I'll kick this off by confidently saying that JAL's A350-1000 is the best first class hard product in the skies today.
That's a bold statement in a world where Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and other carriers constantly push the boundaries of luxury travel. But after 14 hours in JAL's flagship First Class suite, I'm convinced they've created something special.
This isn't just about having the most space or the fanciest amenities. JAL has thoughtfully designed every aspect of this experience, from the three-seat configuration to the marble countertops to the fold-down platforms in the bathroom.
The A350-1000 represents JAL's return to the ultra-premium market after years of focusing on efficiency over luxury. They've clearly studied what works in other First Class products and improved on nearly everything.
Here's my complete review of crossing the Pacific in what might be the world's best First Class seat.
Check-In
It all starts at JFK Terminal 8. JAL First Class passengers get a dedicated check-in line at the JAL counter.
Don't expect access to the AA Flagship check-in on the far right side of the terminal though. That's reserved for AA and BA First and Business passengers plus Oneworld elites. No Concierge Key status means no special check-in perks.
During check-in, First Class passengers get little red bag tags for all luggage including carry-ons. These identify you as a First Class passenger throughout the terminal, lounge, and boarding process.
Honestly, the tags felt more like a forced badge drawing attention than something practical. They did personalize the experience with flight details and seat numbers printed on them.
The Soho Lounge
JAL First Class passengers access the Soho Lounge at JFK. This lounge primarily serves Oneworld elites and First Class passengers who aren't flying BA or AA. Those passengers get the more prestigious Chelsea lounge instead.
The Soho lounge offers sweeping apron views. You can grab a window seat overlooking the planes or sit at an inner table.
Multiple buffets are available, plus made-to-order dining through QR codes at your table. The made-to-order menu felt limited, and I wanted to save my appetite for the flight anyway.
The bathrooms are stocked with DS & Durga products. They have shower suites if you need them, though I didn't have time.
I did need to take a business call. They have two phone booths that are uncomfortably small but functional.
Boarding
About five minutes before scheduled boarding, I headed to gate 18. Boarding was set for just 30 minutes before departure, which seemed crazy for a 239-seat aircraft. We waited in line about 10 more minutes before actually boarding. Thankfully, we departed on time.
When I stepped aboard through the center doors, the flight attendant immediately recognized my First Class boarding pass or the red bag tags. She wanted to personally escort me to seat 1K for the next 14 hours.
We walked through the forward Business Class cabin first. Those seats looked so spacious and tall that I thought they were mine. But we kept walking forward into the actual First Class cabin.
This is easily the nicest first class seat in the sky. The only possible exception might be the Emirates Gamechanger on the 777, which I haven't flown yet.
You essentially get three seats in one. The main chair, a side chair with a fold-down armrest that's marble on the bottom for easy food and drink access, and an ottoman with a seat cushion and seatbelt on top. Perfect if you're traveling with someone and want to dine together.
Storage & Design
Below the ottoman is a large cubby with a fold-down panel for carry-on bags and personal items. There are no overhead bins in this cabin, which allows for higher suite walls. They're not full height, but the privacy is excellent.
The cubby design is brilliant. I could reach anything in my backpack while strapped in. The only awkward part was touching the floor each time I opened or closed the fold-down door.
Next to the ottoman sits a full-sized marble countertop. This thing is probably bigger than an entire economy seat. Inside the countertop is a compartment accessible through a locking door on top.
Privacy & Features
The suite has a sliding door that closes completely. There's a small gap at the bottom where you can see footsteps, following traditional Japanese culture of seeing legs and feet while maintaining privacy above.
Next to the door is a pull-out wardrobe with two hangers. I needed three, so I doubled up on one. There's also a small pull-out cubby for shoes, so you can comfortably wear slippers during the flight. The wardrobe includes a full-size mirror.
Bang & Olufsen headphones wait at every seat during boarding.
Technology & Amenities
Multiple charging outlets include USB-A, USB-C, and universal plugs. There's also a headphone jack for two-pronged airplane headphones.
The window shades are electronically dimmable like on the 787 Dreamliner. No physical shades in First or Business class, just buttons that control light levels. Nice feature, though a bit finicky.
