succeeded.
Below I wanted to share some initial thoughts on the experience, and then soon I’ll have a full trip report.
In this post:
Japan Airlines’ A350 first class seats are unreal
Japan Airlines’ A350-1000 first class cabin has a total of six seats, spread across two rows, in a 1-1-1 configuration.
We’ve gotten used to the concept of first class suites with doors, but Japan Airlines has raised the bar. The suite could easily seat three people, as the seat is wide enough for two people (and then some), while there’s also a massive ottoman on which you can sit. In terms of functional personal space, this can only be outdone by Etihad’s The Residence.
Now, admittedly one might conclude that a double seat is a waste of space, since it’s not like you can book two (or three) people in one suite. But that’s where the thoughtful design shines. The seat back of the second seat lowers, to create a handy console on which you can place things during the flight. There’s even an armrest, so that the seat won’t be uncomfortably wide (I know, talk about first world problems!).
You might look at the entertainment screen and not think it’s remarkable, but that’s because the scale of the suite is lost in pictures. The entertainment monitor is a massive 43″ — for context, below is my 15″ MacBook Air next to the screen. You’re literally sitting in front of a big screen TV, and it’s wild — you could watch the Taylor Swift Super Bowl on here!
Watching the A350 tail camera on a 43″ screen while you’re flying is pure avgeek euphoria. It remains me of playing Microsoft Flight Simulator in my childhood, only ten times better.
The amount of storage at the seat is also unlike anything I’ve seen. Underneath the ottoman is a huge compartment where you can store your bags — it fit my overstuffed carry-on and backpack, with room to spare.
Then there are three additional storage compartments at the seat, so there will be no shortage of space to place your personal belongings.
All the seat’s functions can be controlled via a tablet and panel next to the seat, ranging from the entertainment functions, to the lighting in the suite.
In bed mode, this seat couldn’t be more comfortable. It’s so long and wide, and on Japan Airlines you get fantastic bedding. This is comprised of two pillows, a duvet, and your choice of a firm or soft mattress pad.
Also, while Japan Airlines’ A350 first class doesn’t have floor-to-ceiling doors (as you’ll find in Emirates’ new first class), the walls are 62″ high, so they do offer an incredible amount of privacy.
Lastly, I haven’t historically been a huge fan of Japan Airlines’ cabin finishes. In renderings, I thought the cabin looked kind of ugly. However, I have to say that the burgundy color looks a lot more elegant in person. So while this isn’t how I’d choose to design a plane, the cabin looks a lot better than I was expecting.
Japan Airlines’ A350 first class tech is phenomenal
Japan Airlines has incredible tech in its Airbus A350 first class. Where do we even begin?
Each seat has an unheard of seven charging options — two USB-A outlets, two USB-C outlets, two AC power outlets, and one wireless charging station.
Japan Airlines also has an unrivaled three options for enjoying audio through the inflight entertainment — you can use the provided Bang & Olufsen headphones, you can use your own headphones via bluetooth audio, or you can use the speakers that are built into the seat.
That’s right, Japan Airlines has speakers built into the headrest, so you can enjoy entertainment without even using your headphones. I’ll share my thoughts on that in a separate post, since I have enough to share here as is.
Japan Airlines’ A350-1000 is a pleasure to fly
Currently the world’s two best first class hard products are Emirates’ 777 first class and Japan Airlines’ A350 first class. So I think it’s important to emphasize what a difference the A350 can make to the passenger experience.
The plane is just so quiet, it has a tail camera (on a 43″ screen no less — SWOON!), and it’s pressurized so that your skin doesn’t feel as dry. As much as I don’t usually buy into marketing hype, I want to mention that I 100% believe that the 787 and A350 leave you feeling more refreshed. On this trip, all my long haul flights were on the 787 and A350, and for the first time in a long time, my knuckles don’t feel super dry, which otherwise seems to happen every time I take one of these wild trips.
Japan Airlines’ first class soft product is delightful
What’s not to love about flying with a Japanese airline? For one, you know service is going to be consistent and excellent, as was the case on this flight. The crew on this flight couldn’t have been better, and I was particularly impressed given that it was the entire crew’s first flight on the aircraft (this was only the plane’s second-ever flight to New York). There can often be a learning curve to new planes, but you wouldn’t have known based on the crew’s service level.
Japan Airlines’ soft product is incredible. The airline serves Salon 2013 in first class, retailing for $1,200 per bottle. Now, the airline only loads one bottle of this, which is a strange approach to take. However, when you’re the only one drinking champagne…
But Japan Airlines’ drink selection is impressive beyond that, including serving the most expensive non-alcoholic drink that you’ll find on any airline in the world, in the form of its Queen of Blue deluxe tea.
Japan Airlines offers both western and Japanese meals. I almost always go for the Japanese options on a Japanese carrier, but for the main meal, the western one sounded more appealing this time around (the Japanese menu was a bit too blowfish and herring based for my liking).
