After my flight from Singapore, I had a short transit in Haneda before taking my next flight and flying to Sapporo. After trying Japan Airlines on the international route, I am keen to see how flights between Japan itself are. Just a refresher, It is part of my ticket from SIN – HND – CTS. I paid just 25,000 miles and 82.30 SGD in fees. It is almost free as I got these miles from my Cathay Pacific error fare back in 2019. That allowed me to get 2 tickets from Singapore to Haneda and Sapporo. This is also one of the longest routes and a classic domestic route.
Checking In
We have already checked in for the flight back in Singapore and collected our boarding pass. For domestic transit in Japan, you still have to clear customs and immigration at your first port of entry before rechecking your bags for the domestic legs. It took quite some time to clear immigration in Haneda. Right after exiting the secure area, simply head right and you will find the desks for domestic transfers. We were immediately helped too. I wanted to upgrade to First Class since the rates are very attractive but sadly the cabin was full. We then have to head over to Terminal 1 where the domestic flights depart from. The transit bus was easy enough.
Boarding
Boarding is slightly delayed and only starts at 8.40am. The domestic terminal secure area is rather bare and there isn’t much besides some stores and the lounge. In stark contrast to premium cabins, business class don’t get priority boarding here. We were one of the last groups to board. Boarding is very efficient. There is no pre-departure drinks or jacket service. It felt like premium economy onboard international flights.
Japan Airlines Domestic Business Class
Business class is in a 2-4-2 configuration. It felt like a premium economy on an international route. This seat also feels rather similar to my recent flight on Air Canada. I was seated in the right aisle which is perfect for the two of us. Here are some pictures of the cabin.
The seat comes with a high-quality touchscreen TV screen. It comes with a good number of movies and shows. They also have these exterior camera views which is awesome for checking out your flight. Right below the television is a partition where you can store some small items. There is also a coat hanger to the side.
The seat itself is very comfortable and well-padded. It is a very nice way to fly and you can fully stretch out your legs. It would be nicer if they could have a pillow left on the seat.
There are also some side pouches that you can use to store items. The tables come out from the middle armrest. There is also a drinks holder here.
You can find a three-pin plug international outlet for those who want to charge your devices.
Meal Service
There is no meal service for business class on this short flight but rather the crew went on a round of drinks. It is the same as the economy. The drinks consist mostly of non-alcoholic options.
Conclusion
I wish I could upgrade to first class for this flight. I would love to try it someday. The upgrade rates are very affordable. That will be much better. Business Class is nothing fancy. It does offer a comfortable seat for the short flight. Between ANA and JAL, JAL has a cheaper upgrade cost. A very awesome way to get into Hokkaido.
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