ANA Airlines Review: Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy Compared

All Nippon Airways holds a Skytrax 5-star rating for the 13th consecutive year. That number is real. What it does not tell you is which cabin earns it and which one coasts on the reputation of the ones above it.

Having flown ANA across four cabins on trans-Pacific and Europe-Japan routes over the past decade  booking almost entirely on transferred credit card points  here is what each cabin actually delivers, where the gaps between them are smaller than the price difference implies, and which product deserves the miles.

ANA Cabin Comparison: Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy at a Glance

Use this table before reading anything else. It answers the question most travelers actually have  how much better is the next cabin up, and is it worth the price difference.

Note on The Room (777-300ER): ANA's flagship business class product  The Room  flies exclusively on select Boeing 777-300ER routes, primarily JFK–Haneda year-round. It adds a full closing privacy door, ~35 in usable seat width, and a 42-inch pitch that The Business does not have. If the route allows it, The Room is a materially different product from the table above. The Business column reflects what most 787-operated trans-Pacific routes deliver.

What ANA Airlines Is and Why the Cabin Decision Comes First

All Nippon Airways is Japan's largest carrier by international route count, a founding Star Alliance member since 1999, and the world's largest operator of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It flies from two Tokyo hubs  Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT)  to over 50 international destinations across North America, Europe, and Asia.

ANA operates two meaningfully different long-haul business class products under the same label, and on a 13-hour overnight flight the difference between them is roughly equivalent to $2,000 to $3,000 in cash on the same booking date. Most ANA reviews treat them as interchangeable. They are not.

Key facts as of 2025:

• Skytrax 5-star status: Confirmed for the 13th consecutive year, December 2025  the only Japanese carrier to hold it continuously

• Skytrax World's Best Airlines 2024: 4th overall, behind Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Emirates

• Alliance: Star Alliance  42 partner airlines, relevant for both award availability and lounge access

• US gateways: Los Angeles, New York JFK, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Washington Dulles, Houston

• IATA IOSA certified: Yes

For a full breakdown of how ANA and JAL compare on miles redemptions, award rates, and which points program gets you there cheapest, the ANA vs JAL comparison on Air Gazette covers every current transfer path and booking trap.

ANA Business Class Review: What You Actually Get on a 787 vs. a 777

ANA runs two distinct long-haul business class products. The one on the 787  called The Business  is what most US routes outside of JFK deliver. The one on the 777-300ER  The Room  is what people route through New York specifically to access. The gap matters more than any other cabin decision on this airline.

The Business Boeing 787-8 and 787-9

The Business is ANA's standard long-haul business class on the 787 fleet. It is a staggered 1-2-1 reverse herringbone  every seat has direct aisle access, and the lie-flat bed runs approximately 75 inches. There is no closing door. The suite walls are low. The middle pair seats have a privacy screen between them but no enclosure.

The 787-8 variant on some routes still runs a 2-2-2 layout, which means window seat passengers cannot reach the aisle without stepping over the person beside them. On a 12-hour overnight flight, that calculation matters around hour 4. On the 787-9 staggered layout, every seat reaches the aisle directly. Always check the specific seat map at ana.co.jp before booking  aircraft type alone is not enough.

The food and crew quality on The Business matches the premium cabin standard exactly. The gap between The Business and The Room is entirely physical: seat dimensions, privacy, and the absence of a closing door. The service does not change between aircraft.

The Business is competitive against United Polaris in the same configuration and stronger than Air Canada Signature on most Pacific departures. On routes where the 777 does not fly, it is the right product and a strong one. It is not the reason to choose ANA over JAL or Cathay Pacific on a route where all three fly equivalent configurations.

What The Room Is  and Why It Only Flies Certain Routes

The Room flies exclusively on ANA's Boeing 777-300ER fleet. The booking that defines what this airline is capable of is NH009 JFK–HND, booked at 52,500 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points one-way  that partner redemption still prices the seat below what most domestic US business class awards cost.