Fortunately Japanese airlines serve some of the best and most elaborate western meals of any airline, and this flight was no exception.
The meal began with an amuse bouche of goat milk bavarois.
Next up was an appetizer of shrimp and kobashira with quinoa.
Then there was yet another appetizer, comprised of vegetable and scallop mille-feuille.
Then there was the first main course, consisting of rockfish and winter vegetables a la nage, with a preparation you don’t often see on a plane. The fish literally melted in your mouth.
Then the second main course consisted of a beef sirloin with gratin dauphinois.
Lastly, for dessert was pistachio cream with chocolate cream puffs.
The quality was simply unmatched. No, this wasn’t like Emirates first class, there the star of the show is unlimited caviar, but here everything was so high quality and thoughtfully presented.
For the pre-landing meal, I had the Japanese option, consisting of salmon with lotus root and bok choy, steamed rice, miso soup, and black pickles.
Then I had the petit dessert tray.
Absolutely divine…
Where there’s room for improvement
As you can see, I’ve been raving about Japan Airlines’ A350-1000 product above, and for good reason. However, no product is perfect, so I want to be balanced, and share some areas for improvement.
To start, Japan Airlines has acknowledged that it’s not pleased with some of the work Safran did with the cabin finishes, as there have been many issues with the seats already, from scratches, to panels falling off. So while that has been widely reported, I have to say that I didn’t notice any issues whatsoever with the functionality of my seat. Then again, this was only the aircraft’s third commercial flight ever (I was flying the second A350-1000 to be delivered to Japan Airlines).
Here’s what I did notice in terms of potential areas for improvement:
- Japan Airlines’ entertainment system continues to be fairly limited in terms of the selection; however, between the tail camera and the free Wi-Fi for first class passengers, I was happy as could be
- There was an issue with the map feature, whereby it didn’t update correctly. Starting at about the halfway point of the flight, the map just suggested we were 8hr30min from arrival, with no additional updates
- There’s a tablet next to the seat that you use to control the entertainment, though I didn’t find the design to be terribly intuitive in terms of which buttons to push and when in order to make selections
- This is admittedly a very specific detail, but the lavatory doors slam loudly, so something needs to be installed so that they close more gently, and make less noise
These are all very minor points, but I want to be balanced, so there ya go…
Bottom line
I had high expectations of Japan Airlines’ new A350 first class, but despite that, they were exceeded. As I see it, this is without a doubt one of the two best first class hard products out there, along with Emirates’ 777 first class (and I’ll do a more direct comparison of the two in a different post).
Japan Airlines has taken personal space to the next level with its new first class, and the tech at the seats is spectacular. When you combine that with Japanese hospitality and amazing food and drinks, commercial aviation really doesn’t get much better than this.
What’s your take on Japan Airlines’ new A350-1000 first class?
Hi Ben!
Awesome review and pics! I've read that DFW-HND-DFW will be the next route, any speculation on when that would launch?
I have an allergic reaction to Caviar, so I know my choice (have flown the old JL 777 and EK A380 in first)
Hi hope someone here can help me as I can't find the exact scenario online:
I have booked a JFK-HND-SIN ticket with First on JFK-HND (can't wait to try the A350!), but HND-SIN is business as they're using 787 which doesn't come with First. The layover is 6h 55mins.
Will I be able to access the JAl First Lounge at HND?
The info I see on flyertalk is mainly about JAL First connecting to...
Hi hope someone here can help me as I can't find the exact scenario online:
I have booked a JFK-HND-SIN ticket with First on JFK-HND (can't wait to try the A350!), but HND-SIN is business as they're using 787 which doesn't come with First. The layover is 6h 55mins.
Will I be able to access the JAl First Lounge at HND?
The info I see on flyertalk is mainly about JAL First connecting to some other OW partner flight which mentions they follow OW alliance rules which do not allow access to the First lounge on arrival.
My entire itinerary is operated by JAL
In my experience, absolutely you will be welcomed into F lounge. Enjoy!
Did you take a picture of the full menu? Even though you picked western, I would love to see what the Japanese option was, and what kinds of sake and wines that they offer.
Also, how was the tea? What’s the retail, and was it next level?
Fat chance we’ll ever see this flying HKG or SIN routes I suppose, eh?
How was the cabin temperature?
Which seat you recommend to choose?
Just flew JL001 from SFO-HND last week in F/C on albeit a 15 yr 777 (but the interior had been recently refurbished and spotless). They do have caviar. It's on the midnight snack menu, but I had it to before the extravagant meal. On my flight the next day in F/C from HND-BKK I had the exact Western option that you had and it was totally awesome, particularly the goat cheese Bavaria and the steamed...
Just flew JL001 from SFO-HND last week in F/C on albeit a 15 yr 777 (but the interior had been recently refurbished and spotless). They do have caviar. It's on the midnight snack menu, but I had it to before the extravagant meal. On my flight the next day in F/C from HND-BKK I had the exact Western option that you had and it was totally awesome, particularly the goat cheese Bavaria and the steamed rockfish withe unique presentation.
