Flying Japan Airlines business class is on many travelers’ bucket lists, and for good reason! Japan Airlines consistently ranks as one of the top airlines for service and punctuality, and they recently introduced a new flagship aircraft into their fleet for international routes. In 2024 JAL introduced the new A350-1000 into their lineup, which currently only flies from three airports – JFK in New York, LHR in London, and DFW in Dallas. There are plans to continue adding more routes over the next few years as well.
I was lucky enough to fly business class on JAL’s new A350-1000 plane during my trip to Japan and I was able to experience all the new amenities and upgrades the airline has added to the new plane.
Booking Japan Airlines Business Class with Points
I got extremely lucky, since I had originally booked JAL business class on their old business class layout. Early in the year the DFW route was announced as one of the routes getting the new plane, so having the equipment swapped midway through the year was super lucky! Since they’ve only introduced a few routes, business class seats on the new JAL A350-1000 can be very difficult to snag.
I booked exactly one year out from my travel dates and transferred Capital One points to Cathay Pacific to book their saver award for 89,000 points. You can also transfer Chase points and book through British Airways, but availability opens to Cathay Pacific first so there’s a better chance of there being saver award availability if you can book right at schedule open.
Japan Airlines is also a OneWorld partner so I booked the other one way ticket with 60,000 American Airlines points. These are more difficult to get at saver rates since availability opens later than both Cathay and British Airways, but since I was flying on a holiday there were luckily still saver awards available!
Lounge Access with Japan Airlines Business Class
The luxury experience starts right when you enter the airport. JAL doesn’t have a lounge at DFW, but since it’s a OneWorld airline, you get access to their partner lounges. At DFW, this meant access to American Airlines’ Flagship First lounge. The Flagship First lounge was excellent, and upon entering I was offered champagne or a mimosa which I happily accepted! There were plenty of food options, seating, and clean and updated bathrooms, so I settled in for a few hours before heading to my gate.
Japan Airlines A350-1000 Business Class Layout
Japan Airlines’ new A350-1000 is configured in a 1-2-1 layout, meaning each seat gets direct aisle access. JAL’s other planes mostly use a 2-3-2 configuration, so the change to 1-2-1 is definitely a step up. There’s 54 seats total, spread across two business class sections. I chose a window seat for both legs of my flight.
Japan Airlines Business Class Seats
Each business class seat on the new A350 is a suite, and they have tall privacy doors which close to create a completely enclosed pod, bringing the design on par with notable business class products like Qatar Airways’s Q-suites.
The doors have to remain open for takeoff and landing, but outside of those two times you can get an incredible amount of privacy which I loved.
Each seat can lay completely flat and you also get a mattress pad, blanket, and pillow.
You can easily change the seat’s position with a control panel on the side of the armrest.
The suite had a small closet to hang coats or jackets (the door to the closet fully closes as well).
There’s also a separate compartment to store your shoes.
There was also additional storage underneath the seat for a personal item and my large backpack easily fit.
The seat also had multiple charging ports including a wireless charging pad!
In Flight Entertainment
Each business class seat features a 24-inch 4K personal monitor, providing dynamic and high-resolution visuals. You could either use the touchscreen or the separate remote control to navigate on the screen. The in-flight entertainment options were not as extensive as other airlines, but were sufficient.
Japan Airlines’ new business class seats are also unique in that there are speakers built directly into the headrest. I wasn’t sure how it would work and if your neighbors would be able to hear what movie you were watching, but I found the technology to be pretty good at directing the sound just to my own space, and there wasn’t a lot of noise bleeding. You also just use the headphones they give you or connect your own headphones via bluetooth.
Amenities in Business Class
In terms of amenities, we were given headphones, slippers, “relaxation clothes”, and an amenity kit.
The fabric of the relaxation clothes was a bit heavy, and Japan Airlines is known for keeping their cabins a bit warm, so I didn’t wear them, but I saw several other passengers in the loungewear. There was also Wifi available for purchase, but I found it a bit difficult to connect during the flight. On the flight returning to the US, the Wifi was free and I didn’t have issues connecting.
Japan Airlines Business Class Food and Beverages
Before takeoff, we were offered a pre-departure beverage. Japan Airlines has their own signature drink, which is a peach and grape juice blend, and I thought it was delicious!
After takeoff, the flight attendants came by to take my lunch order. There are two main options, a Japanese set course, and a western/international course. I chose to go with the Japanese course and a riesling as my first beverage.
After providing a hot towel, the flight attendant set my tray table with a tablecloth and cutlery, and I was provided with nuts and olives along with my wine.
The first course was a selection of small bites including simmered taro, vinegared turnip wrapped with salmon, simmered prawn and eel with fish cakes, braised duck and vegetables, and simmered yellowtail. While I did not love everything I tried, it was definitely a great experience getting to try the Japanese menu!
The main course was a chicken thigh sukiyaki, grilled salmon with yuzu, and sauteed vegetables. It also included rice and miso soup. I found that I liked the main course more than the starter.
For dessert we were served a cream caramel dish with blueberry & mint which was great.
The international dish option included options like spiced shrimp, potato terrine with smoked salmon, salad for the starter. It also had USDA prime beef tenderloin and cauliflower risotto for the main of chilean sea bass with fennel chowder sauce.
A La Carte Menu on Japan Airlines
After napping for a few hours, I watched movies and decided to order dinner. While they only had one full service meal for the duration of the flight, throughout the flight, there’s an option to order food items a la carte. You could either directly call the flight attendant, or you can place your order from your seat through the touchscreen tv or remote control!
I decided to try their miso ramen noodles which were super tasty and comforting.
I also tried the Japanese curry which was delicious!
In terms of beverage, they had a wide selection of wines, beers, liquors, cocktails, and non alcoholic drinks. I went with riesling, champagne, and Japanese plum wine during my flight which I enjoyed, as well as their signature drink.
Service on Japan Airlines Business Class
The service on Japan Airlines was excellent. The flight attendants were friendly, had just the right amount of attentiveness, and always made sure I had everything I needed. The crew also kept the bathrooms very clean throughout the flight (fun fact, the lavatories all have bidets!). Japan Airlines is known for its great service, and it definitely lived up to the expectations!
Summary: Final Japan Airlines A350 Business Class Review and Rating
Overall Japan Airlines’ A350 business class is an excellent product and I was incredibly fortunate to have the chance to experience it. It was such a luxurious experience and the 14 hours flew by! I’d say it is easily one of the best business class seats out there right now and give it a 9.5/10. I hope to be able to fly with Japan Airlines again and I would absolutely recommend their business class to anyone looking for a luxury travel experience.
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