What makes The Room different: a full closing door that creates a genuinely private suite, approximately 35 inches of usable seat width, a 42-inch pitch, individual temperature controls that work independently of the cabin setting, and a foot well that does not taper to a point. The washoku meal inbound from Tokyo  barracuda sushi, braised mackerel, or wagyu beef depending on the season  is prepared in Japan with Japanese ingredients. Order it. The gap between the Japanese and Western menu is real and consistent on every departure.

On a westbound NH009 departure, the crew notes meal preferences during boarding and applies them without being asked again. Glasses are refilled before they are empty. That difference accumulates across 14 hours in a way that cannot be manufactured at 35,000 feet.

Routes where The Room operates year-round from the US: New York JFK to Haneda. Routes where it operates seasonally or on select departures: Los Angeles and Chicago O'Hare. Every other US gateway  San Francisco, Seattle, Washington Dulles, Houston  operates the 787 and delivers The Business. An unannounced equipment swap from 777-300ER to 787-9 is not hypothetical. It happens without proactive notification to award ticket holders.

What Is Coming in 2026: The Room FX

ANA unveiled The Room FX at the Paris Air Show in June 2025  a next-generation business class suite built for the 787-9 fleet, developed with Safran Seats and Acumen. It introduces a pre-reclined sofa-style bed design (no recline mechanism), a 76.5-inch lie-flat surface, full closing door, and suite walls 52 inches high  four inches taller than The Room on the 777. First deliveries begin in 2026, with retrofits across the 787 fleet to follow. Anyone booking 2026 or 2027 travel should verify aircraft configuration before committing. The broader shift toward full-suite products through 2030 is covered in Air Gazette's business class forecast.

ANA Premium Economy Review: Strong Seat, One Documented Weakness

ANA premium economy ranks among the top three trans-Pacific products in its category. That ranking is accurate  with one specific exception that almost every competitor review declines to state clearly.

The seat runs in a 2-3-2 configuration at 38 inches of pitch with a legrest, footrest, 13.3-inch monitor, AC and USB-A power, and free messaging Wi-Fi introduced in October 2024. The legrest and footrest combination is the feature that actually justifies the premium, not the pitch. At 38 inches, the seat is not dramatically more spacious than a generous economy configuration. The legrest elevates the lower legs, reduces compression behind the knee, and produces a measurably different physical condition after 11 hours. That is the honest case for premium economy.

The Seat Selection Problem Nobody Mentions

The 2-3-2 layout creates a significant quality split. Outer aisle seats  14A, 14D, 16A, 16G on the 787-9  give a full open side with no neighbor on one side. The middle column in premium economy is a different product: an upgraded economy seat with more recline and a legrest that does not justify the premium economy fare. Book an outer aisle seat. ANA's seat map allows this at booking for most fare classes.

The Food Problem  Named Directly

Premium economy food quality on ANA is inconsistent westbound from the US. Multiple documented reviews from 2023 and 2024 on LAX–NRT and HND–SFO routings describe catering that falls substantially below what the cabin price implies  in some cases cited as the worst long-haul premium economy meal on any trans-Pacific carrier. The inbound service from Tokyo is reliably stronger. The crew service quality does not waver the gap is in the catering contract, not the people. Pre-select the Japanese meal option during check-in when available. It is the most reliable mitigation, not a guarantee.

New Premium Economy Seats Arriving in 2026

ANA's full premium economy seat refresh announced in April 2025 brings pitch to 40 inches, recline to 9 inches, privacy wings, a 15.6-inch touchscreen, and Bluetooth audio. The 2-3-2 configuration remains. New 787-9 deliveries receive the seats first in 2026; retrofits follow subject to supply chain conditions. If booking 2026 or 2027, verify whether the specific aircraft has been upgraded before paying the fare differential.

Economy vs. Premium Economy: The Numbers

ANA Economy Class Review: Better Than the Pacific Average, Not the Same as the Front Cabin

ANA economy on long-haul 787 routes is measurably better than what United, Delta, and American offer on the same Pacific routes. That is a specific claim based on specific differences.