There are also two speakers that are built-into the adjustable headrest of the main seat.
Everything from seat controls to the IFE are controlled by a removable tablet next to your seat.
The star of the show is the 43-inch 4k TV found in this seat. It is larger than the TV I have in my apartment. However, one interesting observation is that not all of the media on the IFE were in 4k, which kind of defeoted the purpose a little bit. However, the A350-1000's have tail cameras, which was an enjoyable channel to watch for most of my flight.
Layout
The cabin uses a 1-1-1 configuration with two rows of First Class. For window seats, choose row 1 with three windows per suite instead of row 2's two windows.
Seats 1A and 1K are blocked until check-in, then you can manually assign them. The middle seat in row 1 has its door on the left side sharing an aisle with 1A. Row 2's middle seat door is on the right, sharing with 2K. Choose accordingly based on whether you're traveling together or separately.
The food wasn't the star of the show. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't terrible airplane food by any stretch. But it didn't meet expectations compared to other First Class products like Emirates.
Here's what surprised me most: on a 14-hour flight, there's only one formal meal service. After that, you order from the a-la-carte menu. I expected multiple full meal services.
I wanted to try both Western and Japanese cuisine. I had to ask the purser if that was possible since I wanted to experience as much of JAL First as I could.
Pre-Flight Service
Shortly before takeoff, I was offered a pre-departure beverage along with a cool towel. I went with water since they hadn't opened the champagne yet.
After takeoff, they served canapes along with the full drink menu selection.
The Champagne
To my surprise, they stocked Salon Champagne 2013 Brut on this flight. This retails for a whopping $1,300 per bottle. JAL traditionally only stocks this on flights departing Tokyo, but there are datapoints suggesting they now reserve a bottle for the return flight to Japan too.
I wanted to drink as much Salon as possible, so I had three glasses before they ran out. With only three passengers in First Class, I made sure to get my share.
The Meal Service
After canapes and drinks, they brought a bread selection with butter, salt, and olive oil. The bread was delicious.
Next came my appetizer: Sous Vide Strip Loin, immediately followed by scallops. The strip loin was very good, though the bleu cheese dressing felt too fancy for my taste. I didn't enjoy the scallops, but the bacon served with them masked most of the fishy flavor.
The main course was actually two courses: fish and beef. The Chilean Sea Bass came first, seasoned well and pretty mild. This was my first whole piece of fish, and the sauce it came with was genuinely great.
The star for me was the Filet Mignon. If you read this blog regularly, you know about my "Tenderloin Test" where I judge airplane food by their tenderloin quality. While this wasn't as good as Emirates First Class, it beat almost every business class filet I've had.
Tiramisu capped everything off. It was good but lacked sweetness, which I later learned is typical in Japan.
More Drinks & A-La-Carte
I was so full that I needed time to digest. But I also wanted to keep sampling everything onboard.
I tried the other champagne (Bollinger La Grande Annee 2015 -- or ~$269/bottle) and did a taste test with the Salon. My palate isn't sophisticated enough to tell much difference between them.
I also sampled both whiskeys on the rocks. They were fine, but I quickly learned I'm not a massive whiskey fan.
After some rest, I wanted another serving before sleeping. I ordered two courses from the a-la-carte menu.
First was traditional Osetra caviar served with blinis, shaved hard-boiled egg yolk, and lobster.
Then came the JAL Signature Ramen. I'm a massive ramen fan, and this didn't disappoint. Easily one of the best ramens in the sky.
Morning Service
After sleeping, I woke up and they offered the Japanese meal service I'd requested. My stomach wasn't feeling great from everything I'd consumed the day before.
I ordered coffee, which came in one of JAL's signature spring-loaded First Class mugs.
I asked them to bring just one course from the Japanese menu: the Wagyu steak.
The Wagyu was delicious, served with rice and a really flavorful sauce. I also tried the cold tea served in a wine bottle, which was very good.
To top it all off, they brought vanilla ice cream.
The amenities here are insane. First off, red pajamas wait at your seat featuring the JAL crane logo. They include VITALTECH circulation fibers designed to promote blood circulation during long flights.
