How many first class seats are on the JAL A350-1000?

Japan Airlines’ A350-1000 has 6 first class suites in a spacious 1-1-1 configuration.

Does Japan Airlines’ A350-1000 first class have closing doors?

Yes. Every First Class suite has a sliding door that provides excellent privacy during the flight.

Does the JAL A350-1000 first class seat become a bed?

Yes. The seat converts into a fully flat bed approximately 80 inches long, with a mattress pad and bedding.

Does Japan Airlines First Class include free Wi-Fi?

Yes. First class passengers receive complimentary, unlimited Wi-Fi for the duration of the flight.

Why Japan Airlines A350-1000 First Class From JFK to HND Left Me Truly Amazed [Review]

Updated: September 25, 2026, 8:00am CDT

Edited by:

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Table of Contents

Booking Japan Airlines First Class
John F. Kennedy International Airport
Aboard Japan Airlines’ Airbus A350-1000
Service
Arrival
Final Thoughts

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Airline: Japan Airlines (JL)
Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000
Flight: JL5
Route: New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
Cabin and Layout: First class, 6 seats, 1-1-1 configuration
Seat: 2A
Cost: 125,000 Japan Airlines Mileage Bank miles plus $188 in taxes and fees

Japan Airlines is my favorite airline, so this was much more than another flight review for me. Before this trip, I had flown JAL first class 2 times and business class once. The one experience missing from that list was the airline’s newest first class product aboard the Airbus A350-1000.

Because the A350-1000 is not deployed everywhere and first class awards can be exceptionally difficult to find, finally booking it felt even more special.

I already knew that JAL could deliver exceptional food, warm service, and incredible attention to detail. What I wanted to find out was whether its newest first class suite could live up to that same standard.

Here is what it was like spending roughly 14 hours in one of the most impressive first class cabins in the sky.

Booking Japan Airlines First Class

Booking Japan Airlines first class through a partner such as American Airlines AAdvantage or Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards can be extremely difficult. I could have created an alert through Seats.aero and hoped something would appear, but I wanted to lock in a date that worked for me, given my crazy schedule at home.

My best chance was booking directly through Japan Airlines Mileage Bank. The airline typically releases more seats to its own members than to partners, although the price is usually higher. I booked my flight for 125,000 JAL miles and approximately $188 in taxes and fees, using a combination of rewards transferred from Bilt Rewards and Capital One Miles.

That is more than I usually like to spend on a one-way flight, but this was a bucket-list redemption, and the cash fare was more than $16,000.

That worked out to a redemption of over 12 cents per mile. I never would have paid $16,000 in cash, but points made an otherwise unrealistic experience possible.

Hot Tip:

I put the $188 in taxes and fees from the award booking on my Platinum Card^® from American Express, which earns 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year) and provides travel insurance benefits for added protection.

John F. Kennedy International Airport

My trip began with an early Delta flight from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to New York City (JFK). Since my Japan Airlines flight was scheduled to depart shortly after 1 p.m., I booked a flight around 7 a.m. that arrived at Kennedy Airport at approximately 10 a.m. That gave me a comfortable connection and enough time to enjoy the lounge without feeling rushed.

JFK Air Train — I arrived at JFK and took the AirTrain to Terminal 8, where JAL is.

Check-In

I already had a mobile boarding pass, but I needed to check a bag, so I stopped at the JAL counters in Terminal 8.

There was already a long line when I arrived, although no agents were standing behind the desks.

JAL JFK Check in Passengers — Passengers check in and drop bags at JAL’s Terminal 8 JFK counters.

Before check-in began, the agents stood together in front of the counters, got everyone’s attention, and bowed in unison to the waiting passengers. I was blown away.

Once my bag was checked, I cleared security and headed for the Soho Lounge, above gate 14, next to the Chelsea Lounge.

Soho Lounge

Japan Airlines does not operate a lounge at JFK. First class passengers instead go to the Soho Lounge, part of the collection jointly operated by American Airlines and British Airways in Terminal 8.

JFK Lounge signs — After security, signs pointed toward the Soho Lounge.

I was excited, as I’d heard great things about the Soho Lounge.

Soho Lounge seating — At 10 a.m., the lounge was nearly empty.

I arrived during the transition from breakfast to lunch, so I saw both spreads.

Soho Lounge JFK food sp — Both breakfast and lunch looked delicious.

There was a solid selection of food and drinks, plenty of comfortable seating, and excellent views of the runway — including a clear view of the JAL A350-1000 I’d be flying.