The seat runs 33 to 34 inches of pitch in a 3-3-3 layout on the 787-9, with a 10.6-inch HD touchscreen and AC plus USB-A power at every seat. What the spec sheet does not capture is the 787 airframe itself: cabin humidity runs at 15 to 20 percent versus 10 to 12 percent on older-generation widebodies, and cabin altitude equivalent is 6,000 feet versus 8,000 feet on a 777 or 737. Less dehydration, less headache, less lower limb swelling on an 11-hour overnight flight. ANA is the world's largest 787 operator  the majority of its trans-Pacific routes benefit from this by default.

Meal service runs two full rounds on trans-Pacific departures. Pre-select the Japanese meal at check-in. The quality gap over the Western option is consistent across departures in both directions.

Economy on the 787 is manageable on a 10 to 11 hour route from the West Coast. The JFK–Haneda westbound routing runs 14 hours. At that duration, the legrest and 38-inch pitch in premium economy start to justify their cost in concrete terms. The upgrade deserves evaluation at booking on any routing over 13 hours  not after 10 hours in a 33-inch seat.

ANA Routes and Aircraft: Which Product Flies Where

Route assignment determines the product received. ANA rotates aircraft seasonally without passenger notification always verify the seat map before booking.

JFK is the only reliable year-round gateway for The Room from the US. LAX and ORD offer it on select dates but rotate to 787s by season and load. If The Room is the objective, book JFK. Verify the aircraft at booking and again at check-in.

ANA's European network  London Heathrow, Paris CDG, Frankfurt, Munich, Milan, Stockholm, Istanbul  operates primarily on the 777-300ER, making The Room accessible on Europe-Japan routings as well. On those routes, departure timing and season drive price differences as much as carrier choice a pattern explored in the New York to Paris best time to fly analysis.

ANA Mileage Club: What the Award Rates Actually Are

ANA Mileage Club introduced one-way award bookings on June 24, 2025  the most significant structural change to the program in years. The round-trip obligation that defined ANA awards for decades is gone. Book ANA business class inbound from Tokyo on one program and use a different carrier on the return.

The round-trip rates devalued in April 2024. Any guide still quoting 75,000 to 90,000 miles round-trip for business class is outdated. The rates below are approximate one-way figures. Always verify directly against the ANA Mileage Club official award chart before transferring anything  award charts change without notice.

Fuel surcharges run approximately $95 each way as of mid-2025. Government taxes add roughly $60. Total out-of-pocket for a one-way business class redemption: approximately $155 in fees beyond the miles.

Partner Programs That Price ANA Below Its Own Chart

Virgin Atlantic at 52,500 points one-way from the West Coast is the lowest publicly available rate for ANA business class from the US. One critical note: Virgin Atlantic's website cannot search ANA award availability the tool does not work for ANA. Find the seat first on Seats.aero or by checking United and Aeroplan availability calendars, then call Virgin Atlantic to ticket it. Virgin Atlantic cannot book ANA awards within 14 days of departure, with no exceptions.

One more trap: Amex transfers to ANA Mileage Club take approximately 48 hours. Award space that exists during the search can disappear during that window. Find the seat. Confirm it is bookable. Then start the transfer. Not before.

ANA Mileage Club's 36-month hard expiry  no extension without Diamond status  is the most punishing feature of the program. Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards do not expire while the card is open. ANA miles do.

Is ANA Worth It? The Direct Verdict by Cabin

Business Class (The Room on 777): Book it whenever the route and aircraft make it available. It is the best business class product in Star Alliance on any Pacific routing. The Virgin Atlantic transfer path prices it at 52,500 points one-way from the West Coast  roughly the same cost as many domestic US business class awards, for a lie-flat private suite across the Pacific.

Business Class (The Business on 787): A strong lie-flat product. It does not match The Room on privacy or width, and it matches it exactly on service and food. On routes where the 777 does not fly, it is the right product and a competitive one against every US carrier equivalent on the Pacific.

