New Japan Airlines premium economy review

How to book premium economy on Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines offers premium economy on a substantial portion of its long-haul aircraft, including the Airbus A350-1000, the Boeing 777-300ER and the 787-9 Dreamliner.

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Checking in to premium economy on Japan Airlines 

Japan Airlines operates domestic flights out of Tokyo Haneda Terminal 1 and international flights out of Terminal 3. My taxi dropped me off curbside at Terminal 3 and I took a set of elevators up into the main check-in area, where I located the airline’s counters.

Passengers who checked in online could print their bag tags then get in a line to drop their bags off, delineated by class of service. Premium economy passengers can check two bags of up to 50 pounds each for free and take a carry-on and personal item totaling up to 22 pounds on board with them (though no one was weighing these bags at the gate that I saw).

Premium economy passengers can utilize a dedicated check-in line, which had just one couple in it, compared with about a dozen or so passengers in the economy line. However, I waited about 10 minutes while that couple kept packing and unpacking their two checked suitcases at the counter trying to redistribute the weight. At that point, the economy line was moving faster, so I hopped over to it instead but an agent noticed I had Oneworld Emerald status (thanks to my AAdvantage Platinum status) and directed me to the next aisle of counters for elite customers.

There, an agent saw me immediately, checked my bag, handed me my boarding pass and pointed me to security. She also noted that my premium economy ticket entitled me to access the airline’s Sakura Lounge about a three-minute walk from my gate, which was a nice surprise. Premium economy passengers’ lounge access can vary by airport, and my Oneworld Emerald status would probably do me more good on most other JAL flights around the world.

After security and immigration, I walked to the shared entrance of various lounges including JAL’s Sakura Lounge and Sakura Lounge Sky View (for business- and first-class passengers) as well as the ANA Lounge, the Delta Sky Club and the Cathay Pacific Lounge.

The portion of the Sakura Lounge I was given access to was one level up (on floor 4) from the main concourse and could be accessed via either elevator or escalator.

An agent checked my boarding pass then welcomed me to explore the lounge. It consisted of several different seating areas and multiple self-serve bars and buffets.

To the right of the entrance was a corridor that led to one of those buffets, where breakfast items and cold cuts were on offer (this being a morning flight). There was also a set of bathrooms and a quiet area with reclining armchairs set off from the main space.

In the main area, meanwhile, various seating areas including long counters that functioned as work desks, living room-style vignettes and restaurant-style tables abounded, all bathed in natural light from a wall of windows.

Walking through another dining room-style area, there was another buffet with even more items including a station for make-your-own udon noodles. Farther along was a quieter section with low-slung chairs and a self-serve bar with espresso drinks, beer, wine and spirits.

There was also a set of restrooms here along with shower suites, though I did not check those out … nor did I duck into the smoking room.

Despite the busy time of day and the number of passengers who could access it, the lounge did not feel overcrowded, and plenty of attendants were on hand to keep everything tidy and make sure the food presentations always looked neat.

After munching on some fresh fruit and downing a cappuccino, I made my way down to the gate to await boarding.

How comfortable was premium economy on Japan Airlines?

With an 11:05 a.m. departure time, boarding was supposed to begin at 10:35 a.m., but as 10:30 rolled around, an agent made an announcement that boarding would begin at 10:40 a.m. instead and apologized for the inconvenience.

I was among the first to board so I could get a few photos of the cabin without disturbing other passengers. Here’s a snapshot of the entire layout of all four cabins and 239 seats aboard Japan Airlines’ A350-1000.

Premium economy has three rows of eight seats each laid out in a 2-4-2 pattern where the middle rows are slightly set back from the corresponding side rows.

Each seat is a roomy 19 inches wide between armrests with 42 inches of pitch, which is among the most legroom of any premium economy seats in the industry. The bulkhead seats in row 17 have even more legroom, which can come in handy when you want to fully deploy the leg rest (more on that below).

The two-seat sections on the sides of the cabin have sliding privacy screens between them with bamboo-like patterning, and slide out about 6 inches. That doesn’t sound like much, but it provides a modicum of personal space if you’re sitting next to a stranger.

The two-seat blocks within the four-seat middle sections also have these, though between the very center seats, there are larger, fixed privacy screens, so even if you’re stuck in one of the middle seats, you can feel a little cocooned. That said, the translucent nature of these dividers won’t block out light from a neighbor’s screen, so if you’re a light sleeper, you’ll want to use an eye mask.

Speaking of unwelcome light, this cabin on JAL’s A350 has manual window shades, which I personally prefer because they can block out all light. However, it also means fellow passengers can raise them at any time, flooding the cabin with light.

The seats themselves, which are manufactured by Safran, have a few interesting features and characteristics that set them apart from many others in the airline industry.

Amenities in Japan Airlines premium economy

When I boarded, I found a bevy of amenities waiting on my premium economy seat. First, there was a plastic-wrapped lightweight fleece blanket. I didn’t actually end up using it because the cabin never got too cold, but it was nice to have on hand just in case.

There was also a pair of plastic-wrapped slippers with a shoehorn and an amenity pouch that contained a dental kit with toothbrush and toothpaste, foam earplugs, an eye mask and a moisture mask that’s kind of like a medical mask with a cloth-like layer that you can dampen and use the mask to hold to your face to prevent your nose and mouth from drying out on the flight.