Alas I could not finish the bottle of Salon Champagne.
Amenity kit was "meh" to quote the famous OOMAT blogger
Is this the seat that QF will use for their Sydney-London/NYC flights? It seems to be the same layout.
What about the amenity kit? I flew the 777 and remember a basic one compared to the rest but also a gift box from Shiseido.
*Taylor Swift Sunday featuring football
Selfishly, I need JAL to have new plane everywhere ASAP so everyone is not fighting to fly out of my home airport, JFK.
Anyone who raves about airline food has probably never flown Turkish Airlines business class. A chef cooks the meals onboard, but first he goes to every seat discussing the food and taking orders. The choice of appetizers was soup or mezze, and when I told him I wanted both, they came out spaced, not at the same time. When I ordered two entrees, he didn’t blink, rather he seemed pleased that I was so interested...
Anyone who raves about airline food has probably never flown Turkish Airlines business class. A chef cooks the meals onboard, but first he goes to every seat discussing the food and taking orders. The choice of appetizers was soup or mezze, and when I told him I wanted both, they came out spaced, not at the same time. When I ordered two entrees, he didn’t blink, rather he seemed pleased that I was so interested in his food. The same with my order of every dessert, which were served one by one. It seemed as if the flight attendants had all the time in the world. After the dinner, hthe chef came back to discuss the food. Everything was delicious, equal to a Michelin one star restaurant, and I’ve been to plenty of those. Do the first-class dinners on JAL or Emirates match that? I doubt it.
And then again, on a 9 hour flight (CMB-IST), they looked at me like I had two heads when I asked if I could have the second meal sooner as I was very hungry. And offered me two miniature biscuits because that was everything they had. The second meal would be served “soon”, in two hours…
Did he offer you a wafer-thin mint at the end of the meal?
@ Stan -- Turkish Airlines business class is fantastic, among my favorite business class experiences out there. But just to be clear, there's no cooking happening onboard, the chef is just there for show. Like on other airlines, meals on Turkish are reheated, but the chef definitely helps with plating the dishes so that they look nice.
Good airlines in first class should offer a similar experience. That's not to say it'll always happen, but they should.
Turkish Airlines J food is very good but the chef is a bit of a gimmick. He doesn't really cook the meals on board (it's not like there's a proper kitchen) but he can do fairly minor things with changing a few garnishes, additional ingredients, seasoning etc.
Great, just realised Lucky did the same reply as me three minutes earlier!
And ultimately this doesn't matter because airlines refuse to standardize their cabins. There's literally one route w/ this seat right now. It's what annoys me so much, airlines, bloggers, churners, etc. all harp about the top of the line experiences, when in reality, they are far and few in between.
ANA has "The Room", yet so many routes are still in their old 787 configuration. TK may have an outstanding 787/A350 business class, but they're...
And ultimately this doesn't matter because airlines refuse to standardize their cabins. There's literally one route w/ this seat right now. It's what annoys me so much, airlines, bloggers, churners, etc. all harp about the top of the line experiences, when in reality, they are far and few in between.
ANA has "The Room", yet so many routes are still in their old 787 configuration. TK may have an outstanding 787/A350 business class, but they're still servicing the majority of their US with their dated 777s and 330s, 2-3-2 in business is deplorable. Same goes for Emirates. Delta brags about their "Delta One Suites", but still have aging A330s and 767s on half of their routes. The list goes on and on BA, etc.
The industry needs to make fleet standardization a thing. Stop playing literal musical chairs and equipment swapping.
I am 100% in agreement on this. Airlines love to introduce new seats when they get new aircraft, but they leave the old aircraft (which unfortunately many people actually fly) in the dust with very extended timelines for refurbishment (or in DL's case - no refurbishment other than new seat covers).
It is especially irritating during equipment swaps. Airline pricing is so sophisticated that I 100% believe pricing reflects the aircraft on the route. So...
I am 100% in agreement on this. Airlines love to introduce new seats when they get new aircraft, but they leave the old aircraft (which unfortunately many people actually fly) in the dust with very extended timelines for refurbishment (or in DL's case - no refurbishment other than new seat covers).
It is especially irritating during equipment swaps. Airline pricing is so sophisticated that I 100% believe pricing reflects the aircraft on the route. So when an airline swaps an aircraft after I purchase a ticket, I consider it a bait and switch (I know it's the same "class" by airline standards, but with the inferior layouts out there, it is not IMO).
This is where I like UA. They are not the cream of the crop, BUT the Polaris seat is essentially the same on every aircraft (yes, some variation due to aircraft size, etc., but not much). I know what I am getting.
@yoloswag420, if you understand airlines at all, you would know they really don't mind annoying "bloggers" and "churners" with outdated seats, those are by far the lowest yield J/F passengers (and also among the most demanding). Airlines develop their J/F products for frequent business travelers whose companies are paying high cash fares, because it's a small group of those passengers that are generating a disproportionate amount of the airline's revenues (and even more so on...
