Business Class on Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines is one of the carriers that gives its First Class passengers the feeling of having their own room in the cabin – the cubicle-like walls around each seat make it feel even more exclusive. You won’t find the same cubicles around the seats on Business Class on Japan Airlines, but if you don’t want to spring for First Class the Business Class service is top-notch.

Business Class on Japan Airlines is called “Executive Class,” and there are a few different cabin configurations you might be presented with when you board your flight. The features detailed below are the ones at the highest level of service (which is called the “JAL Shell Flat Neo” seat) – you’ll find notes at the bottom of the post with information about the differences in the other cabin configurations.

Seat & Bed

• Seat reclines to a lie-flat position (not horizontal with the floor)
• Seat has built-in massage function
• Shell surrounding each seat serves as a privacy wall when seat is reclined

Food & Beverages

• Menus are designed to reflect seasonal ingredients
• Depending on the route, you may have Japanese, French, or other Western menu options
• For Japanese menus, cabins are equipped with a rice steamer
• Selection of fine wines and sake to complement each meal

Entertainment

• Each seat has a personal 15.4″ screen with on-demand movies, TV shows, video games, and audio programming
• Each passenger gets a pair of noise canceling headphones to use in-flight
• Each seat has a power outlet for laptops

Other Amenities

• Complimentary amenity kit includes earplugs, a sleep mask, slippers, a toothbrush, and toothpaste
• On many routes passengers receive “lounge wear” for maximum comfort while sleeping

The JAL Shell Flat Neo cabin, described above, is on Japan Airlines’ long-haul flights connecting Tokyo and cities in the United States like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York.

The next step down is called the JAL Shell Flat Seat – these seats have most of the same features as the seats described above, including the hard shell around the seat which serves as a privacy screen when the seat is reclined. Some of the other amenities won’t be as nice, however. The JAL Shell Flat Seat is available on most long-haul flights from Japan to Europe, Australia, and other cities in Asia, as well as a few routes to North and South America.

The final level of Business Class on Japan Airlines is the JAL Skyluxe Seat. These are more typical of what you might expect from First Class on a domestic flight – the seats are much larger than in Economy Class, but they don’t recline to lie-flat (let alone fully flat) and there’s no shell around the seat. These seats have adjustable footrests and personal video monitors, and the meal options are better than what you’d get in coach. Flights that have the JAL Skyluxe Seat are the short- and medium-haul flights on Japan Airlines.