Japan Airlines is upgrading one of its two daily New York – Tokyo flights from a Boeing 787 to a Boeing 777. That means a lot more premium cabin seats, and tons of award space.
- New York JFK – Tokyo Narita, 11:30 a.m. – 2:40 p.m.+1, Japan Airlines JL3
- Tokyo Narita – New York JFK, 6:25 p.m. – 6:20 p.m., Japan Airlines JL4
Here’s business class availability for 4 passengers New York JFK – Tokyo non-stop in April on Japan Airlines, as displayed by Award Nexus (with availability provided by BA.com):
Here’s business class availability for 4 passengers New York JFK – Tokyo non-stop in July on Japan Airlines, as displayed by the Alaska Airlines website:
Your best bets are redeeming American Airlines or Alaska Airlines miles for these seats with no fuel surcharges. American charges 60,000 – 70,000 miles each way depending on destination, and Alaska 60,000 – 65,000. Use this for East Coast to Tokyo or connect beyond to elsewhere in Asia.
Japan Airlines Business Class Suite, credit: Japan Airlines
(HT: One Mile at a Time)
I’m flying Business from DFW to Narita on a JAL 787. I noticed that the writer characterized the 777 as being an upgrade from a 787. Does anyone know which is better and if there is much difference?
Steve – some of the 787s have a very inferior product, with no lie-flat seating, and others have the identical (excellent) product from the 777. If your seatmap shows rows 10 having six seats, you have the worse product. If your row 10 has only two seats, you have the better product.
@Steve and James the JAL 787 on the DFW-NRT has the newest J cabin, having flown this route on JAL it’s a great way to get to NRT. The West coast flight to NRT have the older angle seats.
Thanks James and Tony – I also confirmed with JAL that they fly v2 to DFW to Narita, with open suites in business. We fly back on a 777 through OHare – apparently with the same seats. Looking forward to it.