@yoloswag420, if you understand airlines at all, you would know they really don't mind annoying "bloggers" and "churners" with outdated seats, those are by far the lowest yield J/F passengers (and also among the most demanding). Airlines develop their J/F products for frequent business travelers whose companies are paying high cash fares, because it's a small group of those passengers that are generating a disproportionate amount of the airline's revenues (and even more so on profit because the economy passengers and blogger / churner award ticket passengers generate very little revenue and next to no profit). If you are frustrated by airlines not catering their J / F products to bloggers and churners, be prepared to be frustrated forever.
Also, on fleet standardization, even if an airline does use a single J seat (say, BA Club Suite or UA Polaris), it still takes time to refresh a whole fleet for a major airline, that doesn't happen overnight. What are they supposed to do in the meantime, not fly any of the planes with the new product?
Dominic - I agree with you it takes time to standardize a fleet and there will be a couple of variations in seating. That I don't have a problem with. However, I have a problem when airlines introduce a new seat and there are aircraft with seats that have not even been updated once.
The best example I can give is DL - you have the A350 with suites, a subset of A350s without suites,...
Dominic - I agree with you it takes time to standardize a fleet and there will be a couple of variations in seating. That I don't have a problem with. However, I have a problem when airlines introduce a new seat and there are aircraft with seats that have not even been updated once.
The best example I can give is DL - you have the A350 with suites, a subset of A350s without suites, the A330-neo with suites, the A332 and A333 with old herringbone, the 764 refurbished like the A350 suites, but without doors and then the 763s with most outdated layout of all.
I get it fleets will always be in transition. What bothers me is when they will only have the new seat on new aircraft deliveries (which could be stretched over years) and then don't even bother with existing aircraft.
Please call me naive but could someone kindly explain what exactly are tried knuckles?
I echo the chorus of those who are waiting for the full review ....... I love the teasers!
@ Carrie -- Sorry, should have said "dry" rather than "try."
The cover photo kind of looks like an old school railway carriage. Prettt cool.
Just spent time out there and after several great multicourse western style meals prepped by japanese chefs on the ground in Japan the novelty of a JL or NH F meal isn't as strong. But it's good advertising for trying the 'haute' western food scene on the ground in Japan.
We all go to Japan often . I’ll be there twice next month. I’ve eaten Japanese BBQ with waygu beef that costed $$$$. What’s your point?
@D3kingg You didn't have to flex - he's literally saying that he have flown on ANA/JAL F and you're acting like it's nothing compared to your experience. I'd like to ask what your point is instead? Why do you get offended by an opinion?
Nice. Very much looking forward to the full review.
Looking forward to the full review.
By the way, how full was the F cabin on your flight?
@ David -- Four of the six seats were taken. There was the Japanese women in front of me who seemed to also be an avgeek, and then an older Japanese couple seated on the other side of the cabin.
Given Cathay does 1-1-1 does this take up the same amount of space? Was recently on the ex-cathay from MLE, and was impressed by the wasted space that could have been optimized.
@ Jack -- I think this cabin is quite a bit more spacious. That's because on Cathay Pacific, the first class seats are at an angle, so they have a smaller footprint.
Food looks sensational. Miles ahead of Emirates and their caviar (limited or otherwise). As a whole I find Emirates premium class food to be pretty lackluster.
Must admire your choice of the western meal. Like you I usually gravitate towards the Japanese meals but recently realized Japanese airlines do a great job with western food.
Not sure when/if I'd be able to afford a JAP first class ticket (Qantas points do not get...
Food looks sensational. Miles ahead of Emirates and their caviar (limited or otherwise). As a whole I find Emirates premium class food to be pretty lackluster.
Must admire your choice of the western meal. Like you I usually gravitate towards the Japanese meals but recently realized Japanese airlines do a great job with western food.
Not sure when/if I'd be able to afford a JAP first class ticket (Qantas points do not get you very far theese days...) but it's definitely
@ Mike -- Someone who I really respect pointed this out to me the other day, and it's a reason I ended up selecting the western option. Japanese airlines have some of the best western catering of any airline when departing from Japan, much more so than when departing from outstations. I found that to be 100% accurate, and this was among the best meals I've had on any airline.
Having flown JL in F for years SFO-NRT I would agree with you. The Japanese meals are excellent but the western meals are something quite special especially from SFO
Sorry did I miss how many points you used and which program you used to book?
@ bo -- Sorry, I discussed it in past posts, but not this one. I redeemed 80K AAdvantage miles for the one-way ticket. Tomorrow I'll have a post about the best ways to redeem miles for this product.
Oh wow, I got so many AA miles lying around have to look into one of their flights this year. I like last minute stuff. Thanks.
It's always delightful to read when you are so excited. JAL is absolutely one of the best -- if not the best all around airlines.