Finally, there was a thin, arched pillow with ridges that was surprisingly comfortable. It could be folded or rolled to create a solid lumbar support for your lower back and its shape meant it cradled your head if you lay back on it, while the ridges made it extra breathable. It beat the usual small pillow you find in economy and premium economy.

The airline provides basic Sony noise-canceling headphones, and these worked pretty well, though the entertainment system also has Bluetooth pairing capability if you want to use your own. Eventually, passengers will be able to create entertainment profiles for themselves through the airline app so they can watch personalized content lists and carry on from one flight to another.

The 4K Panasonic Avionics screens are 16 inches across diagonally — the size you’d find in business class on many other airlines.

The system contained new releases like “The Marvels” and “The Haunted Mansion,” television series including several from Japan and “Britain’s Got Talent,” a selection of music and podcasts, audiobooks and more, though the selection in each genre is a bit limited.

The map function worked well for about half the flight, but the plane icon stopped moving over Alaska — making it appear as though we stopped or got stuck halfway there. That said, there are tail and front cameras so you could still admire the scenery during the flight.

Japan Airlines offers inflight Wi-Fi, but unfortunately, it would not work on either my laptop or my iPhone on this flight. It costs the following with slight discounts for JAL Mileage Bank members (so have your account information handy):

• 1 hour: $10.15
• Three hours: $14.10
• Full flight: $18.80

How was the food in Japan Airlines premium economy?

Although there were no predeparture beverages, drink service commenced about 20 minutes into the flight after we’d banked north and east above Tokyo and headed out over the Pacific.

The flight attendants rolled a trolley up from economy and served premium economy first before heading back to coach. There was a choice of water, juice, soda, beer, wine, sake and spirits. I selected sparkling water and Double O white wine, which is a special blend made in Spain and created for the airline by master of wine Kenchi Ohashi and sommelier Motohiro Okoshi. It was tart and tangy, just right for the airplane environment, and was accompanied by a pouch of salty rice crackers.

About 30 minutes later, the flight attendants came back through serving the main meal. In the meantime, I had discovered the menu in my seatback. It was the same lunch being served in economy, with dishes created by chef Naoto Ohno from a restaurant called Syn in Fukuoka.

It included small dishes of:

• Catalonian tomato toast, kind of like pan con tomate
• Grated lotus root dumpling
• Squid and spicy cod roe
• A small salad with dressing
• A cup of miso soup

The choice of mains consisted of:

• Dry ground beef and chicken curry over rice with cheese
• Yakitori grilled pork rib with a chicken meatball and green pepper over rice

Finally, for dessert, there was Haagen-Dazs caramel ice cream.

Everything was served in covered dishes on a single tray (the main plate had an artistic paper sleeve designed by Tohoku-based art and lifestyle brand Heralbony) along with metal cutlery, wooden chopsticks and plastic glasses.

Overall the meal was satisfying but not too memorable. The starters included a nice variety of tastes and textures, but felt a bit overprocessed while the main course tasted fresher and was not oversalted. I washed it all down with the red version of Double O, which was fruity with some background tannins.

The flight attendants gave us about 30 minutes to eat then passed through the cabin at regular intervals to remove trays as well as offering coffee and tea. A short while later, they darkened the cabin so folks could sleep or watch entertainment. During this time, passengers could request snacks including savory crackers and instant udon noodles. They responded to call buttons within about 20 seconds, without fail (though the ding of the call buttons did reverberate throughout the whole cabin, so if you’re a light sleeper, use those earplugs).

About five hours before landing, flight attendants turned on the lights to half brightness and came through handing out Hattendo cream buns. I’m not normally a sweets person, but this was a delicious, fluffy little snack, and I had a glass of the airline’s signature “Sky Time” peach-grape juice. It was just the sugar high I needed at the time.

Two hours before landing, the lights came back on again for the second meal service. This was a rather interesting affair since it’s a special offering in partnership with Japanese design store Muji served in a cute little takeaway-style box.

The tray included shrimp chop suey with vegetables over barley rice, a vinegary vermicelli salad and a creamy almond jelly with a goji berry on top. The flavors were all nice and light, and though it wasn’t a huge meal, it was a good, solid snack to have before landing midmorning in New York.

Overall, the airline could do more to differentiate the offerings in premium economy from those in coach. But the food presentation of both meals was attractive and tidy.

Was Japan Airlines premium economy worth it? 

Japan Airlines’ newest premium economy seats aboard the A350-1000 feel like game changers not just for the airline, but for premium economy in general. Not only do they offer expansive legroom and next-generation features like motorized leg rests that raise to 90 degrees, but their entertainment screens are a whopping 16 inches wide. Soft amenities like ergonomic pillows and noise-canceling headphones are comfortable if not overawing perks.

Because they are currently only available on a single route and their rollout is going to be a gradual affair on future jets from the airline’s A350-1000 order, these premium economy seats will — true to their name — come at a premium. For the moment, airfare for them costs about twice the amount of coach tickets and award prices, no matter which type of frequent flyer miles you redeem, are significantly higher than those for economy seats.

That said, passengers do get some value-added perks, including dedicated check-in counters, lounge access at Tokyo Haneda, and more dedicated onboard service than economy flyers might expect.

At the moment, business- and first-class award availability on JAL is sparse-to-nonexistent, so premium economy might be the next best option for flyers who want to redeem miles for a trip to Asia, especially because availability on flights with these new seats seems to be abundant.

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