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Newest Japan Airlines aircraft feature shiny new business and first class cabins, but many of its long-haul flights are still operated by older aircraft. That’s exactly what I flew recently on JL9 from Chicago (ORD) to Tokyo Haneda (HND): a business class seat on a Boeing 777-300ER. It wasn’t JAL’s flashiest product — but the experience was smooth, comfortable, and even got me to Tokyo ahead of schedule. And honestly, that last part is what mattered most to me.
Here’s what it’s like to fly Japan Airlines business class on the Boeing 777-300ER, how to book it for yourself, and a few things to know before you go.
Booking Japan Airlines Business Class From Chicago to Tokyo
One upsides of flying Japan Airlines’ older business class cabins is that these flights typically have the best award availability. That was exactly the case when I fired up Seats.aero to look for a way to get to Tokyo for the opening of the brand-new Amex Centurion Lounge Haneda.
JAL is known for releasing premium cabin award space around two weeks before departure. And that's about when I booked. While there were options out of Vancouver and San Diego — each of which would have required multiple positioning flights from my home on the East Coast — the bulk of the availability was from Chicago. Flights to both Haneda and Narita on Boeing 777-300ERs were up for grabs.
I ended up booking JL9. This flight departed Chicago (ORD) at 1:30 am and arrived in Tokyo (HND) at 4:20 am the next day.
While those times are admittedly brutal, the itinerary gave me a full day on the ground before leaving the U.S. and after landing in Japan. And I figured that sleeping on the plane would help me get ahead of the jet lag — and it did.
You can book JAL business class with points and miles
Award travelers have several ways to book Japan Airlines business class with points and miles. I opted to use 75,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles and paid $18.10 in taxes.
The same itinerary is also bookable for 60,000 American AAdvantage® miles or 79,900 JetBlue TrueBlue points. It’s also possible to book through Qantas, Finnair, or other Avios programs. Though redemptions with these partners generally come with higher taxes and fees. And I'm not a fan of paying those.
The bulk of my Alaska miles came from a now-defunct workaround that let you transfer Amex points to its former transfer partner Hawaiian Airlines, then on to Alaska Airlines. But nowadays, the easiest ways to earn Alaska miles are by applying for a co-branded Mileage Plan credit card like the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card, transferring in Bilt Rewards or Marriott Bonvoy® points, or even buying miles outright if there's a big sale or discount.
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- Buy one ticket, get one for just the taxes and fees ($0 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) and get 50,000 bonus miles with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
- Get Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
- Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases. Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases. And earn unlimited 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. And, your miles don't expire on active accounts.
- Earn a 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.
- Free checked bag and enjoy priority boarding for you and up to 6 guests on the same reservation, when you pay for your flight with your card - Also available for authorized users when they book a reservation too!
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- Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases
- Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging stations, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases
- Earn unlimited 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
However, Alaska awards on JAL — unless you're departing from Seattle or Vancouver — cost quite a bit more than American Airlines awards on the same flights. So, in many cases, you’ll get better value by earning AA miles to book partner award flights to Japan.
Related: The Best Points and Miles for Free Flights to Tokyo
Flying Japan Airlines Business Class From Chicago to Tokyo
The flight from Chicago to Tokyo was my second time flying Japan Airlines, but my first long-haul journey from the U.S.
A few years back, I flew JAL business class on the 767-300ER from Tokyo Narita to Hanoi, and the service and food on that flight were excellent. So, I came into this one with fairly high expectations.
Checking in
The most unfortunate part of a late departure is that the check-in counters open just as late. For JL9, the desk opened four hours before departure and not a second earlier.
On the day I traveled, one agent was handling check-in for First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy, and a few Economy passengers in random order on her own for about half an hour before another staff member arrived. Hopefully this isn't the norm.
The process was a bit slow, but once it was my turn, I quickly received a boarding pass, a confirmation slip for my checked bag, and was directed to the Terminal 3 security checkpoint.
JAL’s website does a good job outlining what to expect at each airport it serves. The airline posts detailed maps and step-by-step instructions. For ORD specifically, one important note on the site is that the baggage inspection area closes at 12:30 am. So, it’s best not to show up at the last minute if you’re checking a bag.
Lounge access
Compared to many other international gateways in the United States, Chicago O’Hare is sorely lacking when it comes to general-access lounges. Aside from the American Airlines Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club — both of which select JAL passengers have access to — there aren’t many options.
Lounge access depends on your cabin class until 10:00 pm. That's when the Admirals Club closes and guests there are directed to the Flagship Lounge. While there’s some conflicting information online, the Flagship Lounge in Terminal 3 Concourse H/K stays open until 12:30 am to accommodate passengers taking the late-night JAL flight to Tokyo.
If you're flying JAL First Class or business class, or if you hold Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status, or JAL Mileage Bank Fly On Sapphire or higher, you’ll have access to the Flagship Lounge from the start. Premium Economy and Flex Y Fare Economy Class passengers are instead admitted to the Admirals Club (view the full eligibility table here).
At the check-in desk, you’ll be directed to either the second floor (Flagship Lounge) or third floor (Admirals Club), depending on your ticket. I headed to the Flagship Lounge and found a spacious, quiet area with plenty of seating.
During my visit, the lounge offered a big selection of hot food and lots of drink options. This included stocked fridges with water, beer, and other beverages, along with self-serve refreshment stations featuring a variety of snacks.