Japan Airlines plane at JFK — Well, hello! There’s my JAL flight.

I had coffee and fish and chips.

Soho Lounge fish and chips — These fish and chips were good!

I reserved a shower suite before heading to the gate to freshen up before my 14-hour flight.

JFK Soho Lounge shower — A refreshing shower was what I needed.

I enjoyed relaxing in Soho Lounge for a few hours, especially after my very early flight from South Florida.

Boarding

About 20 minutes before boarding, I made my way to the gate and was the first passenger to board.

JAL Aircraft A350 1000 at JFK gate — This A350-1000 took me to Tokyo.

I was welcomed by a friendly JAL flight attendant who escorted me to my seat, 2A. Only 3 of the 6 suites were occupied. The half-full cabin remained quiet and private throughout the flight.

Aboard Japan Airlines’ Airbus A350-1000

The A350-1000 is Japan Airlines’ newest flagship aircraft, featuring the carrier’s most up-to-date products in every cabin. First class occupies 2 rows in a 1-1-1 layout, for a total of 6 suites.

JL First Class Suite cabin — Just 2 other passengers meant a quiet cabin.

First Class Cabin and Seat

The moment I stepped into the first class cabin, I quietly whispered to myself, “Wow, this suite is massive.”

JL First Class Suite side angle shot — My enormous suite.

I have flown Cathay Pacific first class, Singapore Airlines Suites on the A380, Emirates’ Game Changer first class on the 777, and Etihad’s Apartment. Even with those experiences as a point of comparison, JAL’s new suite left me incredibly impressed.

JL First Class Suite above view — I was amazed at the amount of space.

The main seat felt more like a wide sofa, with a second seat beside it and an expansive tray table between the two. It was like my own living room in the sky — a kingly throne rather than an airplane seat.

JL First Class Suite seat and side seat — Three could have fit comfortably in 1 suite.

At the front was an ottoman and plenty of legroom.

JL First Class Suite view of IFE — I could do a HIIT exercise in my suite with the amount of floor space I had.

A tall sliding door closed off the suite from the aisle, giving me excellent privacy without making it feel claustrophobic.

JL First Class sliding privacy door — Privacy door for each suite.

Storage was as impressive. I had a wardrobe, a dedicated shoe compartment, and several cubbies for my passport, wallet, and other items. A compartment beneath the ottoman hid my backpack with room to spare, allowing me to spread out without clutter.

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A personal closet kept jackets neatly tucked away.

Nearly every feature was controlled electronically. Buttons on a panel adjusted the seat, lighting, and electronically dimmable windows.

JL First Class Suite seat adjustment buttons — The buttons customized the suite to my liking.

A tablet managed the inflight entertainment system and many of the same suite functions.

JL First Class Suite ipad — The tablet controlled entertainment, lighting, and crew requests.

There were AC, USB-A, and USB-C outlets, along with wireless charging, so keeping all my devices powered was easy.

JL First Class connect devices outlets — One of the many outlets in the suite.

The seat converted into a bed approximately 80 inches long. With the mattress pad in place and the door closed, the suite felt more like a private bedroom than simply a lie-flat airline seat.

JL First Class suite lie flat dimmed lights — I slept like a baby.

I slept comfortably for a solid 4 hours, though, admittedly, I wanted to stay awake and take in the whole experience.

Food and Beverages

Japan Airlines’ first class dining is one of the experiences I look forward to most when flying the carrier. The full menu for my flight included Japanese and Western courses, a long list of drinks, and additional dishes available throughout the flight.

I usually choose Japanese on JAL, but I had never tried the Western, so I switched things up. First, I started with the Hibiki 100th Anniversary Blend whisky with a tiny hors d’oeuvre. I love Suntory whisky, so it was an easy choice.

JL First Class Suite first course with whiskey — Flying JAL always calls for Suntory Hibiki.

The meal began with butternut squash, coconut, and apple soup. It was interesting, but not my favorite.

JL First Class Suite second course amuse — Meh.

The poached scallop carpaccio with celery root cream, pear compote, and black truffle vinaigrette came next, and as a scallop lover, I thought it was delicious.

Following was chestnut gnocchi with porcini mushrooms and fontina cream sauce. I loved the sauce, though the gnocchi was good, not great.

JL First Class gnocchi — The sauce was the star of this dish.

For my main course, I tried both the pan-seared branzino and the prime beef tenderloin.

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My steak was tasty, though slightly overcooked.

Was it too much food? Probably. But someone had to try both for review purposes, and I was willing to make the sacrifice. Both were very good.

