Japan Airlines Premium Economy Review: Is This the Best Premium Economy in the World

I had heard that Japan Airlines had the widest seat in premium economy of any airline. This, plus my love of all things Japanese, meant I was quite excited to fly premium economy with JAL from London to Tokyo return. And I was not disappointed. In my opinion, Japan Airlines is offering the best premium economy I have ever experienced.

I have flown premium economy with British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Delta, American Airlines, Qantas and a few others plus lots of business class on long-haul flights with various airlines so I think I have a good feel of what else is on offer. This was my first time flying premium economy with JAL.

I flew return London to Tokyo with Japan Airlines in late 2023. At that time, JAL was not flying their newer planes out of London, so I went via Frankfurt, where I picked up a new plane and could experience JAL Sky Premium. I flew return Frankfurt-Tokyo on a Boeing 787(9).

And up front, I want you to know that I paid for my flights with Japan Airlines, and they had no idea I would be writing about them. So this Japan Airlines premium economy review is completely unbiased.

Japan Airlines Premium Economy Review: Is it Worth It?

JAL Premium Economy at a Glance

• Seat pitch: 42 inches (vs. the roughly 38-inch industry standard)
• Seat width: approximately 19 inches between armrests (JAL’s own specs list 48–49cm depending on aircraft) — genuinely wider than most rivals; British Airways and Virgin Atlantic premium economy seats typically measure closer to 18.5 inches
• Seat configuration: 2-3-2 on the Boeing 787, 2-4-2 on the Boeing 777 and the newer Airbus A350-1000
• Baggage: 2 x 23kg, the same as economy
• Screen size: 12.1 inches on the 787/777 (larger 16-inch 4K screens on the newer A350-1000, see below)
• Lounge access: Yes — JAL’s Sakura Lounges, still offered to premium economy passengers as of 2026
• Priority boarding and baggage: Yes, ahead of economy
• Price premium over economy: roughly 30% when I booked, though this will vary by route and date

Booking

As always, when you are booking flights, it is key to look at which actual aircraft will be operating on your route to understand the inflight experience you will have. For Japan Airlines, you want to book a flight that has Sky Premium (or JAL’s newer A350-1000 premium economy — more on that below) vs just Premium Class. Sky Premium is JAL’s improved premium economy and the focus of this review.

In my case, I chose to travel to Tokyo via Frankfurt so I could experience the improved premium economy. It only added a couple of hours each way to my flight, and as London to Tokyo is a long route, I felt it was worth it for the comfort.

This routing advice is now out of date, and it’s worth flagging clearly: as of 2026, JAL flies its newest aircraft — the Airbus A350-1000, with an all-new premium economy product — non-stop between London Heathrow and Tokyo Haneda. One of the two daily flights (JL43/JL44) has been flown by the A350-1000 for some time, and from 1 October 2026 both daily London–Tokyo flights become A350-1000 services.

In other words, the entire Frankfurt-detour strategy in this review’s original premise is no longer necessary — you can now get the newest JAL product flying direct from London. (Note also that JAL’s London route flies into Tokyo Haneda, not Narita — worth knowing if you’re planning onward connections in Tokyo.) Aircraft assignments on any airline can still change at short notice, so it’s always worth double-checking the aircraft type on your specific booking closer to departure.

It looks like Boeing 787(9) and Boeing 777-300ER have Sky Premium. Since I flew, JAL has continued updating its premium economy across the fleet: the Airbus A350-1000 now operates on select long-haul routes — including, as above, London — with an updated premium economy product.

I haven’t flown it myself, but based on JAL’s own specifications and other reviewers’ accounts, it keeps the same generous 42-inch pitch and forward-sliding seat design I loved on the 787, in a 2-4-2 layout, with larger 16-inch 4K screens (up from 12.1 inches), bigger privacy partitions, and motorized leg rests that rise up to 90 degrees.

If you’re booking today, check which aircraft is scheduled for your route on JAL’s website or during seat selection — the experience should be excellent either way, but it’s worth knowing what to expect.

JAL brochure

When I booked, premium economy was only about 30% more than economy, which felt like good value for the upgrade. Of course, this will vary across flights and dates, but that was roughly the base at the time.