Premium Economy: Worth the upgrade over economy on any routing of 11 hours or more  in an outer aisle seat. The middle column does not justify the premium. The westbound food inconsistency is documented, not an exception. The 2026 Recaro refresh will materially improve the product.

Economy: Measurably better than US carrier economy on the Pacific. The 787 airframe advantage is real. On routings of 13 hours or more from the East Coast, the premium economy upgrade deserves evaluation at booking  not after 10 hours in a 33-inch seat.

Across all four cabins, ANA crew service holds regardless of the seat. The physical product varies more than the marketing acknowledges. The hospitality does not vary at all. For the complete breakdown of how ANA compares against JAL across every transfer path and current award rate, the ANA vs JAL guide on Air Gazette covers both programs in full.

Conclusion

ANA has held the Skytrax 5-star rating for 13 consecutive years because the service standard is genuine across every cabin. The Room earns every superlative it receives. The Business is strong within its constraints. Premium economy is worth the upgrade on the right seat. Economy outperforms comparable US carriers on the same routes.

The Room FX arriving on the 787-9 fleet from 2026 will close the product gap between 777 and 787 routes entirely. The one-way award booking change from June 2025 makes the points math more flexible than it has ever been. The Virgin Atlantic path at 52,500 points from the West Coast remains the most efficient entry into The Room available to US-based collectors.

For more aviation reviews and award travel strategy, explore Air Gazette.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ANA a good airline?

ANA has held a Skytrax 5-star rating every year since 2013  13 consecutive years, confirmed in December 2025  making it one of only 11 airlines globally with that designation and the only Japanese carrier to hold it continuously. It ranked 4th in the Skytrax World's Best Airlines 2024, behind Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Emirates. Crew service quality is the consistent standout across every cabin.

What is ANA business class like?

ANA operates two distinct long-haul business class products. The Room, on the Boeing 777-300ER, features a full closing privacy door, a ~76-inch lie-flat bed, and approximately 35 inches of usable seat width. The Business, on the 787 fleet, is a competitive staggered lie-flat product without a closing door. The two are not interchangeable  always verify the aircraft type before booking or transferring points.

Is ANA premium economy worth it?

On routings of 11 hours or more, yes  specifically in an outer aisle seat in the 2-3-2 layout. The legrest and footrest combination meaningfully reduce lower limb fatigue across a long overnight flight. Food quality westbound from the US is inconsistent. Inbound from Tokyo it is more reliable. Book the outer aisle and pre-select the Japanese meal.

How many miles does ANA business class cost?

Following the introduction of one-way award bookings in June 2025, ANA business class from the US to Japan costs approximately 50,000 ANA Mileage Club miles one-way in low season. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club prices the same seat at 52,500 to 60,000 points one-way from West Coast and East Coast departures  transferable from Amex, Chase, Capital One, and Bilt at 1:1.

When does ANA release award seats?

ANA Mileage Club members can access award inventory approximately 355 days before departure. Partner program availability opens closer to 330 days out. On peak routes in The Room, the 355-day window is the most reliable opportunity. Do not build a booking strategy around last-minute availability for The Room.

What is ANA economy class like?

ANA economy on the Boeing 787-9 runs in a 3-3-3 layout at 33 to 34 inches of pitch, with a 10.6-inch HD seatback monitor and AC plus USB power at every seat. The 787 airframe's higher cabin humidity and lower cabin altitude equivalent produce a measurably better arrival condition than older-generation aircraft. Two full meal service rounds run on trans-Pacific departures. Pre-select the Japanese meal at booking.

Is ANA safe?

ANA holds IATA Operational Safety Audit certification and has maintained a major accident-free record on its international operations across multiple decades. As the world's largest Boeing 787 operator, it runs one of the youngest and most consistently maintained widebody fleets on trans-Pacific routes. It is among the safest carriers flying the Pacific.