Slippers were also waiting at boarding.
Amenity Kits
Not one, but two amenity kits were at my seat during boarding.
The first was a classic amenity kit by Herbalogy with standard provisions like toothbrushes and moisture masks.
Alongside that was a pack of men's Shiseido amenities from a high-end skincare brand found in Tokyo. These were genuinely useful for the flight, and the product quality was really nice.
Special Touches
I mentioned to the flight attendant that I was a bit of an aviation geek. She brought out a build-your-own A350-1000 model, which was such a nice surprise. It even featured the tail number of our exact aircraft printed on the wing.
Unfortunately, they didn't have any JAL A350-1000 "Remove Before Flight" tags, which I know they sometimes stock.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was very thoughtfully designed. Little touches included a full Japanese toilet, the first I've seen on an airplane. Even the toilet seat had dedicated tabs on the outside so you could raise and lower it without touching other surfaces.
Here's what really surprised me: two fold-down padded platforms. One for stepping on, one for sitting. You could change into and out of pajamas without touching the dirty bathroom floor.
The bathroom was stocked with amenities like toothbrushes, moisturizing emulsion, repair oil, and hand sanitizer. They provided full towels instead of paper towels, which was a nice touch.
The service in JAL First Class is top notch. While there's a lot to like, some things could be improved.
The service is incredibly personal. There were three flight attendants for three First Class passengers, plus the purser who predominantly helped First Class. Maximum capacity is six passengers, so we were well-staffed.
Flight attendants were incredibly attentive, refilling drinks whenever needed while keeping distance when I was clearly in work or relax mode.
Since all First Class passengers were in row 1 with row 2 completely empty, they proactively made the bed with a mattress pad in row 2 when it was time to sleep. This gave me both a sleep pod and a separate relax pod.
The one strange thing was the language barrier, even with the purser. I tried explaining my nut allergy, and it took several attempts plus a translator app for them to fully understand what I was communicating.
Besides that, the service was great. It wasn't over the top like I was expecting or what you might find on some other international airlines, but it was solid and attentive.
The retail price of this flight was $20,247. However, the best way to book Japan Airlines premium cabins is through American Airlines AAdvantage miles.
They charge just 80,000 AAdvantage miles for First Class or 60,000 miles for Business Class. What a steal.
This worked out to a 25.3 cents per point redemption. What a way to cross the Pacific.
There are other ways to book like Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, though they typically have access to Business inventory but not First on routes touching the USA. They can sometimes access international First Class routes that don't touch the US.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles is another option worth considering.
JAL's A350-1000 First Class sets a new standard for premium air travel. The hard product is genuinely the best I've experienced, combining thoughtful Japanese design with practical luxury that actually enhances the flying experience.
The seat configuration with its three distinct areas, marble surfaces, and complete privacy creates a genuine suite rather than just an upgraded airplane seat. The amenities go beyond typical airline offerings with details like fold-down bathroom platforms and dual amenity kits that show real attention to passenger comfort.
Where JAL falls short is in areas you'd expect them to excel. The food, while good, doesn't match the excellence of the hard product or live up to Japan's culinary reputation. The service, though attentive, lacks the polish of other international First Class products.
The language barrier was particularly surprising given JAL's reputation for hospitality. Having to use a translator app to communicate a nut allergy with the purser shouldn't happen in First Class.
But these are relatively minor complaints about what is otherwise an exceptional product. At 25.3 cents per AAdvantage mile, this represents incredible value for what you're getting.
JAL has created something truly special with this A350-1000 First Class. They've proven that innovation in premium travel isn't dead, and they've set the bar incredibly high for other carriers.
If you have the miles or the cash, this is an experience worth seeking out. JAL's A350-1000 First Class isn't just the best way to cross the Pacific. It might be the best way to fly anywhere.
Share article
I'll kick this off by confidently saying that JAL's A350-1000 is the best first class hard product in the skies today.
That's a bold statement in a world where Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and other carriers constantly push the boundaries of luxury travel. But after 14 hours in JAL's flagship First Class suite, I'm convinced they've created something special.