Great review Ben. Is there more space on Singapore airlines first ?
@ Jamie -- Purely in terms of square footage allocated to each seat, I think that both Etihad and Singapore might have a bit more space for first class passengers on the A380. However, I think this space is much better utilized, so the usable space is better.
"No, this wasn’t like Emirates first class, there the star of the show is unlimited caviar, but here everything was so high quality and thoughtfully presented."
Lets be honest, the caviar is the only advantage Emirates has in terms of food (for those who like caviar). JAL's food is much better overall in terms to taste, originality, and presentation. Emirates food is good for an airline, but JAL (and ANA as well) look like something...
"No, this wasn’t like Emirates first class, there the star of the show is unlimited caviar, but here everything was so high quality and thoughtfully presented."
Lets be honest, the caviar is the only advantage Emirates has in terms of food (for those who like caviar). JAL's food is much better overall in terms to taste, originality, and presentation. Emirates food is good for an airline, but JAL (and ANA as well) look like something you'd be served in a quality high end restaurant.
Glad to hear that it far exceeded expectations, Lucky! Looking forward to reading the full review soon!
Hello, Ben. I really enjoyed most of my JAL first class flight aboard the A350-1000, JFK-HND, on 28 January 2024. For instance, I was really impressed with the speakers that surround your head; man, that new tech is very cool and sets a new bar. And yes, the airplane cameras provide brilliant shots on that massive screen.
That said, I think you're much more enthusiastic and positive about JAL's new first class product than I...
Hello, Ben. I really enjoyed most of my JAL first class flight aboard the A350-1000, JFK-HND, on 28 January 2024. For instance, I was really impressed with the speakers that surround your head; man, that new tech is very cool and sets a new bar. And yes, the airplane cameras provide brilliant shots on that massive screen.
That said, I think you're much more enthusiastic and positive about JAL's new first class product than I am. Some more random thoughts follow. (I'm still letting the overall experience marinate in my mind.)
You're right about the poor selection on their IFE system, and the hefty control pad definitely takes a while to get used to (the user interface is not terribly intuitive, which I'm glad to hear that I wasn't the only one who felt that way).
There is no air nozzle in the first class suite, at least not one that I spotted. But given the large amount of personal space in the suite, it never got too hot, I'll admit. (Not sure if that would be case in the other three cabins. Not sure if they lack air nozzles also, but suspect they do.) Yes, JAL gives you multiple ways to charge your electronics, as you reported, but not a single air nozzle. This is a hard product fail for me. And yes, maybe that's partly a cultural preference, but as an int'l. carrier, they might've considered giving their customers that option. With a nozzle you can always turn it off.
In addition, I'll say that while the seat is super wide and comfortable, that makes the aisles quite narrow; to me, they felt narrower than in other carriers' first class cabins, say, on a 747-8i, 77W, or A380, but probably that's because the first class suite walls run so high in addition to the A350 being much narrower than those other widebodies. This makes passing by flight attendants even more awkward than usual (I don't remember feeling like this on Malaysia's A350 business class, formerly first class, suites.)
The bathrooms were tiny, as expected on an A350. While generally well appointed and stocked, the two lavs' size did make me long for the spacious bathroom facilities aboard an A380.
No complaints about the soft product and service (all the flight attendants were very friendly and spoke English oretty well or were understanding and good humored about my lack of knowing Japanese). I did sort of the opposite of you: I had the Japanese course for the main meal and then a cheeseburger (and ramen and curry rice) for the pre-landing meal(s). The Japanese meal was quite good, but not extraordinary, like I've had on my one other JAL F flight and ANA F flights (this flight's meal would chart at the bottom of my list of first class Japanese meals on Japanese carriers). So, maybe next time, I won't feel the pressure to stick with Japanese food, based on your review. (I know no one should feel pressured. But that pressure can lead to positive outcomes as well as negative ones. At least they have for me. An internalized Tiger parent speaking.)
I also had that pricey bottled nonalcoholic Japanese tea, which I know you'll write about later, and all three sakis. I didn't have any wine or champagne (Cristal--I know now that Salon is not typically available heading to Japan).
I just wish they would let first class passengers somehow purchase (possibly with some special code or other proof of having flown first class) those gorgeous JAL first class mugs, post-flight. I have been gifted one in the past, but that, more than any amenity kit or PJs, is likely the most coveted JAL item among avgeeks.
I look forward to reading more of your thoughts on your JAL A35K first class experience. For me, this won't top my personal rankings, despite the highly impressive tech and seat design--and soft product.
Surely interesting that there aren't air nozzles.
For the food, usually dining and beverage options are much better for flights departing from the airline's country of origin due to better catering and restaurant collaborations. But I read a post that JAL has acknowledged that the Japanese catering is worse for flights from the US and now has a dedicated chef working on that. Maybe there needs to be further improvements based on your review,...
Surely interesting that there aren't air nozzles.