As always, if you’re able to be flexible on times/dates with your premium economy ticket you will generally be able to get a better deal.

If you’re looking to book with points, JAL premium economy is bookable through Japan Airlines Mileage Bank or partner programs like American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Mileage Plan. Award space can be limited on popular routes, so booking well in advance helps.

Check-In and Baggage

At the airport, JAL Premium Economy passengers have their own separate check-in counter which I used when I checked in. There were far fewer people than in the line for economy check in and I always feel like the staff are nicer for premium and business check-ins!

JAL check in tokyo airport

Unlike every other premium economy airline offer I am aware of, Premium Economy passengers are also able to use the airport lounge, which is a huge plus — and this remains true as of 2026. At Tokyo Narita and Haneda, that’s the Sakura Lounge. At airports without a JAL lounge, premium economy passengers can generally use a partner lounge, though JAL closed its own lounge at Frankfurt Airport in May 2026 following a terminal relocation, so if you’re routing via Frankfurt for any reason, don’t expect the same lounge access I had — check what’s currently on offer for your specific routing.

JAL premium security tokyo airport

Premium Economy passengers also get the same priority baggage service on arrival as business class and first-class passengers. However, the baggage allowance for JAL economy and premium economy is the same. JAL economy has a very generous check-in baggage allowance of 2 x 23kg, and this holds for premium economy passengers.

Sakura Lounge Tokyo

Sakura Lounge Tokyo

Most other airlines I know have a baggage allowance of 2 x 23kg for premium economy so JAL is in line with competitors but not offering anything extra to its passengers vs travelling in economy.

JAL lounge frankfurt (note: this specific lounge closed in May 2026 — see above)

Premium Economy passengers on JAL also receive priority boarding ahead of economy passengers but, of course, after first and business.

The Seats

JAL flights have some of the best seats in premium economy of any airline. Here is why:

• the seatbacks do not recline backwards – instead the seats slide forward so you’re not impacting on the person behind you and the person in front isn’t impacting on you. This gives a much greater sense of space
• the JAL sky premium seat has a 42 inch seat pitch compared to the industry standard of 38 inches. This is also 10cm more than JAL economy if you’re comparing.
• the seat width on the 787 is approximately 19 inches between armrests, which is genuinely wider than most competitors — British Airways and Virgin Atlantic premium economy seats are typically around 18.5 inches, so the extra space is noticeable, especially on a long flight
• I loved the little screen divider that could be popped up for privacy. Such a small thing but it really did make the experience feel more premium and I enjoyed using it during both legs.
• the footrest is 3-step adjustable
• there is quite a large leg rest
• the tray table is big enough to comfortably hold an A4 size laptop
• I appreciate the plastic bottle holders between the screens. It is ideal to have such easy access to water during the flight. I don’t know about you but I drink a lot of water during long flights.
• adjustable reading light

JAL Premium economy seats

JAL footroom exit row

JAL Premium economy seats

JAL privacy screen

The typical seat configuration in the premium economy cabin on the 787 is 2-3-2 and on the 777 2-4-2 — and, as noted above, the newer A350-1000 also uses a 2-4-2 layout. I am a fan of the window seat when there is a long flight time. I like to cosy up to it for sleep and feel it is more private.

Inflight Entertainment

I found the inflight entertainment setup on JAL premium economy good but not exceptional.

• the touch video screen is 12.1 inches which is good but not world leading (NB: The screens are smaller for the front row seats). The newer A350-1000 premium economy uses a larger 16-inch 4K screen, if that’s a priority for you.
• I was disappointed by the limited English-language options in the entertainment system — there were only a handful of recent Hollywood releases and the TV show selection was thin. Most of the content was Japanese programming, which makes sense for a Japanese carrier, but I’ve found airlines like Emirates and Qatar offer a wider selection of international content. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, but if you’re counting on the IFE for a 12-hour flight, bring a backup plan.
• the noise-canceling headphones were excellent. Effective and very comfortable.
• in seat power is a USB port, video input and AC power outlet
• the wifi didn’t work for most of my flight but I think this is more about the flight path than JAL

JAL entertainment front row smaller screen

Larger screen in the other rows

JAL headphones

Food and Beverages

I’ll start by saying I love Japanese food. So maybe it’s not a surprise that I found the food in JAL’s premium economy to be the best I have experienced. The quality and taste of the meal service was fantastic but also there was more food served than I have ever experienced before in premium economy.