This isn't just about having the most space or the fanciest amenities. JAL has thoughtfully designed every aspect of this experience, from the three-seat configuration to the marble countertops to the fold-down platforms in the bathroom.
The A350-1000 represents JAL's return to the ultra-premium market after years of focusing on efficiency over luxury. They've clearly studied what works in other First Class products and improved on nearly everything.
Here's my complete review of crossing the Pacific in what might be the world's best First Class seat.
Check-In
It all starts at JFK Terminal 8. JAL First Class passengers get a dedicated check-in line at the JAL counter.
Don't expect access to the AA Flagship check-in on the far right side of the terminal though. That's reserved for AA and BA First and Business passengers plus Oneworld elites. No Concierge Key status means no special check-in perks.
During check-in, First Class passengers get little red bag tags for all luggage including carry-ons. These identify you as a First Class passenger throughout the terminal, lounge, and boarding process.
Honestly, the tags felt more like a forced badge drawing attention than something practical. They did personalize the experience with flight details and seat numbers printed on them.
The Soho Lounge
JAL First Class passengers access the Soho Lounge at JFK. This lounge primarily serves Oneworld elites and First Class passengers who aren't flying BA or AA. Those passengers get the more prestigious Chelsea lounge instead.
The Soho lounge offers sweeping apron views. You can grab a window seat overlooking the planes or sit at an inner table.
Multiple buffets are available, plus made-to-order dining through QR codes at your table. The made-to-order menu felt limited, and I wanted to save my appetite for the flight anyway.
The bathrooms are stocked with DS & Durga products. They have shower suites if you need them, though I didn't have time.
I did need to take a business call. They have two phone booths that are uncomfortably small but functional.
Boarding
About five minutes before scheduled boarding, I headed to gate 18. Boarding was set for just 30 minutes before departure, which seemed crazy for a 239-seat aircraft. We waited in line about 10 more minutes before actually boarding. Thankfully, we departed on time.
When I stepped aboard through the center doors, the flight attendant immediately recognized my First Class boarding pass or the red bag tags. She wanted to personally escort me to seat 1K for the next 14 hours.
We walked through the forward Business Class cabin first. Those seats looked so spacious and tall that I thought they were mine. But we kept walking forward into the actual First Class cabin.
This is easily the nicest first class seat in the sky. The only possible exception might be the Emirates Gamechanger on the 777, which I haven't flown yet.
You essentially get three seats in one. The main chair, a side chair with a fold-down armrest that's marble on the bottom for easy food and drink access, and an ottoman with a seat cushion and seatbelt on top. Perfect if you're traveling with someone and want to dine together.
Storage & Design
Below the ottoman is a large cubby with a fold-down panel for carry-on bags and personal items. There are no overhead bins in this cabin, which allows for higher suite walls. They're not full height, but the privacy is excellent.
The cubby design is brilliant. I could reach anything in my backpack while strapped in. The only awkward part was touching the floor each time I opened or closed the fold-down door.
Next to the ottoman sits a full-sized marble countertop. This thing is probably bigger than an entire economy seat. Inside the countertop is a compartment accessible through a locking door on top.
Privacy & Features
The suite has a sliding door that closes completely. There's a small gap at the bottom where you can see footsteps, following traditional Japanese culture of seeing legs and feet while maintaining privacy above.
Next to the door is a pull-out wardrobe with two hangers. I needed three, so I doubled up on one. There's also a small pull-out cubby for shoes, so you can comfortably wear slippers during the flight. The wardrobe includes a full-size mirror.
Bang & Olufsen headphones wait at every seat during boarding.
Technology & Amenities
Multiple charging outlets include USB-A, USB-C, and universal plugs. There's also a headphone jack for two-pronged airplane headphones.
The window shades are electronically dimmable like on the 787 Dreamliner. No physical shades in First or Business class, just buttons that control light levels. Nice feature, though a bit finicky.
There are also two speakers that are built-into the adjustable headrest of the main seat.
Everything from seat controls to the IFE are controlled by a removable tablet next to your seat.