For the food, usually dining and beverage options are much better for flights departing from the airline's country of origin due to better catering and restaurant collaborations. But I read a post that JAL has acknowledged that the Japanese catering is worse for flights from the US and now has a dedicated chef working on that. Maybe there needs to be further improvements based on your review, but not sure how much can be done due to limited options in the US.
Agreed on the JAL first class mug! Was so lucky to be given one by the CA many years ago as a souvenir. Asked if it was available for purchase on one of my recent JAL F flights, but was politely denied by the CA. Not sure if having status with JAL makes a difference, like the Gokujo Mori Izo shochu.
Nevertheless, very excited to try the JAL F on the new A350 in March.
@ hanchicago -- Appreciate your perspective, and enjoyed following along on your adventures! All your observations are valid and accurate.
Just a few thoughts on why I'm perhaps coming away with a slightly different perspective:
-- I agree the aisles are narrow, but that didn't bother me, since I didn't actually spend much time in the aisles, and I'd much rather space be allocated to seats than the aisle
-- The lavatories...
@ hanchicago -- Appreciate your perspective, and enjoyed following along on your adventures! All your observations are valid and accurate.
Just a few thoughts on why I'm perhaps coming away with a slightly different perspective:
-- I agree the aisles are narrow, but that didn't bother me, since I didn't actually spend much time in the aisles, and I'd much rather space be allocated to seats than the aisle
-- The lavatories definitely don't compare to what you'll find on an A380, though for a non-A380, I found the forward lavatory (by the cockpit, not to the right of the galley) to be spacious, and quite luxurious
-- The air nozzle thing is super frustrating, but aside from Emirates, this is unfortunately the norm on most of the world's top airlines with first class
-- I'm with you about the mugs, I LOVE THEM as well!
I'm curious, what are your top two or three first class products, then, if this doesn't make the list? :-)
That's part of the fun of all this -- we can have similar experiences but come away with different conclusions based on what we value most. And like I said, your perspective is totally accurate.
Thank you for your reply, Ben.
So, I don't hang out in the first class cabin aisles very often either, by the way. I mean, I know I'm a bit odd, but not that odd.
And yet the few times I went to the lav on the JAL A35K, I just found it way more awkward than usual to negotiate passing by the flight attendants. The aisles felt as claustrophobic to me as the...
Thank you for your reply, Ben.
So, I don't hang out in the first class cabin aisles very often either, by the way. I mean, I know I'm a bit odd, but not that odd.
And yet the few times I went to the lav on the JAL A35K, I just found it way more awkward than usual to negotiate passing by the flight attendants. The aisles felt as claustrophobic to me as the suites felt as vast.
You're right, of course, that more space should be dedicated to the first class suites than the aisles. Maybe I'm just not in love with the A350 as much as many are (despite it delivering a much quieter ride). I guess I still prefer the monstrous A380 or royal 747-8i, though they're noisier.
As for my top two or three first class experiences/products, I guess today I would say Emirates on the A380 (because of the shower and the bar and the exceptional service from truly international crews), ANA's The Suite on the 77W or the variant on their A380 Flying Honu (that new hard product isnt that innovative, but I find it very comfortable and the onboard catering is great), and SWISS on the A340 and other aircraft (I just loved the Zurich lounge's food, outdoor views of the runways, and heavenly Hästens bed, plus the onoard suite snd catering are solid).
I've been on everything on your top 12 first class list, including the Emirates Gamechanger and Air France first -- with the notable exception of Oman Air first on the 789 (g-r-r-r, you might remember what happened to me last summer, thanks in part to Aeroplan's call center being closed and WY's equipment swap; I was sad to hear from your reporting that Oman Air hasn't changed its tune much when it comes to first class bookings made via Aeroplan).
I really wanted to love both the Gamechanger and JAL A35K first class, but while I think a lot of their tech is super cool (EK's virtual windows and JL's headrest speakers, for instance), I just wasn't swooning like I was the first time I got to experience the other three I mentioned.
Yes, it's super fun hearing different perspectives on the same product. Thanks for inspiring me and others to fly like you do. :)!
With all this tech such as Bluetooth audio, wireless charging, etc. being rolled out, I would love to see IFE vendors introduce AirPlay or Chromecast so you can play your own content on the big screen. Airlines like CX and SQ had either a proprietary AV connection and you had to go out and buy a special cable or HDMI and I don't think it was ever used.
I am glad you enjoyed the soft product, but I thought JL's first class catering was terrible. I didn't like that goat milk bavarois nor rockfish (let alone the presentation). Besides, the portions were way too small and I had to ask for more food from business class (since first class wasn't sufficiently catered and they were out of the Japanese options in first class). And no caviar.
When they only have one bottle...
I am glad you enjoyed the soft product, but I thought JL's first class catering was terrible. I didn't like that goat milk bavarois nor rockfish (let alone the presentation). Besides, the portions were way too small and I had to ask for more food from business class (since first class wasn't sufficiently catered and they were out of the Japanese options in first class). And no caviar.
