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Review: Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo NRT
This was my second time visiting the Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo NRT and it’s official…I’m in love with their sushi. The lounge is very nice, in fact, it’s very, very nice, and their free massages are high-five worthy. BUT, the SUSHI is ridiculously good. I live in Los Angeles and eat sushi quite often, I’ve even feasted at one of the best sushi restaurants in the world: Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo. I would say that their nigiri holds up against almost any restaurant I’ve eaten at in LA. FULL STOP! I have a British girlfriend and her vernacular sometimes seeps through when I get excited 😉 Anyways, this isn’t just about sushi, it’s about the Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo NRT. So let’s take a peek!
Check-In
We gained access because we were flying First Class on Japan Airlines from Tokyo to Chicago. You could also check out the first class lounge if you’re flying international and One World Emerald, JMB Diamond, or Premier. All 3 of those status holders can bring in one guest.
After checking in, I’d highly suggest you head straight to the spa and reserve a massage.
I also reserved a spa suite for a quick shower and shave prior to our flight.
From there I’d grab a locker because space fills up very quickly. The lounge isn’t really that big and can get pretty crowded.
My Tumi Alpha Bravo Knox backpack fit perfectly in. ( You can pick one up at Amazon )
Belongings locked up. Time for food.
Aside from Sushi, I’d say that the food options in the First Class lounge are just average. I think the main problem is the lounge just doesn’t have that much space. If you go to the Sakura lounge next door you’ll have more options for general food. The Sakura lounge is ENORMOUS, two floors, and where Miles was first recognized by a lovely couple on a holiday =)
The main event is the sushi. This time I got 5 rounds of Tuna.
The follwing pics are actually from my last visit. The lounge was very crowded on this visit, but my pics from 2015 show the facility much better. The tuna melts in your mouth and is so simple and clean. You’re only allowed 3 pieces per visit, although I was lucky enough to get four on one of my repeat visits 😉
Belly Full. Back to the spa to choose a treatment. I went with the upper body care. After a sleepless redeye flight my body was in need.
ICYMI, I didn’t have the best experience flying on Japan Airlines 787-8. This spa treatment erased those memories!
Off to a Shower Suite. Small, but it had a Multi Headed shower. Cah’mon!
There is something about showering in a first class lounge that feels so naughty. You’re in an airport. Most people associate airports with being congested, stressful, and dirty. Entering a luxurious spa-like bathroom to rejuvenate is quite special. My biggest complaint would be the size ( I could barely prop up my carry-on and turn around), but the appointments are top-notch.
YES! There was multiple jets on the shower. It was fantastic and reminded me of the showers in the Penthouse of the Peninsula Bangkok.
Feeling refreshed I did a quick tour of the lounge again before sitting down for yet one more round of sushi 😉
Private work space
You won’t hear anyone on their phones. I quite like this. If you need to make a call there are phone booths.
Again I enjoyed my time in the Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo NRT.
I also visited the Sakura lounge and the Admiral’s Club on this visit, and you can’t really go wrong with any of these 3 lounges. The Japan Airlines First Class lounge is particularly nice if you’re looking for outstanding sushi and a massage. The shower suites are small, but finely appointed with multiple jets that massage your worries away. I would note, if you’re looking for a pod to sleep, the Sakura lounge next door has a few of them and I would request the hostess of the First Class Lounge to reserve you one.
This was the perfect way to kill a few hours in Tokyo before enjoying our outstanding First Class flight home.
This review is a part of the Trip Report: Miles Traces his roots in Southeast Asia
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Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Welcome Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x on dining, including eligible delivery services for takeout & dining out
- 3x on select streaming services
- 3x on online grocery purchases
- (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travel℠
- The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
- 2x on all other travel
- 10% Anniversary Bonus
- Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
- Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel℠ and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver ( primary ), purchase protections, etc.
- Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
- Redeem in Chase Travel℠ for 1.25 cents per point
- No foreign transaction fees
- Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
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- $95 Annual Fee
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is exceptional starter card and offers transferrable Ultimate Rewards, and pairs well with other Chase cards.
If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex® and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Ink Business Cash® , Ink Business Unlimited® you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners
Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.
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