The star of the show is the 43-inch 4k TV found in this seat. It is larger than the TV I have in my apartment. However, one interesting observation is that not all of the media on the IFE were in 4k, which kind of defeoted the purpose a little bit. However, the A350-1000's have tail cameras, which was an enjoyable channel to watch for most of my flight.
Layout
The cabin uses a 1-1-1 configuration with two rows of First Class. For window seats, choose row 1 with three windows per suite instead of row 2's two windows.
Seats 1A and 1K are blocked until check-in, then you can manually assign them. The middle seat in row 1 has its door on the left side sharing an aisle with 1A. Row 2's middle seat door is on the right, sharing with 2K. Choose accordingly based on whether you're traveling together or separately.
The food wasn't the star of the show. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't terrible airplane food by any stretch. But it didn't meet expectations compared to other First Class products like Emirates.
Here's what surprised me most: on a 14-hour flight, there's only one formal meal service. After that, you order from the a-la-carte menu. I expected multiple full meal services.
I wanted to try both Western and Japanese cuisine. I had to ask the purser if that was possible since I wanted to experience as much of JAL First as I could.
Pre-Flight Service
Shortly before takeoff, I was offered a pre-departure beverage along with a cool towel. I went with water since they hadn't opened the champagne yet.
After takeoff, they served canapes along with the full drink menu selection.
The Champagne
To my surprise, they stocked Salon Champagne 2013 Brut on this flight. This retails for a whopping $1,300 per bottle. JAL traditionally only stocks this on flights departing Tokyo, but there are datapoints suggesting they now reserve a bottle for the return flight to Japan too.
I wanted to drink as much Salon as possible, so I had three glasses before they ran out. With only three passengers in First Class, I made sure to get my share.
The Meal Service
After canapes and drinks, they brought a bread selection with butter, salt, and olive oil. The bread was delicious.
Next came my appetizer: Sous Vide Strip Loin, immediately followed by scallops. The strip loin was very good, though the bleu cheese dressing felt too fancy for my taste. I didn't enjoy the scallops, but the bacon served with them masked most of the fishy flavor.
The main course was actually two courses: fish and beef. The Chilean Sea Bass came first, seasoned well and pretty mild. This was my first whole piece of fish, and the sauce it came with was genuinely great.
The star for me was the Filet Mignon. If you read this blog regularly, you know about my "Tenderloin Test" where I judge airplane food by their tenderloin quality. While this wasn't as good as Emirates First Class, it beat almost every business class filet I've had.
Tiramisu capped everything off. It was good but lacked sweetness, which I later learned is typical in Japan.
More Drinks & A-La-Carte
I was so full that I needed time to digest. But I also wanted to keep sampling everything onboard.
I tried the other champagne (Bollinger La Grande Annee 2015 -- or ~$269/bottle) and did a taste test with the Salon. My palate isn't sophisticated enough to tell much difference between them.
I also sampled both whiskeys on the rocks. They were fine, but I quickly learned I'm not a massive whiskey fan.
After some rest, I wanted another serving before sleeping. I ordered two courses from the a-la-carte menu.
First was traditional Osetra caviar served with blinis, shaved hard-boiled egg yolk, and lobster.
Then came the JAL Signature Ramen. I'm a massive ramen fan, and this didn't disappoint. Easily one of the best ramens in the sky.
Morning Service
After sleeping, I woke up and they offered the Japanese meal service I'd requested. My stomach wasn't feeling great from everything I'd consumed the day before.
I ordered coffee, which came in one of JAL's signature spring-loaded First Class mugs.
I asked them to bring just one course from the Japanese menu: the Wagyu steak.
The Wagyu was delicious, served with rice and a really flavorful sauce. I also tried the cold tea served in a wine bottle, which was very good.
To top it all off, they brought vanilla ice cream.
The amenities here are insane. First off, red pajamas wait at your seat featuring the JAL crane logo. They include VITALTECH circulation fibers designed to promote blood circulation during long flights.
Slippers were also waiting at boarding.
Amenity Kits
Not one, but two amenity kits were at my seat during boarding.
The first was a classic amenity kit by Herbalogy with standard provisions like toothbrushes and moisture masks.
Alongside that was a pack of men's Shiseido amenities from a high-end skincare brand found in Tokyo. These were genuinely useful for the flight, and the product quality was really nice.
