Choose ANA for the widest seat in the sky. Choose JAL for the most integrated suite on its newest aircraft. Your route, your points currency, and how much personal space you need decide the rest.
Japan’s two major carriers each take off from Tokyo — Haneda or Narita — bound for North America, Europe, and Asia, and each lands near the top of business-class rankings. Flagship aircraft on either side carry lie-flat suites with doors. Service, catering, and the cultural precision that defines Japanese hospitality run through every interaction. What separates them is structural: alliance affiliation, award-booking paths, and seat geometry.
The hardware is where they part ways. ANA’s flagship The Room carries a 38-inch-wide seat, among the largest in any current business class. JAL’s A350-1000 product delivers a 22-inch-wide enclosed suite with a door and a 24-inch monitor. Each is lie-flat, and each is excellent, but the 16-inch difference in width is not subtle — it shapes the in-flight experience in ways raw dimensions fail to capture.
The Hard Product
ANA The Room is installed on select 777-300ER aircraft in the 212-seat configuration. The 1-2-1 reverse-staggered layout provides direct aisle access from every seat. Each suite is 38 inches wide — wide enough that ANA does not need to market it as a “suite” in the traditional sense. It simply is one. The seat extends to a 78-inch fully flat bed. Every position features a motorized sliding privacy door, a feature that remains uncommon in business class.
The reverse stagger means odd-row window seats sit slightly forward and closer to the fuselage, while even-row window seats are set back. Center pairs alternate similarly. This design maximizes privacy without sacrificing aisle access, but it means some positions feel more enclosed than others. Seat selection matters here.
JAL’s A350-1000 business class debuted on the New York route with a fully enclosed private suite manufactured by Safran Seats GB. The suite features a 22-inch-wide seat (maximum), 51-inch pitch, and a 78-inch bed — matching ANA’s bed length in a significantly narrower but more enclosed format. The 24-inch individual monitor is one of the largest in any business class. The wall height is approximately 52 inches, creating genuine visual isolation from neighboring passengers.
JAL also operates Sky Suite products on the 787-8, 787-9, and 777-300ER. These older configurations offer a solid lie-flat experience but do not match the A350-1000’s enclosure or finish quality. As with any airline operating multiple widebody types, equipment changes can swap the product you booked.
The Comparison
| Factor | ANA The Room | JAL A350-1000 Suite |
|---|---|---|
| Seat width | 38″ | 22″ (max) |
| Bed length | 78″ | 78″ |
| Pitch | Not published (reverse stagger) | 51″ |
| Privacy door | Yes (motorized sliding) | Yes (enclosed suite) |
| Wall height | Moderate (reverse-stagger privacy) | ~52″ (full enclosure) |
| Monitor | Large | 24″ (among largest in class) |
| Configuration | 1-2-1 reverse stagger | 1-2-1 enclosed suites |
| Aircraft | 777-300ER (select configs) | A350-1000 |
| Alliance | Star Alliance | oneworld |
| Primary hub | Tokyo Haneda / Narita | Tokyo Haneda / Narita |
Where ANA Wins
Raw space. Thirty-eight inches of seat width is not an incremental advantage — it is a fundamentally different physical experience. ANA’s The Room provides enough width to shift position, work cross-legged, or simply exist in the seat without touching any wall. The 16-inch gap between ANA’s width and JAL’s is roughly the width of an airplane window. For larger travelers, long-haul sleepers, or anyone who values lateral space, this difference is the deciding factor.
Star Alliance award access. ANA is a Star Alliance member, which means The Room can be booked through United MileagePlus, Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, and other Star Alliance transfer partners. For travelers with Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, or Citi ThankYou points, several Star Alliance programs offer competitive award rates on ANA metal. Understanding fare classes and partner availability windows matters here — ANA releases award space differently to its own members versus partners.
The motorized door. Both products offer privacy enclosure, but ANA’s motorized sliding door is a physical mechanism that closes and opens with a button press. It creates a hard boundary between your space and the aisle. JAL’s enclosure achieves similar privacy through high walls and a door, but the mechanism and feel differ.
Where JAL Wins
Full enclosure. JAL’s A350-1000 suite wraps the passenger in 52-inch walls that create genuine visual isolation. While ANA’s reverse stagger provides privacy through geometry, JAL’s approach is architectural — you cannot see your neighbors, period. For travelers who prize visual seclusion over raw width, JAL’s design is more deliberate.
The screen. JAL’s 24-inch monitor is among the largest individual screens in any business class. For in-flight entertainment on a 13- to 14-hour transpacific crossing, screen size is not trivial.
oneworld award access. JAL is a oneworld member, providing award-booking access through American Airlines AAdvantage, British Airways Avios, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Alaska Mileage Plan, and Qantas Frequent Flyer. For travelers with airline alliance preferences rooted in oneworld, JAL is the Japanese carrier within their ecosystem.
Fleet modernity. The A350-1000 is JAL’s newest widebody, with a product designed from scratch for the aircraft. ANA’s The Room, while exceptional, is installed on the 777-300ER — an older airframe. The A350-1000 offers lower cabin altitude, higher humidity, and larger windows as baseline advantages of the newer platform.
The Decision Framework
Choose ANA when:
- Maximum seat width is the priority for comfort or body type
- You hold or earn Star Alliance miles (United, Aeroplan, LifeMiles)
- You prefer lateral space over full visual enclosure
- Your route is served by a 777-300ER with The Room configuration
- You value the motorized privacy door mechanism
Choose JAL when:
- Full visual enclosure and cocoon-like privacy matter more than width
- You hold or earn oneworld miles (American, British Airways, Cathay, Alaska)
- Entertainment matters — the 24-inch screen is a significant advantage
- Your route uses the A350-1000 (currently the New York flagship)
- You value a newer aircraft platform with better cabin environment
For the traveler choosing between two excellent products: Both ANA and JAL deliver a business-class experience that stands with the best in the world. The service, catering, and cultural attentiveness are comparable. The choice comes down to whether you want the widest seat in business class (ANA) or the most enclosed suite on the newest aircraft (JAL) — and which alliance’s miles you can access.