By Shawn Gallagher
Japan Airlines is often rated as one of the best airlines in the world, and for good reasons. Having flown them many times throughout my life, their economy class is undoubtedly one of, if not the best in the market. Although economy class can be a tough experience, especially on long-haul flights, Japan Airlines has done a great job of maximizing comfort and trying out new things we’ve never seen before on other airlines. Here are a few things that I think make their economy class a fantastic product.
1. Legroom and Space
Japan Airlines boasts one of the largest legroom spaces out of any airline. You can expect a generous 33 inches/84 centimeters of legroom. Considering you regularly see 30 to 31 inches/76 to 78 centimeters on other airlines today, the fact that this is offered as a standard is amazing.
Another major point of emphasis I always make is the number of seats per row on the Boeing 787 aircraft. Japan Airlines is the only airline to adopt a 2-4-2, 8-seat configuration as opposed to the standard 3-3-3, 9-seat configuration. This adds almost 2 inches/5 centimeters of seat width per person. Expect a little more than 18 inches/47-48 centimeters of seat width when flying their 787 aircraft (and similar dimensions with their 777).
Note that both of these points also apply to their new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. I’m glad to see they’re continuing this business model with their new flagship plane.
Related: A Look Inside The New Japan Airlines Airbus A350-1000
2. Consistent Service
Service by the flight attendants is very consistent, and always high level. This point also speaks more to Japanese culture, where service in general is held to a high standard. It’s good to see it on an airplane though, as you know what to expect from them.
There have also been times when they’ve gone over the top with their service. This picture from above is a present and a letter I got from a couple of flight attendants during a flight from Tokyo to New York City back in January of 2023. I had several conversations during the flight and I guess they decided to give me this. The present was a JAL A350 model.
I obviously don’t expect this on every flight, but it shows how some of them can also be very friendly.
READ: Economy Class Review On Japan Airlines: Tokyo To New York
3. High Quality Domestic Experience
The economy class ground experience is usually nothing to look forward to. However, Japan Airlines does its best to make the experience even a little better. Check-in agents are very helpful and are always available to help at any moment. Their self check-in system is also the easiest to use out of all the airlines I’ve flown.
A huge plus about their ground experience is just how efficient boarding is! It’s divided into 5 groups, and I’ve had flights where they’ve managed to board wide-body aircraft in 20 minutes. Boarding groups are announced clearly and everyone knows what’s going on. This makes it a smooth experience for everyone, even for those in the very back of the plane.
The Bottom Line
If you’re thinking about choosing Japan Airlines for your economy class flight, go for it. The ground experience combined with the service and the comfortable seats make it worth it. They can sometimes cost a little extra compared to other airlines, but it’s easy to justify it in my opinion (unless it’s a huge cost difference, of course).
All photos taken by the author.