• unlike most other premium economy offers there is no drink offered before take off
• however, also unlike most other premium economy offers JAL serves proper champagne, Vollereaux (I hadn’t heard of them either but it tasted good!
• they serve haagen daaz ice cream
• this is a great opportunity to try sake
• don’t miss the miso soup – this is brought out in a pitcher and is delicious
• as this is Japan each meal come with loads of interesting little bits and pieces that adds up to a good sized meal – and again as this is Japan I chose to believe that it was quite low fat.
• the Japanese style braised beef I had between Frankfurt and Tokyo was the best plane meal I have ever had. The beef was so tender and the flavour was restaurant quality – unusual for in flight.
• My breakfast was also substantial with an omelet, hash browns, sausage, spinach, croissant, fruit, yoghurt, more green stuff and a bread roll.
• My return flight Tokyo-Frankfurt was a day flight and I am sure I received even more food that I had on the overnight flight.
• In addition to the two standard meals, snacks were regularly served. Some of them looked a little unusual, like the yellow bread, but they were delicious.
• Don’t miss the JAL Udon de Sky! The Japanese have taken the pot noodle type product to a whole new level and this Udon de Sky is delicious.
• If you have dietary restrictions, JAL lets you pre-order special meals at least 24 hours before departure. I didn’t need to, but it’s worth knowing the option exists if you’re vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or have other requirements.

JAL dinner

JAL return dinner

Amenities

The amenity kit was fairly standard with a toothbrush set, moisture mask, earplugs, and eye mask. I checked JAL’s current premium economy amenities page and this appears essentially unchanged in 2026 — still the same toothbrush set, eye mask, earplugs, and moisture mask, plus slippers on all routes. But I loved the slippers that were provided! Why don’t more airlines do this rather than socks?

JAL toiletries

I also received a pillow and a blanket.

JAL footroom exit row

Bathrooms

I had to make a special point about the bathrooms as in premium economy JAL bathrooms have a proper Japanese toilet with all the bells and whistles. It might be a bit too much information but being able to use a Japanese toilet with its water features etc helped me feel much fresher than I normally would on a long flight.

JAL bathroom

Service

The flight attendants could not have been lovelier. Nothing was too much trouble and everyone was oh so polite and friendly. I loved the cabin crew’s service.

JAL wifi

You might enjoy reading my business class airline reviews on Qatar, Emirates, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Malaysia Airlines, Air France, Iberia Airways, Thai Airways, Swiss Air and Alaska Airlines First Class.

How JAL Premium Economy Compares to the Competition

Having flown premium economy on British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Delta, and American Airlines as well, here’s roughly how JAL stacks up: it beats all of them on seat pitch (42 inches vs. the more typical 38), and matches or exceeds most of them on width. It was also the only one of the group that included lounge access as standard when I flew.

The food was better than any competitor I’ve tried on this list — not even close. Where JAL falls short is the entertainment system, which felt thinner on English-language content than what I’ve experienced elsewhere. If you’re deciding between carriers on a route where JAL is an option, it’s a strong pick — particularly if lounge access, food, and legroom matter more to you than having the widest entertainment library.

JAL Premium Economy in Conclusion

Overall, I would love to fly premium economy with Japan Airlines again and would struggle to justify paying much extra to upgrade to business class. The only real difference I can see is of course the flat bed.

In my opinion, Japan Airlines is currently offering the best premium economy I have experienced. The seats and legroom are unparalleled, lounge access is included and the food is absolutely outstanding. My only gripe is that I would have liked more choice in the entertainment system but if you’re sleeping it isn’t that important.

If you’re someone who needs to sleep flat on a long-haul flight, business class is still worth the splurge. But if you can sleep semi-reclined and care more about great food, extra space, and lounge access, JAL premium economy is hard to beat — especially at roughly 30% more than economy.

Amanda OBrien

Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.