Business & First Class Flights to Tokyo

ANA flies Haneda from New York JFK, Washington, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Seattle, and Narita from several of the same cities; its 777-300ERs — on New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston — carry The Room, the widest business seat flying to the US, and The Suite First Class. Japan Airlines flies Haneda and Narita from New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Seattle, with its A350-1000 — business suites with doors and a six-suite First Class — on New York, Dallas and Los Angeles. United flies Polaris from Newark, Washington, Chicago, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco; Delta flies Delta One to Haneda from Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Seattle and Honolulu; American from Dallas, Los Angeles and New York. ZIPAIR, JAL's low-cost subsidiary, flies lie-flat "Full-Flat" seats from Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Honolulu to Narita at a fraction of the price — no lounge, no meal included, but a bed — and we mention it when the budget is the priority.

Haneda is the airport for Tokyo: the monorail or Keikyu line reaches the city in 20 minutes, and a taxi to Shinjuku or Ginza takes 30. Narita is 60–90 minutes out on the Narita Express, which is fine if you are connecting or staying east. For First Class, the choice is ANA's The Suite or JAL's First — both fly from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco — and both airlines' First lounges at Haneda serve à la carte Japanese meals with a sake list. Kyoto is two hours and fifteen minutes from Tokyo Station by Shinkansen, so most clients fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka, or the reverse, on an open-jaw.

Japan has two hard peaks: cherry blossom, which runs roughly the last week of March through mid-April in Tokyo, and autumn foliage in November; premium cabins for both sell out three to six months ahead, and fares run well above our $3,300 starting price. Golden Week (April 29–May 5) and Obon (mid-August) are domestic holidays when the whole country travels. Late May–June is warm and quieter before the rainy season, September is hot but uncrowded, and January–February is crisp and clear, with the lowest premium fares of the year and Hokkaido's ski season an hour's flight away.