Review: Japan Airlines Sky Suite (Apex) Business Class Tokyo (Haneda) to New Delhi

Flight no.	JL 39
Aircraft	Boeing 787-9
Seat no.	2K
Cost	25k Alaska miles + US$32 (incl. MNL-HND segment)
Date of flight	November 2022
Flight duration	9 hrs

I flew in Japan Airlines Sky Suite (Apex) Business Class from Tokyo (Haneda) to New Delhi, after arriving from Manila a few hours prior.

How to fly Japan Airlines Sky Suite (Apex) Business Class

Travellers can redeem miles/points to fly in Japan Airlines Sky Suite Business Class, which is also known as Apex Suite.

Miles from Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, which can be purchased or earned through flying, can also be redeemed for Japan Airlines Business Class at very low rates!

If you are based in Singapore, you can also redeem Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, that can be transferred from most Singapore credit cards.

Sky Suites can be found on all of JAL’s Boeing 777-300ER aircrafts and some Boeing 787-9 aircrafts. Check the seat maps to be sure.

Here’s a quick look at the number of miles and cash required for a one-way Japan Airlines Business Class award booking:

Route (to/from SouthEast Asia)	Alaska Mileage Plan	Asia Miles
Japan, S. Korea, China	25k miles (+~US$60)	61k miles (+~US$220)
India	25k miles (+~US$60)	70k miles (+~US$440)
North America	65k miles (+~US$90)	85k miles (+~US$110)

How to find Japan Airlines award space

The easiest and quickest way to search for oneworld award availability is on American Airlines’ website, aa.com.

This is because, you will be able to set filters like “Non-stop flights only”, “Business/First class only” and no. of passengers, and have a lovely calendar view of the award availability (as shown below).

Note: Use aa.com only as a reference and ignore the miles indicated on the website.

When you see availability on aa.com, replicate the search on your preferred frequent flyer program (e.g. Asia Miles) to complete the booking.

Pre-flight

Prior to take-off, I was offered a beverage of choice and I just requested for a bottle of water.

Unfortunately, hot towel service was still missing and I was offered a wet towel in a plastic packaging before take-off.

Japan Airlines Sky Suite (Apex) Business Class

The Sky Suite seats are laid out in a 2-2-2 configuration and can be transformed into fully-flat beds. Because of the ingenious design of Apex Suites, all seats have direct aisle access!

Seats on Boeing 787-9 aircrafts are equipped with the latest MAGIC-VI in-flight entertainment system. Note: Sky Suites found in Boeing 777-300ER aircrafts are equipped with the older MAGIC-V in-flight entertainment system, similar to those found in Boeing 767-300ER aircrafts.

Other airlines offering Apex Suites in Business Class include Korean Air and Oman Air (review coming soon!)

Privacy is fantastic for the window seats, however, the entrance to access the seat is a little narrow.

Apex Suites are really spacious and have fantastic knee room, especially in bed mode.

All that space comes at a price. The window seats do not have proper storage area within reach, when you are seated down.

The off-window seats have better storage compartments right next to the seat.

Bed mode

Dining

It’s no surprise that the food quality onboard this Japan Airlines Business Class flight is phenomenal. This is consistent with my previous experiences with the airline.

However, in terms of presentation, the cheese plate was a let-down.

Airport lounge access

Flying in Japan Airlines Business Class from Tokyo (Haneda) gets you entry into Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge (Sky View) Tokyo Haneda Airport.

It is a beautiful lounge with plenty of natural light and a panoramic view of the apron.

My ratings

This is how I am rating my Business Class experience (vs other airlines):

Seat	9/10
Bed	10/10
Dining	10/10
Privacy	9/10
Storage	3/10
Service	9/10
Cleanliness	10/10

Bottom line

The Apex Suite, also referred to as Sky Suite, provides an excellent amount of room and privacy for passengers travelling in Business Class.

In exchange for the generous amount of space and privacy, the downside is the limited accessible storage compartments. But personally, I would accept that trade-off any day!