- Introduction: Flying Halfway Around The World For Half A Day
- Review: China Airlines Business Class 777-300ER Los Angeles To Taipei
- Review: China Airlines Lounge Taipei
- Review: China Airlines Business Class A330 Taipei To Singapore
- Review: Singapore Changi Airport Transit Hotel
- Review: British Airways Lounge Singapore
- Review: SATS Premier Lounge Singapore
- Review: Japan Airlines Business Class 767 Singapore To Tokyo
- Review: Royal Park Hotel Tokyo Haneda Airport
- Review: Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda
- Review: Japan Airlines Business Class 777 Tokyo To San Francisco
I left the Royal Park Hotel Haneda Airport at around 8PM, plenty early for my 12:05AM flight to San Francisco. Perhaps the only redeeming quality of the hotel is that it’s connected to the international terminal, so it’s super easy to get between the hotel and the airside terminal.
I already had my boarding pass for my flight to San Francisco, so I headed straight towards security and immigration. It couldn’t have been more painless, as I was through both security and immigration in less than five minutes.
From there I made a right turn, and then immediately saw the escalators to the Japan Airlines Lounge, located across from gate 112. I was excited to check out the Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Haneda Airport, as previously I’ve only used the Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Narita Airport. Furthermore, the lounge was renovated just a couple of years ago, so could this now be one of the best first-class airport lounges in the world?
Escalator to Japan Airlines Lounge Tokyo Haneda
The exterior of the lounge was very similar to the one at Narita Airport, with horizontal wood panels.
Entrance to Japan Airlines Lounge Tokyo Haneda
At the reception desk I was welcomed by four polite JAL employees. Upon scanning my boarding pass, they pointed me right towards the first class lounge. The lounge has both a first and business class section. While I was flying business class to San Francisco, I could use the first class lounge on account of my top tier oneworld Emerald status.
Japan Airlines Lounge Tokyo Haneda reception desk
I was blown away by the decor of the lounge from the moment I walked down the hallway towards the first class section. To me, the Narita JAL Lounge feels a bit shabby, while this one is gorgeous.
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda entryway
Halfway down the hallway was a small business center with a few computers, as well as well as some individual moon-shaped private chairs.
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda seating
I’d say the lounge has four distinct “main” areas, and the above business center area led into the first main area.
This was a large area with more traditional lounge seating, along with a long counter by the window overlooking the taxiways.
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda seating
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda seating
The chairs themselves were beautiful, and they had individual pillows and ample outlets.
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda seating
The next section was the dining area, which was probably the largest part of the lounge. There were plenty of individual tables, along with a square, center communal table, with a tree growing out of the middle of it.
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda dining area
While the other room had carpet, this one had a pretty cool tile design. I’ll talk more about the food selection a bit later.
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda dining area
The next section of the lounge was similar to the first one, and had more traditional lounge seating. In this section all the seats were dark brown.
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda seating
I loved that each seat had a small adjustable table, as it was perfect for placing your laptop while working. I also liked that there were partitions between each row of seats.
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda seating
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda seating
Along the window in this area were chairs with ottomans, which were extremely comfortable.
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda seating
This section of the lounge also had a self serve drink selection, including liquor, soft drinks, juice, and beer machines.
JAL First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda self serve drink station
JAL First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda self serve drink selection
Past this area was the snazziest area of the lounge, called the Red Room. This is possibly the most gorgeously designed area of any lounge out there, in my opinion. It’s separated into four zones.
The first zone is the Library Room, with all kinds of travel artifacts, books, etc.
JAL First Class Lounge Red Suite Library Room Tokyo Haneda
Then in the back left corner is the Gallery Room, with several travel items from the “good old days,” including vintage aviation art, suitcases, etc.
JAL First Class Lounge Red Suite Gallery Room Tokyo Haneda
JAL First Class Lounge Red Suite Gallery Room Tokyo Haneda
In the back right corner is the Play Room, with chess and other games. The walls are covered with flight route maps, which any aviation geek will appreciate.
JAL First Class Lounge Red Suite Game Room Tokyo Haneda
Then lastly is the Bar Room, with self serve Laurent Perrier champagne, as well as sake.
JAL First Class Lounge Red Suite Bar Room Tokyo Haneda
JAL First Class Lounge Red Suite Laurent Perrier champagne Tokyo Haneda
JAL First Class Lounge Red Suite drink selection Tokyo Haneda
There’s also a huge display case with more champagne.
