Review: EVA Air Boeing 787-10 VantageXL Business Class Tokyo to Taipei

This flight was part of my Round The World in Business & First Class using miles trip. Click here to read about how I planned the trip.

How to book EVA Air’s Business Class with Miles

I’d booked this flight using just 25k Infinity MileageLands miles + US$157 in taxes/fees. This includes a second flight, in the same class, from Taipei to Kuala Lumpur.

Additional note: EVA Air calls Business Class on their Boeing 787s and 777s the “Royal Laurel” Class.

Travellers can book EVA Air Business Class seats using miles from Frequent Flyer Programs (FFPs) like:

• EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles

Miles on these FFPs can be earned through the best travel/rewards credit cards in Singapore.

Business Class to Japan for just 25k miles!

Spending just 25k Infinity MileageLands miles + ~US$150 in taxes and fees to fly in EVA Air’s Business Class from Southeast Asia to Japan/Korea, is by far the cheapest way to fly between both regions.

Related: Cheapest ways to fly between Singapore and North Asia using Miles/Points from Singapore cards

But there’s a catch.

Flying between Southeast Asia and Japan requires a layover in EVA Air’s hub, Taoyuan International Airport, near Taipei. While a direct flight is always preferred, most travellers probably wouldn’t mind a short layover in Taipei, before the onward flight into Japan/Korea, especially when other Frequent Flyer Programs (FFPs), like KrisFlyer, charge more than twice the amount of miles in the same class!

However, due to unfavourable flight schedules presently, travelling on EVA Air between Singapore/Kuala Lumpur and Japan/Korea requires a lengthy, overnight layover in Taipei.

Obviously, this should not be an issue if you plan to visit Taipei for a few hours anyway.

_{P.S. You can find short layovers on EVA Air, if flying to/from Bangkok.}

Here are a couple of convenient overnight accommodation options:

• CHO Stay Capsule Hotel: In terminal (public area). A pretty large capsule in a shared dormitory. Advanced booking recommended; usually fully-booked if walk-in.
• Novotel Taipei Taoyuan: 5 mins drive from airport. 5-star hotel with private rooms.

Personally, I’ve only stayed in CHO capsule hotel during my overnight transits in Taipei, as I valued the convenience of having the immigration area just a couple of escalators away; perfect for early-morning departures!

The capsule hotel is very clean, has a luggage storage area, lockers, good bathroom amenities, and has great free WiFi.

Here are some photos from my stay at CHO Stay Capsule Hotel:

Seat map

This seat type can be found in all of the airline’s Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 aircrafts. There are a total of 34 seats, in a 1-2-1 cabin configuration.

Take note that row 7 is missing a window.

Pre-flight

Prior to take-off, I was offered a beverage of choice and wet towel in a plastic wrapper.

EVA Air Boeing 787-10 Business Class seat

The airline’s Boeing 787-10 Business Class seats adopts the VantageXL design by Thompson Aero Seating. This seat type can be found on other airlines like Qantas and Delta.

As shown on the seat map above, this seat type allows for alternating true window seats (where you are seated right next to the window). This is not that common in Business Class, on wide-body aircrafts!

Cabins fitted with VantageXL seats have one disadvantage though: there is no true “couple” seats as the middle seats have a staggered arrangement (refer to seat map above).

Due to the curvature of the aircraft, the first row of window seats have a little less space.

Bed mode

Seats can be transformed into forward-facing fully-flat beds, with the arm rests pulled down for more shoulder room.

Like in most modern Business Class seats (other than the Apex Suites), the foot well is pretty narrow and deep.

Dining

I wasn’t expecting a memorable dining experience on this short (3.5 hours) flight, but ended up really impressed by the quality and presentation of my in-flight meal.

Meal options are rotated monthly, always with the option of a Japanese, Western or Chinese cuisine, for flights departing from Japan.

Airport lounge

Flying in EVA Air Business Class from Tokyo Narita gets you access into the ANA Lounge in Tokyo Narita Airport.

It was a good Business Class lounge with a fantastic runway view. However, food selection was pretty average.

Review: ANA Lounge Tokyo Narita Airport (Satellite 5)

My ratings

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

Bottom line

I enjoyed my first flight on a VantageXL seat, and I am now a fan of it. While it is no Qsuite, it has similar practicality as the generic reversed-herringbone seat, with the added bonus of a true window seat.

EVA Air’s in-flight dining experience and service standards are also among the best out there.

Despite the overnight layover, flying in Business Class between Southeast Asia and Japan/Korea with just 25k miles is an outrageous travel hack; one that we’ll look back on in years to come, if when the FFP is devalued.