Special Touches
I mentioned to the flight attendant that I was a bit of an aviation geek. She brought out a build-your-own A350-1000 model, which was such a nice surprise. It even featured the tail number of our exact aircraft printed on the wing.
Unfortunately, they didn't have any JAL A350-1000 "Remove Before Flight" tags, which I know they sometimes stock.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was very thoughtfully designed. Little touches included a full Japanese toilet, the first I've seen on an airplane. Even the toilet seat had dedicated tabs on the outside so you could raise and lower it without touching other surfaces.
Here's what really surprised me: two fold-down padded platforms. One for stepping on, one for sitting. You could change into and out of pajamas without touching the dirty bathroom floor.
The bathroom was stocked with amenities like toothbrushes, moisturizing emulsion, repair oil, and hand sanitizer. They provided full towels instead of paper towels, which was a nice touch.
The service in JAL First Class is top notch. While there's a lot to like, some things could be improved.
The service is incredibly personal. There were three flight attendants for three First Class passengers, plus the purser who predominantly helped First Class. Maximum capacity is six passengers, so we were well-staffed.
Flight attendants were incredibly attentive, refilling drinks whenever needed while keeping distance when I was clearly in work or relax mode.
Since all First Class passengers were in row 1 with row 2 completely empty, they proactively made the bed with a mattress pad in row 2 when it was time to sleep. This gave me both a sleep pod and a separate relax pod.
The one strange thing was the language barrier, even with the purser. I tried explaining my nut allergy, and it took several attempts plus a translator app for them to fully understand what I was communicating.
Besides that, the service was great. It wasn't over the top like I was expecting or what you might find on some other international airlines, but it was solid and attentive.
The retail price of this flight was $20,247. However, the best way to book Japan Airlines premium cabins is through American Airlines AAdvantage miles.
They charge just 80,000 AAdvantage miles for First Class or 60,000 miles for Business Class. What a steal.
This worked out to a 25.3 cents per point redemption. What a way to cross the Pacific.
There are other ways to book like Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, though they typically have access to Business inventory but not First on routes touching the USA. They can sometimes access international First Class routes that don't touch the US.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles is another option worth considering.
JAL's A350-1000 First Class sets a new standard for premium air travel. The hard product is genuinely the best I've experienced, combining thoughtful Japanese design with practical luxury that actually enhances the flying experience.
The seat configuration with its three distinct areas, marble surfaces, and complete privacy creates a genuine suite rather than just an upgraded airplane seat. The amenities go beyond typical airline offerings with details like fold-down bathroom platforms and dual amenity kits that show real attention to passenger comfort.
Where JAL falls short is in areas you'd expect them to excel. The food, while good, doesn't match the excellence of the hard product or live up to Japan's culinary reputation. The service, though attentive, lacks the polish of other international First Class products.
The language barrier was particularly surprising given JAL's reputation for hospitality. Having to use a translator app to communicate a nut allergy with the purser shouldn't happen in First Class.
But these are relatively minor complaints about what is otherwise an exceptional product. At 25.3 cents per AAdvantage mile, this represents incredible value for what you're getting.
JAL has created something truly special with this A350-1000 First Class. They've proven that innovation in premium travel isn't dead, and they've set the bar incredibly high for other carriers.
If you have the miles or the cash, this is an experience worth seeking out. JAL's A350-1000 First Class isn't just the best way to cross the Pacific. It might be the best way to fly anywhere.
![Renowned Hotels & Resorts [Full 2025 Guide]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6567c0c5bc227655220104ae/6844670d64a424d22e7d1d78_EFE1D317-03BD-4FEF-AD71-16EFAF69C570_1_105_c.jpeg)
![Delta One Lounge JFK [Full 2025 Review]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6567c0c5bc227655220104ae/68d273b12170663a697a32d1_11DB8F72-59B7-4F30-89F4-2F10DA898605_4_5005_c.jpeg)
![Michelin Keys: Best Point Redemptions [Full Guide 2025]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6567c0c5bc227655220104ae/6713d8d3f367de40be3de97a_IMG_0686.jpg)