Amenities include high-speed Wi-Fi, shower suites, and a staff of attendants circulating to assist guests. That said, service did slow down as the lounge approached closing time, with staff gradually beginning to wind things down for the night.
It's not the most luxurious lounge in the world, but it covers all the necessary bases.
Boarding and seat
Boarding for JL9 was scheduled to begin 30 minutes before departure, but it ended up starting a little over half an hour late due to a weather-related ground stop at O’Hare. But once boarding began, the process was quick and orderly. JAL staff lined passengers up by cabin and began scanning boarding passes.
As a business class passenger, I boarded with the second group and made my way to seat 9A.
Japan Airlines' older business class cabins are a bit unique. On the 777-300ER, there are 40 seats arranged in a 2-3-2 layout, and while every seat has direct aisle access, getting to a window or true middle seat requires weaving through a narrow passageway.
Waiting at my seat were a water bottle, blanket, pillow, headphones, a slow-release steam eye mask, and a well-stocked amenity kit.
The HERALBONY amenity kit was packed with useful items — including a toothbrush, eye mask, ear plugs, lightning cable, and phone stand. In terms of contents, it was one of the more thoughtfully stocked kits I’ve seen on any airline.
That said, getting situated took a bit of effort. Some seats in this cabin have shoulder-height storage cubbies, but the window seats don’t. There also isn’t a defined space for a backpack, so mine stayed on the floor until I stowed it in the overhead bin after takeoff.
Once we were airborne, I raised the partition using the seat controls for a bit of added privacy, though I was lucky enough not to have anyone seated next to me.
Food and service
After we hit cruising altitude, the flight attendants made an announcement letting passengers know that anyone who wanted food or drinks right away should place an order using the built-in handset. But after about 20 minutes, it became clear the ordering system wasn’t working properly, so the crew began taking beverage and à la carte orders manually.
JAL provides printed menus onboard, though you can preview your flight’s options online in advance, so I knew what to expect. When it was my turn, I chose the vegetable curry. Every curry I’ve had with JAL — whether in a lounge or on a previous flight — has been excellent, and this one was no exception.
After the first meal, the flight fast-forwarded about seven hours. I fell asleep soon after eating, and thanks to the pretty comfortable lie-flat seat, I managed to get several hours of solid rest. My WHOOP band disagreed, but I felt like I slept well.
When I woke up, the first and only full meal service on the 12-hour flight began. I had preordered the Japanese Washoku meal online instead of the Western option, but the flight attendant still confirmed my choice before serving.
If you’ve never had Washoku, it’s a collection of small, varied dishes served on a single tray. The first course, called Irodori Gozen, included items like leafy greens, fried bean curd, and simmered eel. Some bites stood out more than others, but overall, I enjoyed what was presented.
The second tray featured chicken meatballs, lobster with seaweed sauce, rice, and miso soup. I made quick work of it before the flight attendant wrapped things up with a passionfruit mousse for dessert.
About 90 minutes before landing, the crew passed through the cabin one more time, offering additional items from the à la carte menu. But I skipped the second round in favor of another nap.
Onboard entertainment and Wi-Fi
I slept through most of my JAL flight from Chicago to Tokyo, which was great for my well-being but not ideal for writing a detailed flight review. As a result, I didn’t spend much time exploring the in-flight entertainment.
From what I did see, though, it was clear that the selection was extensive enough. The large in-suite screen offered a wide range of movies, TV shows, and games. If you're curious about what might be available on your flight, Japan Airlines publishes its inflight entertainment lineup online.
I also kept the flight map on screen for most of the time I was awake.
Japan Airlines offers complimentary Wi-Fi for First and Business Class passengers. To connect, scan the QR code on the inflight Wi-Fi brochure located in your seat’s literature pocket. Then enter the code provided on a separate screen where you would normally purchase Wi-Fi. There is a specific option for passengers with a code, and that is the one to select.
The Wi-Fi worked without issue whenever I tried to use it. The only time it disconnected was during final approach into Haneda.
Landing and customs
Shortly before landing, the crew handed out two immigration forms, which you'll need when going through passport control. As with any international flight, it's a good idea to travel with a pen.
Not long after that, the captain announced we had begun our descent into Tokyo. The crew quickly secured the cabin, and we touched down about 10 minutes ahead of schedule, despite departing nearly an hour late.
There isn’t much congestion at Haneda around 4 am, so the taxi to the gate was quick. Soon after, airport staff began directing passengers toward the immigration hall.
If Japan is your final destination, you can speed up the customs process by completing the online pre-registration. This includes entering your passport and flight information along with any customs declarations. Once completed, you'll receive a QR code, which significantly shortens the entry process compared to filling everything out on arrival.
After clearing immigration, you’ll find plenty of signage directing you to various transportation options. I used the Keikyu Line to leave the airport. But it's worth noting that trains don’t begin running until 5:26 am. If you take a similar flight and arrive early, expect a bit of a wait unless you choose a different transportation method.
Final Thoughts
My Japan Airlines experience was easy and comfortable, and I wouldn’t hesitate to fly with JAL again. Like many award travelers, though, I’m hoping to eventually try the airline’s new premium cabins on the A350-1000 to see how they compare to the 777-300ER.
Japan is one of my favorite destinations, and Haneda is now home to my favorite airport lounge, so hopefully it won’t be too long before I get the chance to return…assuming award space on the JAL A350 ever opens up.
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