When they only have one bottle of champagne for the entire first class cabin, you may get less than one glass, which is what happened on my flight. While I understand your review is based on your experience, I felt the soft product was downright awful.
I also chose Japanese for the second meal and there was barely any meat for the amount of rice they gave you. Since then, I have been avoiding JL F.
@ Big -- Sorry to hear about your experience. Admittedly that's where it all comes down to subjectivity, and we can all walk away with different impressions. You're right, the individual portions weren't huge, but between the seven courses (including the canapé) and lots of great drinks, I was stuffed by the end of the meal. I understand others will feel differently.
I do find JAL's approach to champagne to be very odd as well....
@ Big -- Sorry to hear about your experience. Admittedly that's where it all comes down to subjectivity, and we can all walk away with different impressions. You're right, the individual portions weren't huge, but between the seven courses (including the canapé) and lots of great drinks, I was stuffed by the end of the meal. I understand others will feel differently.
I do find JAL's approach to champagne to be very odd as well. In fairness, though, JAL's first class backup champagne is respectable as well, and has a similar retail price to the main champagne served on other airlines in first class.
What's the backup champagne?
@ Chris W -- It's Drappier 2012 "La Grande Sendree."
JAL's "approach" to champagne is to make a profit by not offering free-flowing $1200 per bottle champagne to passengers...nothing strange about that
@ Dominic Kivni -- I understand not wanting to offer free flowing $1,200 champagne, but you'd think that you'd want to better manage expectations. On some flights, there won't even be enough for everyone to get a single glass. There's not another airline in the world that takes this single bottle approach.
@Ben - the bottle of Salon is 750ml, so there's 125ml per passenger (which is roughly equivalent to one pour) if the F cabin is fully sold AND every passenger wants to drink champagne, which means there's enough for at least one glass per passenger. As you noted, "No one else was drinking the 2013 Salon champagne, so I felt an immense obligation to polish off the $1,200 bottle, to avoid it being wasted, even...
@Ben - the bottle of Salon is 750ml, so there's 125ml per passenger (which is roughly equivalent to one pour) if the F cabin is fully sold AND every passenger wants to drink champagne, which means there's enough for at least one glass per passenger. As you noted, "No one else was drinking the 2013 Salon champagne, so I felt an immense obligation to polish off the $1,200 bottle, to avoid it being wasted, even though I’m not really a drinker nowadays. And I succeeded." What exactly is the "complaint" here? That you "had to" drink the whole bottle when you don't really drink, but that if there were others who also wanted to have some champagne, you wouldn't have been able to force yourself to drink the full 750ml of Salon?
Beyond that point, JAL flies F cabins to destinations primarily to serve the one particular customer base: senior corporate executives of major Japanese companies that will pay for F. As has been discussed extensively on other posts on this site and others, this is who JAL targets for F. DFW is the next A350 route for Toyota top brass. JAL flies F to Bangkok for this same customer base. Secondarily, they serve ultrawealthy Japanese leisure passengers who buy F out of pocket. Lastly, the dump the leftover scraps of unsold seats to JAL Mileage Bank customers, miles and points bloggers, and other award ticket passengers. However, the service is designed for that first customer base of top Japanese corporate brass, because those are the people who (or whose companies) regularly pay high cash fares. What the other customers want is a secondary concern to JAL, if at all, because those passengers are not the ones making the entire cabin and product financially viable. So while the award ticket passengers may be clamoring to drink as much $1200 / bottle Salon as is available, if the Japanese executive passengers are not, JAL is not going to bother catering more bottles of Salon. As you noted, you were the only passenger drinking Salon and I'm sure there was at least one 45-75 year old Japanese man on board. That customer base is not typically trying to down several glasses of champagne on their way from home HQ to overseas HQ just because it's $1200 / bottle.
As to managing expectations, those Japanese top execs will be regular passengers on JAL F (or ANA F). If they are regular passengers on JAL, they know that there's just one bottle of Salon. The other main group of passengers, the western miles and points bloggers and their readers, would know that there's just one bottle of Salon as well, because they would typically have booked the seat after having read about it on a blog. All the relevant passengers would expect one bottle of Salon. Besides, it's not like the other champagnes that JAL has for F passengers once Salon runs out are shabby, so if people want more champagne after Salon runs out, it's still available.
This is standard miles and point blogger clamoring for stuff that doesn't make any sense for the airline to provide under the guise of "investing in the product and experience" even though there's no financial return to the airline (and if you want to see more egregious versions of this, read literally any blog post by Gary Leff)
This is one of the few times I have ever heard of a JAL flight not being sufficiently catered in First Class.
….so what , Julia ?
I have to agree with you. From the quantity to the selection to the quality JAL first class catering is dreadful. They’ve been cost-cutting on the soft product for years thinking we won’t notice. But we do notice!
This should be the best first class suite without a separate bed.