JAL First Class Lounge Red Suite champagne fridge Tokyo Haneda
While I think the all around most gorgeous lounge in the world is Cathay Pacific’s First Class Lounge in Hong Kong, I think these particular rooms are the most gorgeous parts of any lounge I’ve been to.
There’s also a shoeshine service in this part of the lounge. In theory that’s a lovely feature, but it almost makes the entire area uncomfortable, which is why no one seems to use it. The person doing shoeshines is so attentive and always just standing there and observing the whole area, that it makes it awkward to sit there.
For that matter, the area is beautiful in the sense that it feels like a museum, and I’m not sure it actually feels inviting or comfortable, if that makes any sense.
Now let’s talk about the food in the lounge, located back in the dining area. The self serve food area is extensive, and consists of several self serve areas. The centerpiece of the dining area is the teppanyaki grill, where a chef prepares an incredible beef dish.
JAL First Class Lounge dining area HND Airport
However, other than the made to order beef, I found the selection a bit underwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, it was fine, but it doesn’t really compare to the other top first class lounges out there. I’ll let the pictures of the selection speak (mostly) for themselves.
JAL First Class Lounge buffet selection HND Airport
JAL First Class Lounge buffet selection HND Airport
JAL First Class Lounge buffet selection HND Airport
JAL First Class Lounge buffet selection HND Airport
JAL First Class Lounge buffet selection HND Airport
JAL First Class Lounge buffet selection HND Airport
JAL First Class Lounge buffet selection HND Airport
JAL First Class Lounge buffet selection HND Airport
So I thought the buffet as such was rather limited, and also lacked cohesiveness. Individually a lot of the things were fine, but the selection just seemed like a little bit of everything.
The one part of the food offering that was fantastic was the made to order beef dish.
JAL First Class Lounge teppanyaki grill HND Airport
You simply go up to the chef and tell him what kind of sauce you want, and then he hands you a buzzer.
JAL First Class Lounge teppanyaki beef HND Airport
My dish was prepared within about five minutes.
JAL First Class Lounge teppanyaki beef buzzer HND Airport
It was spectacular, and I almost wanted to order a second one.
JAL First Class Lounge teppanyaki beef HND Airport
The drink selection was pretty good, though, including the famous Japanese beer machines.
JAL First Class Lounge drink selection HND Airport
JAL First Class Lounge beer machines HND Airport
One of the other unique features of the lounge is that it has a spa. I had no problem securing a reservation for just about anytime I wanted. I figured I’d get my massage sooner rather than later, so I made an appointment for 8:45PM.
JAL First Class Lounge massage appointment HND Airport
The lounge has legitimate massage rooms, though the treatments are just 10 minutes long. You leave your shirt on, and then they place a towel over your shirt, and the massage consists mostly of hitting pressure points. It’s a lovely way to refresh, though it’s not to the level of the hour-long massage you’ll get in the Thai Airways First Class Lounge in Bangkok, for example.
JAL First Class Lounge massage room HND Airport
Next to the massage room were three massage chairs, which I briefly used as well.
JAL First Class Lounge massage chair HND Airport
I spent a couple of hours getting caught up on work, and then I decided to shower before my flight (I hadn’t showered in the hotel). The shower rooms were one of the underwhelming aspects of the lounge. While the shower itself was fine, the shower room didn’t have a toilet. I find that to be rather annoying, especially in a first class lounge.
JAL First Class Lounge shower room HND Airport
JAL First Class Lounge shower room HND Airport
Lastly, back near the entrance of the lounge was a smoking room.
JAL First Class Lounge smoking room HND Airport
I left the lounge at 11:20PM, in anticipation of the 11:35PM boarding time for my flight to San Francisco. Fortunately my flight was leaving from gate 112, which was right across from the lounge.
Gate 112 HND Airport
The gate area was still fairly empty.
Gate 112 HND Airport
JAL had set up separate signs for first & business class, and as a oneworld Emerald member I could board with first class.
JAL first class & oneworld Emerald boarding
Watching how Japanese airlines board has to be one of my favorite things ever, as it’s so reflective of the service culture in the country. They have about 10 gate agents, and several of them are responsible for holding up signs to help people form queues, even though there are already signs indicating where each cabin boards.
