What It’s Like Flying Business Class on Japan Airlines

When it comes to flying, I typically travel on a budget. I’m okay getting the affordable middle seat and jam-packing my clothes in a carry-on to avoid the checked bag fees. I can endure a couple of hours of scrunched up, wearing a neck pillow, pretending that this small roll of foam will do anything to improve the situation. But, every now and again, the travel gods can smile upon you with a true gift — a complimentary upgrade. And this time, for me, it was a double treat, as this Willy Wonka-worthy golden ticket allowed me to dine on some of the best food in Japan hours before I’d even arrive. 

I arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport for my flight from New York City to Tokyo with my business class ticket in hand, ready to board for a working press trip. I had both heard about the length of this flight – a 10 to 12-hour journey that involves essentially traveling forward in time — and dreaded it long before takeoff. However, I had also heard that a business class seat makes the experience not only tolerable but restorative (a word I had never thought of using to describe a flight). So it became a personal challenge: I will be restored by the time I land. Jet lag? I don’t know her!

I stepped on the plane and walked to my seat – a window, my favorite. The business class section fits five staggered seats in a row (three in the middle and two on the sides). Each seat its own cozy nook, barricaded with a screen that you can raise for ultimate privacy. Waiting on my chair was a pile of amenities: a pillow, a blanket, slippers, over-ear headphones, and a Maison Kitsuné toiletry bag filled with an eye mask, tissues, ear plugs, and a toothbrush and toothpaste (a major relief to me, since I had forgotten to pack my toiletries in my carry-on).

I sat down and noticed that not only does the seat recline, it reclines all the way. We’re talking completely horizontal, legs stretched out. And that’s not all. There’s a mattress packed up in the overhead that a flight attendant can roll out and place on top of the seat for you, transforming your chair into a twin bed. 

Before take-off, flight attendants passed through with cotton pajamas, orange juice, and Champagne. I sipped on my O.J. and browsed the menu. Although most flights on Japan Airlines have slightly different offerings, all business class flyers on international flights choose between two set menus: one that’s Japanese and another that’s “Western.” There’s also an “Any Time You Wish” menu that you can order, you guessed it, any time you wish. That list includes more casual, comforting dishes spanning from small snacks like a cheese plate to entrees like a duck rice bowl or vegetable lasagna. Japan Airlines partners with Michelin-starred chefs to develop their menus, so you can trust that whatever you eat will be solid at least, excellent at most. 

I ordered the Japanese set menu, turned on a movie, and peered out my enormous window as the plane lifted into the air. About 15 minutes later, I received a plate of mixed nuts and olives and a cup of green tea. Next came the appetizers – a bento box of cold dishes including simmered taro and shiitake mushrooms with green beans and sesame cream, jellied artichokes, bamboo shoots and wakame, roast beef with soy pulp, and sake-steamed sea bream with shrimp cake, octopus, okra, and Japanese dashi broth jelly. As someone who has a personal distaste for savory foams and jellies, this set intimidated me, but the flavors were clean, and the ingredients were remarkably fresh. 

The entree was even better: tender beef tongue with potatoes and grilled, miso-marinated salmon served with pickles, miso soup, and steaming hot rice. One of my favorite parts of the flight was unwrapping the rice from its packaging – it felt like the best, most tasty birthday present ever. 

There was lychee panna cotta for dessert that I paired with a hot coffee. I then reclined my chair to bed position and slept for five hours, the longest I’ve ever continuously slept on a plane. When I woke up, I took a nice walk to an area that I had heard was stocked with snacks. The rumors were true. I picked up an armful of dried natto (fermented soybeans), miniature pound cakes, rice crackers, and chocolate. 

And just like that, it was time for another meal. I ordered ramen from the Any Time You Wish menu and a cold glass of sake. The soup was delicious, full of rich chicken flavor and bouncy noodles. I followed it up with a fruit bowl and a second glass of sake for good measure. 

With the help of a heated eye mask, I managed to fall asleep again and woke up just a half hour before arrival. I had another much-needed cup of coffee, and before I knew it, we landed in Tokyo. I walked off that plane full of energy. And you know what? I was restored. And full.