State-of-art design, the latest tech, unmatched seat width and tie with ANA THE Suite for the biggest TV screen on any airline (perhaps I believe that JAL one would be better, since it's 4-5 years newer)... It would be silly to complain anything about JAL first class experience on board this new suite, with their top-notch soft service standards.
I'm sure...
This should be the best first class suite without a separate bed.
State-of-art design, the latest tech, unmatched seat width and tie with ANA THE Suite for the biggest TV screen on any airline (perhaps I believe that JAL one would be better, since it's 4-5 years newer)... It would be silly to complain anything about JAL first class experience on board this new suite, with their top-notch soft service standards.
I'm sure that this suite will be better than Qantas new suite, launching in 2028. I mean, in overall JAL A35K would be the best A35K of all airlines - even better than the ones specially ordered to fly ultra-long haul flights.
The only thing I wish about this is that they ordered more A35Ks so this could be found more commonly.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, as always.
@ Nick -- Thanks! :-) While it's personal preference, I prefer this to the products that have a separate bed and seat as well. The problem with those products (SQ A380 Suites and EY A380 Apartment) is that the beds are never actually that comfortable, so you get a moderately comfortable seat and moderately comfortable bed. On JAL, the seat and bed both couldn't be more comfortable, and it's easy to change settings between the two. At least that's my take.
That Queen of Blue tea is AMAZING.
!! 100% That tea is simply beyond.
Air Nozzles?
@ A.Man -- Unfortunately not, though shockingly I wasn't warm once. So I'm not sure if I just got lucky, or if JAL crews got the memo to not turn cabins into saunas.
Thanks for the interesting review, it sounds even better than ANAs The Suite which I just flew last week, my one complaint about it being the very firm seat making lounging at anything but upright position quite hard on my back (and I didn't even try sleeping on it).
I'll be flying JAL F back home in about a week, but I am wondering how you snagged this for 80k AA miles? They don't...
Thanks for the interesting review, it sounds even better than ANAs The Suite which I just flew last week, my one complaint about it being the very firm seat making lounging at anything but upright position quite hard on my back (and I didn't even try sleeping on it).
I'll be flying JAL F back home in about a week, but I am wondering how you snagged this for 80k AA miles? They don't seem to releasing award space for F last minute on any route consistently except for HND-DFW.
You certainly are Lucky.
I was poking around on flightradar24 while bored earlier today and just happened to find the JAL A35K approaching JFK. I suspected that might be the flight you were on. Good to hear about your experience!
thanks for the initial thoughts! I can’t wait to fly the product myself. As someone who consumes mainly Japanese media, I vastly prefer JAL’s entertainment selection over any other airline. So from a western perspective, I definitely appreciate what you are saying in that it’s not as diverse for an audience who is used to western media, whereas I have the opposite problem where Asian offerings on most carriers I use are sparse.
@ Mike -- Totally fair, if you like Japanese media, then JAL will probably be better than just about any other airline.
I strongly agree... I also prefer Japanese media in general, but the Japanese media found on non-Japanese airlines are either limited (or maybe not there at all) or some of the low-rated ones. I've flown on Etihad (who's IFE contents selection is known as wide) multiple times and I honestly was bored of their IFE contents, ending up watching some contents on my own device.
How does it compares to ANA's "The Suite"?
@ Andrew -- Both airlines have great soft products, but JAL's new hard product is in a completely different league. I definitely preferred ANA's 777 first class to JAL's 777 first class, but now I have a strong preference for JAL's A350 first class.
Nice review & product. How did you end up booking? Points? Cash?
@ dn10 -- Using 80K American AAdvantage miles. I speculatively booked a ticket before the flight was officially scheduled to be operated by an A350-1000.
How were you able to find the space? Seems like the only First Class flights available to book on AA are to DFW and ORD, even days before the flight.
@ Frank -- JAL first class award space is hard to come by nowadays. I booked this many months ago speculatively, when I noticed a few dates with first class availability. This was before the aircraft was officially switched to an A350, yet we had an indication of which flight was likely to get the plane.
Nowadays the airline seems to make a single first class award seat available when the schedule first opens. It...
@ Frank -- JAL first class award space is hard to come by nowadays. I booked this many months ago speculatively, when I noticed a few dates with first class availability. This was before the aircraft was officially switched to an A350, yet we had an indication of which flight was likely to get the plane.
Nowadays the airline seems to make a single first class award seat available when the schedule first opens. It typically gets snatched up in no time. And unfortunately American AAdvantage doesn't have access to the availability then, since American only makes flights bookable 331 days out (rather than 360 days out).
in terms of award space, do other (non-Jal) airlines have access ahead of AA.
And do you think first is worthwhile over business class on the night flight from tokyo when much of the flight is sleep (or maybe that is more important?)
Thank you!
Hi Ben
Love this review and can’t wait to compare this product to the new QF First on their new A350-1000 when it launches in 2025.
What about the space and quality of the JAL bathrooms vs EK or SQ 380.?
Look forward to reading the detailed review. Thanks