ANA 777 New York to Tokyo in "The Room" Business Class (JFK-HND)

Unquestionably the best Business Class seat I've ever flown in.

Pros

  • New Kengo Kuma-designed seat with huge amounts of space and privacy
  • Toto Washlet in the lavatory
  • ANA's flight crew are incredibly helpful and attentive without being too doting
  • Huge in-flight entertainment screen that pairs over bluetooth with the ANA mobile app on your phone
  • Vastly cheaper Wi-Fi than they've ever offered before
  • Food I'd actually eat on the ground
  • Proper pajamas and slippers 
  • Haneda lounge was nice: showers, chef-cooked meals, Wi-Fi

Cons

  • Haneda airport is still in full Covid shutdown mode. If you don't have lounge access your food and beverage options are severely limited
  • The British Airways lounge at JFK is pretty dismal


Tips

  • There are 2 rows of Business Class ahead of the galley next to First, I love this little mini-cabin. 
  • Be aware that in odd-numbered rows the seats face backward, but they're more private and closer to the window

How I did it

105,000 Amex points transferred to Air Canada + US$69 co-pay


Boarding and Takeoff

As I mentioned before, I was headed to Sydney from New York and found a great deal on a flight that connected through Tokyo. Normally I wouldn't want to voluntarily add 6 hours of flying time to a trip, even for a good price, but this flight was on ANA's legendarily-good "The Room" Business Class suite.

short line for all of the check-in counters at T7


Leaving during the day from a terminal that specializes in overnights to Europe means zero lines...


...but it also means that a lot of the terminal is closed


our plane


the crew having a meeting before they board


ANA uses the BA lounge. it has all the usual amenities but it's a depressing, poorly-lit place.

they tried adding this "fresh food" thing in the lounge and it just made it feel worse 

a very organized boarding

The main Business Class cabin (I was in the mini-cabin in front of the galley)


The seat (note: odd-numbered seats face backward)

Insanely wide! It was like a couch! (the leather flap covers the shoulder belt)

Avo-chan always wants to watch sumo re-runs



Look at these cool doors!


Super cool window shades!


There's a full walkthrough of all the cabins in this beautiful ANA video


The night-mode lighting on the seat was perfect


Yuzu-scented amenities!


Pair your phone's ANA app with the IFE screen!


Yay for every seat having it's own (gasper) air vent!


Seat-to-seat chat


US$21.95 for a 14 hour flight! 

Warning signs and curtains between classes


Sky Washlet!


Food

Sadly they've cut the vintage Hibiki whisky from the Business Class menu, but there's still lots of tasty things to choose from. I got a kabosu juice, which is next-to-impossible to find in the USA at any price. We then had a choice of a Western or Japanese meal, and I chose the Japanese one. After having the Ippudo ramen as a snack after a long nap, I didn't really want the breakfast, since I was hoping to have a real sit-down restaurant meal in the airport during my 4.5 hour layover. Little did I know... 


Amuse-bouche (and Kabosu juice!)

Appetizer


Main (with amazing pickles!)


Perfect fruit for dessert


😴😴😴


If you want to eat between the two meals, there's a "Light Dishes Anytime" menu. I got the Ippudo ramen as my breakfast since I was hoping to eat a sit-down meal at Haneda


the flight attendant gave avo-chan his own deck of cards


Landing in Tokyo. Man this made me "homesick"


Tokyo tower and Skytree


Bullet train yard

Haneda 

One we landed, everyone connecting was asked to stay seated while those disembarking to Japan left the plane first. It took about 20 minutes to do that, and the FA gave me a sneak peek at the First Class cabin and all I can say is, "holy screen real estate Batman!"

The FA gave me a sneak peek of the First Class cabin – look at that screen!!


Immigration was quick and I was excited to eat some more "real" Japanese food, given that these 4 hours would be my only time in Japan for god knows how much longer. Sadly all of those dreams were dashed. The large transfer terminal is in full Covid lockdown mode: one restaurant for the entire place, and one Hudson News-style shop, and a couple of currency exchange windows are all that was open at 5pm. The restaurant had over 100 people waiting to order take-away food. They set up a hot water dispenser so people could buy cup noodles from the newsstand and eat them. Luckily the Business Class lounges were open. 

Hot water dispenser


Everything is shut


...Except the JAL and ANA lounges. So yaki-onigiri, kara age, and a robot-poured beer for me


Ahh how I miss Japanese public toilets...


Took a shower while I waited for my flight to Sydney 


Beautiful shower suite


Headed off to Sydney...


As I suspected, this flight had their older Business Class seat. Ate my last sleepytime gummy and I don't remember this overnight flight at all :) 



Menus

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