Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines (JAL) is Japan's flag carrier and competes directly with ANA on the transpacific and Europe routes, though ANA is larger overall. JAL's hub is Haneda (the primary Tokyo airport) with secondary focus on Osaka's Kansai hub. The airline operates 230+ aircraft (mostly domestic) and serves 90+ international destinations. The oneworld alliance membership provides connections through American Airlines, British Airways, and Cathay Pacific. What separates JAL from competitors is the engineering-first mindset in fleet planning and the Sakura Lounge experience at Haneda, which consistently ranks as one of the world's top lounges.

JAL Suite first-class on the 777-300ER is a direct competitor to ANA's The Room, and frequent flyers debate which is superior (they're actually extremely similar in configuration). The Apex Suite business class on the 787-9 is one of the newer products and competes well with any carrier's mid-range business class. The airline's domestic fleet modernization -- retiring 777-200s and 767s, adding A350-900s and more 787s -- positions JAL for long-term competitiveness. The Sakura Lounge, the Sakura credit card benefits, and the frequent-flyer mileage program (Mileage Bank) are all premium-focused, which means JAL is betting on the high-yield customer over low-cost volume.

The JAL Suite first-class product is arranged in a 1-1-1 configuration on the 777-300ER with 8 total seats. Each suite has a sliding door, direct aisle access, a full lie-flat bed, a personal monitor, a vanity, and storage. The bedding is Simmons, the amenity kit is LOEWE, and the service is kaiseki-style multi-course meal service with sake pairings. Visually and functionally, it's nearly identical to ANA's The Room, and the competition between the two is one of the best products battles in aviation.

The Apex Suites business class on the 787-9 is the newer product, rolled out in 2023+. It's a 1-2-1 configuration with 40 inches of pitch, lie-flat beds extending to 6'6", sliding doors for privacy, and direct aisle access for all seats. The seat design is from Apex (Australian manufacturer), and the deployment on the 787-9 makes it competitive with business class on carriers like Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific. JAL's 787-9 fleet is expanding (currently 35+ in service with more on order) across routes to North America and Europe. The A350-900 is new to JAL's fleet (delivered starting in 2024) with a 1-2-1 business class and will eventually replace older widebodies. Domestically, JAL operates 737-800, 787-8, and 787-9 aircraft in short-haul configuration with all-economy cabins.

The JAL Suite first-class experience is near-identical to ANA's The Room. You get a private suite with a sliding door, a lie-flat bed in a space about 6'8" long and 30 inches wide, a personal entertainment screen, a desk, and a full amenity kit. The meal service is kaiseki -- which means multiple small courses, plated individually, with pairing options (sake, wine, tea). Dinner service on evening flights includes items like wagyu, lobster, and seasonal fish. The cabin crew is visibly trained in attentiveness -- they notice when your water glass is half-empty and refill it before you ask. Ground transportation vouchers are included.

Business class on the 787-9 (Apex Suites) is a lie-flat bed with a sliding door for privacy. The seat slides and reclines independently, so you can have the seat at one angle and the bed surface at another. The pitch is 40 inches with a 6'6" bed length. The meal service is plated (not tray service), and the quality is high. The amenity kit is LOEWE. The cabin pressure on the 787 is equivalent to 6,000 feet, which reduces fatigue on long flights. Economy on the 787 is 31-32 inches, but the low cabin pressure makes a measurable difference on overnight flights. The Sakura Lounge access (for first and business class) at Haneda includes a dedicated meal counter, spa facilities (shower rooms), and quiet sleeping areas, which is genuinely first-class lounging.

On JAL Suite first-class on the 777-300ER, all 8 seats are equivalent in privacy and quality. The forward seats (rows 1-2) board first and have a slightly closer connection to the flight crew's energy. The middle seats (rows 3-4) are quietest for sleeping. The aft seats (rows 5-6) are furthest from the galley but closest to the main cabin. Since all have direct aisle access and full privacy, seat selection is personal preference on factors like galley proximity and your desire for first vs. last boarding.

On the 787-9 Apex Suites business class, middle seats (the 2 in the center row) have equal quality but deplane slightly later -- it's actually preferred by some business travelers who want to take time collecting themselves before exiting. Window seats on any JAL international aircraft are worth targeting specifically for the electrochromic windows on 787s and the better views on the A350. On domestic 787 routes (JAL operates these on trunk routes like Tokyo-Osaka, Tokyo-Sapporo), the 2-3-2 economy cabin has no middle seat nightmare because there's a window. Exit rows (if available on the 787) add 35-38 inches and are worth upgrading for flights over 6 hours.