Boarding was scheduled for 11:35PM, and at 11:34PM the gate agent made an announcement, apologizing profusely that boarding for the flight will be delayed… until 11:37PM. Man, you’ve gotta love when an airline makes a habit of boarding exactly at the scheduled time, and not a minute later or earlier. Nowhere else in the world will you get an apology when boarding is delayed by two minutes.
JAL First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda bottom line
The JAL Lounge at Haneda Airport really impressed me. It’s significantly nicer than the JAL First Class Lounge Narita Airport. It’s much more modern, the design is practical and beautiful, the Red Room is really neat, and Haneda Airport is easy to use.
I’d say this ranks up there as one of my four favorite oneworld first class lounges, along with the Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney, Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge Hong Kong, Qatar Airways First Class Lounge Doha (I’m excluding multiple lounges from one airline, though).
If you’ve visited the Japan Airlines Lounge Tokyo Haneda, what was your experience like?
Can the Sakura Lounge be accessed upon arrival at Haneda from a business class flight or only on departure? We are hoping to travel in September 2021 and will be trasnferring form a business class flight to an intra-Japan economy flight.
JAL First Class and Sakura Lounge Renovations at Haneda International Airport Main Building and alternative services
Thank you for your patronage of the JAL Group.
Please be advised that JAL First Class Lounge and Sakura Lounge located on the 4th floor in the Main Building of Tokyo (Haneda) International Airport will be undergoing renovations and will be closed from October 29, 2019 to the end of March 2020. During this period, Alternative lounge arrangement...
JAL First Class and Sakura Lounge Renovations at Haneda International Airport Main Building and alternative services
Thank you for your patronage of the JAL Group.
Please be advised that JAL First Class Lounge and Sakura Lounge located on the 4th floor in the Main Building of Tokyo (Haneda) International Airport will be undergoing renovations and will be closed from October 29, 2019 to the end of March 2020. During this period, Alternative lounge arrangement will be made and offered as follows.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this interruption of lounge service may cause and deeply appreciate your patience and understanding.
This extensive renovation, upon its completion, will allow us to provide enhanced levels of quality and comfort to our valued guests.
Construction Period
October 29, 2019 to the end of March 2020
Closed Lounges
First Class Lounge, Main Building 4th floor
Sakura Lounge, Main Building 4th floor
Alternative Lounges during Construction
Please refer to the alternative lounges and access eligibility during the construction period as below.
The renovated Sakura Lounge Skyview will open on October 29.
Eligible Guests Alternative Lounge Facilities and Service
First Class
JMB Diamond
JGC Premier
oneworld Emerald
Business Class
Sakura Lounge Skyview
On the 5th floor in the lounge area near the gate 114
Opening Hours : 06:00～02:45
・Toilets
・Changing rooms
・baggage lockers
・Shoe polishing service *1
JMB Sapphire
JAL Global Club
oneworld Sapphire
Premier Economy Class
Economy Class (Flex Y fare)
Sakura Lounge
Main Building 4th floor near the gate 112
Opening Hours :
06:00～12:00
21:00～01:30
・Toilets
・Showers
・Smoking room
・baggage lockers
SKY LOUNGE ANNEX
On the 4th floor in the lounge area near the gate 114
Opening Hours : 06:00～02:45
・Toilets
・Showers
・Changing rooms
・Smoking room
・baggage lockers
Shoe polishing service is available for First Class, JMB Diamond, JGC Premier and oneworld Emerald guests.
Came here to say the same as many others, the best part of NRT was the sushi bar. Those chefs rocked my world.
Hi Ben,
Good to see my frequent used Lounge in your reviews :)
Apart from the beef, if you fly in the morning, you get like egg pancakes from the grill.
Its somewhat underwhelming compared to what you had.
Cathay Business in Haneda, while the noodle bar is good, it lacks a shower. But understandably, you dont need a shower for a flight to HK from HND (3 hours or so).
Keep up the great work!
Happy flying and thanks for visiting Tokyo!
Why didn't you try and sleep in here and skip the hotel? (massage chair looks reclinable)
Another excellent and extremely thorough report as usual! I thought the lounge was nice and definitely agree about the food selection being somewhat underwhelming, but overall, it was a great lounge option for HND.