I skipped the Western menu’s tiramisu and ordered the pumpkin mousse from the Japanese menu. It was light, refreshing, and a great way to finish the meal.

JL First Class pumpin mousse — A refreshing palate cleanser.

After a 4-hour nap and a couple of movies, I was hungry again. My “snacks” included caviar, a crab cake sandwich, and JAL’s Kyushu Jangara-style tonkotsu-flavored miso ramen.

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I never say no to caviar.

Honestly, I enjoyed the snacks even more than the formal meal, even though I liked everything. You will not go hungry in JAL business or first class.

Amenities

The suite came stocked with pajamas, slippers, bedding, a pillow, a HERALBONY amenity bag designed with Zero Halliburton, and a separate men’s grooming kit. I love airline pajamas, but these felt too warm, so I took them home instead.

JL First Class Suite amenity kit and men's toiletry kit

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Gifts included an amenity kit and Shiseido toiletries.

When it was time to sleep, the crew made the bed with a mattress pad and bedding. Between the wide bed and closing door, it was one of the most comfortable sleeping setups I have experienced on a plane.

Inflight Entertainment

It was hard to enter the suite without immediately noticing the 43-inch 4K monitor. I felt like I was watching TV in my living room rather than sitting on an airplane.

JL First Class Suite monitor — I still can’t believe this massive screen.

JAL offered Japanese and international movies and shows, moving map and flight cameras. The selection was decent but not as extensive as what some competitors offer. I had downloaded my own content, so I didn’t mind.

JL First Class Suite IFE movie options — I preferred my downloads.

The suite had speakers built into the headrest, so I could listen without wearing headphones.

JL First Class Suite seat speakers — Built-in headrest speakers were a neat, thoughtful feature.

JAL provided high-quality Bang & Olufsen headphones with wired and Bluetooth connections.

JL First Class Suite headphones — Bang & Olufsen headphones.

Overall, JAL significantly improved the A350’s IFE compared with the aging systems on the Boeing 777 and 787.

Lavatory

The first class lavatory was kept clean throughout the flight and had a modern vanity.

And because this was a Japanese airline, the toilet featured bidet controls — even at 35,000 feet.

JL lavatory first class toilet touch button — JAL’s lavatory included the expected Japanese touchscreen toilet.

It also had toiletries available for use, such as a toothbrush, mouthwash, and fragrances.

Lavatory toiletries — Premium lavatory toiletries were a familiar JAL touch.

Wi-Fi

First class passengers received free Wi-Fi for the entire flight. A small card had a code that I plugged into the pop-up screen and allowed me to connect.

Passengers in other cabins could purchase Wi-Fi for 1 hour, 3 hours, or the entire flight.

JAL Wi-Fi cost — Other passengers could purchase Wi-Fi at these rates. Screenshot: Japan Airlines website

The Wi-Fi worked well enough for messaging, browsing, and using my phone for most of the flight. I wouldn’t count on it for serious work, but having free, unlimited Wi-Fi on a 14-hour flight was a great perk.

Service

As impressive as the suite was, the service is what continues to separate Japan Airlines from nearly every other carrier for me.

I have now flown JAL 4 times, across different routes, years, and cabins, and the service has been exceptional every single time. That consistency is incredible. The JAL crews have a way of making passengers feel genuinely cared for.

My flight attendant and the rest of the first class crew checked on me regularly without being intrusive. Whenever I needed something, someone was only a call away, and every interaction felt warm and sincere.

From the agents bowing at check-in to the incredible care on board, the warm Japanese hospitality stood out throughout the entire journey.

Arrival

We arrived at Tokyo Haneda on time, around 4:30 p.m. With only 3 passengers in first class, deplaning was quiet and peaceful, and I was the first person off the aircraft. Haneda did not feel particularly busy that afternoon, so the walk through the terminal and arrival were relatively calm.

I was sad to deplane and leave behind the aircraft and suite, but I was also excited about what came next: returning to the Park Hyatt Tokyo for the first time in a decade and seeing the hotel after its extensive renovation.

Final Thoughts

Did Japan Airlines first class on the A350-1000 live up to the hype? Absolutely.

This was a bucket-list flight for me, delivering everything I had hoped for: an enormous suite, excellent food, genuine service, and the thoughtful details that make Japan Airlines my favorite carrier.

Very few things in life, aside from my family and children, make me as happy as using points to take a flight like this. I hope I have the chance to fly it again one day. Until then, I will have the memories — and plenty of photos — to help me relive an unforgettable 14 hours in Japan Airlines first class.