I reviewed it a while back here: http://goo.gl/DOf8JM
thanks for the review. have been wondering what the Haneda lounge is currently like. It has been hard finding info about it.
Regarding the shower rooms, I also thought it was odd that they had no toilet. I later went back to the Sakura Lounge next door to check their shower rooms, and those did have a toilet in them.
Is there only one JAL first class lounge at HND? Compared to the three JAL first class lounges at NRT, I'd give a slight edge to HND due to the Red Suite and game room. On the other hand the JAL first class lounge in the NRT main terminal has a sushi bar, better beverages (surprisingly) and a shoe shine service. The JAL first class lounge in the NRT satellite terminal has a very nice...
Is there only one JAL first class lounge at HND? Compared to the three JAL first class lounges at NRT, I'd give a slight edge to HND due to the Red Suite and game room. On the other hand the JAL first class lounge in the NRT main terminal has a sushi bar, better beverages (surprisingly) and a shoe shine service. The JAL first class lounge in the NRT satellite terminal has a very nice dinning area. The dinning area in the main terminal is pretty ordinary.
The lounge reviewed here and the JAL F lounges at NRT are no Cathay Pacific Pier at HKG or Qantas F lounge LAX (as far as food anyway, decor in the Qantas lounge is average), but when flying business or coach as an EXP I have zero complaints with the JAL F lounges.
Agree that the food at HND first class lounge is underwhelming, especially the buffet. No waiters, either, so doesn't compare to something like QF first at LAX or even BA Concorde room at LHR. I did have the beef teppanyaki from the chef but I just found it to be fine, nothing special. I could easily see that beef being in a warmer on the buffet line and you probably wouldn't have thought it was...
Agree that the food at HND first class lounge is underwhelming, especially the buffet. No waiters, either, so doesn't compare to something like QF first at LAX or even BA Concorde room at LHR. I did have the beef teppanyaki from the chef but I just found it to be fine, nothing special. I could easily see that beef being in a warmer on the buffet line and you probably wouldn't have thought it was anything special.
Agree with the previous poster that the buffet is exactly the same in the business class lounge in the other side, sort of confirming that there's not much that's first class about the dining in the F lounge. Too bad, because otherwise it's a nice lounge. I didn't like it as much as you did, Lucky, but it's certainly a fine place to wait for your flight.
NRT > HND
No sushi, no dice.
I used the same lounge and found three different types of champagne in the three different areas! Tried them all!
I do wish they had a better selection of Japanese whi skies which are all the rage right now.
The shoe shine guy you refer to is a service from John Lobb the bespoke shoemaker from London. A pair will run you around $3000 and a year in the making. The service is really quite...
I used the same lounge and found three different types of champagne in the three different areas! Tried them all!
I do wish they had a better selection of Japanese whi skies which are all the rage right now.
The shoe shine guy you refer to is a service from John Lobb the bespoke shoemaker from London. A pair will run you around $3000 and a year in the making. The service is really quite good....
In Japan punctuality is extremely important and the two minute delay borders on the sacrilegious.
No sushi/sashimi bar like at NRT? Terrible...The all you can eat maguro is the best part of the JAL lounge offering
A bit surprised you didn't check out the new CX lounge too.
I spent 8 hours in the JAL Lounge at HND three weeks ago, en route from BKK to LAX. We were in the Business Class lounge but I explored the first class lounge (I am OW emerald, but the rest of the family is not, so I wasn't allowed to bring them in). I agree with all of your assessments. The lounge is beautiful. I was there around 10pm on a Monday night and it...
I spent 8 hours in the JAL Lounge at HND three weeks ago, en route from BKK to LAX. We were in the Business Class lounge but I explored the first class lounge (I am OW emerald, but the rest of the family is not, so I wasn't allowed to bring them in). I agree with all of your assessments. The lounge is beautiful. I was there around 10pm on a Monday night and it was very quiet. The one thing that was most surprising to me was that the food was essentially the same as the spread in the Business Class Lounge. Not bad (especially compared to most spreads at US airports), but once I saw what they had in Biz, I expected the First Class side to be a step up. Other than display, it was not.
Timely post, Ben. I'm currently in the lounge about to leave for JL2. I actually love the food spread here, and I prefer this lounge to the Cathay First lounges in HKG, though I realize that's probably a little controversial.