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oneworld First Class Battle Royale – Cathay vs. JAL

ByDW
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This past March I had the pleasure of experiencing both Cathay Pacific First Class and Japan Airlines First Class on each airline’s Boeing 777-300ER! They were both wonderful and you can read all about them in my previous reviews, but today I am here to provide a side-by-side comparison for those that may be choosing between the two oneworld carriers for their next award redemption!

The Mileage Cost –

Cathay Pacific JFK – HKG: Continental US to Asia – Booked with 70k Alaska Mileage Plan miles (or 110k AAdvantage miles)

A map showing a flight path between two locations: JFK (John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, USA) and HKG (Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong). The path is depicted as a red line across the globe, illustrating the route over the Arctic region. The map highlights the continents of North America, Europe, and Asia.

Japan Airlimes (JAL) NRT-ORD: Asia 1 to Contiguous 48 U.S. states – Booked with 80k AAdvantage miles (or 70k Alaska Mileage Plan miles)

A world map showing a flight path between two locations. The flight path is marked with a red line connecting NRT (Narita International Airport in Japan) and ORD (O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, USA). The map highlights the continents of Asia and North America, with the Pacific Ocean in between.

Note: The routes are not completely comparable considering American Airlines separates Asia into two regions – Asia 1 & Asia 2 – where Japan fits into Asia 1 at 80k AAdvantage miles and Hong Kong fits into Asia 2 at 110k AAdvantage miles. 

The Mileage Cost Winner – For the purposes of this comparison I will consider the mileage cost a non-factor, though I would advise against the 110k AAdvantage miles required for a US to Asia 2 redemption.

Mileage Cost Winner – Tie

The First Class Cabin –

The image shows the interior of a first-class cabin on an airplane. There are several spacious, private seats with high partitions, and a few passengers are seated. The cabin has a modern design with soft lighting and large windows. The seats appear to be equipped with various amenities, including pillows and personal storage spaces. The image shows the interior of a first-class cabin on an airplane. The cabin features spacious, private seating areas with large, comfortable seats that can recline. Each seat has its own entertainment screen and a small partition for privacy. There are personal items such as a hat and headphones placed on one of the seats. The cabin is well-lit with overhead lighting, and there are windows along the side of the plane. The overall atmosphere appears to be luxurious and comfortable.

Cathay Pacific: The 777-300ER features a 6 seat First Class Cabin in a two row 1-1-1 configuration. While the 6 suites are open, the cabin feels private and closed off. What made my experience even better was the fact that only 4 of the 6 seats were occupied!

JAL: The 777-300ER features an 8 seat First Class Cabin in a two row 1-2-1 configuration. This configuration is nice if you are traveling with a companion since you can travel in close proximity in the two middle seats, and it was perfect for me and my wife! Of the 8 seats, 7 were occupied on our flight and while the cabin was nearly full, there was still an element of privacy.

Cabin Winner – Cathay Pacific – More privacy!

The Seat/Suite –

Awake Time – Cathay vs. JAL

The image shows a luxurious first-class airplane seat. The seat is spacious and upholstered in light-colored fabric, with a large pillow and a smaller pillow placed on it. There is a seatbelt on the seat, and the area around the seat includes a side table with a wood finish, a small storage compartment, and a window. The overall setting appears to be designed for comfort and convenience during a flight. The image shows a luxurious airplane seat in a first-class cabin. The seat is upholstered in brown leather and has a light gray pillow placed on it. There are seatbelt straps visible on the seat. The surrounding area includes a small side table with a booklet or magazine on it, and there are control panels and storage compartments nearby. The overall setting appears to be designed for comfort and convenience during air travel.

Cathay: Comfortable cloth seats and overall spacious – plenty of room to store carry-on luggage.

JAL: The 777 Sky Suite – Also quite comfortable with plenty of room and storage space. The seat is leather, which I prefer…

Sleepy Time – Cathay vs JAL

The image shows a first-class airplane seat that has been converted into a flat bed. The bed is made up with white sheets, pillows, and a blanket. There is a seatbelt visible on the bed. A small reading light is turned on, illuminating part of the bed. To the right, there is a small wooden side table with a water bottle and some personal items on it. The overall setting appears to be a luxurious and comfortable sleeping area on an airplane. A small, neatly made bed with gray bedding is shown in the image. To the left of the bed, there is a desk with a laptop and some other items on it. The bed appears to be in a compact, cozy space, possibly a small room or a cabin.

Cathay: Fully lie-flat, and a nice fluffy mattress pad down comforter for extra cushion. I was able to catch about 4 hours of sleep… not a ton, but enough!

JAL: Similar to CX, fully lie-flat, with the option of firm or soft mattress padding! I chose soft, but didn’t actually fall asleep, but am sure I could if I wanted to!

Seat Winner – JAL – I love the leather!

The Entertainment –

Wifi –

The image shows a webpage from a Wi-Fi service provider, likely for in-flight internet access. The top left corner has a logo with a pink "T" and two pink dots. The top right corner has the text "LIFE IS FOR SHARING." Below the logo, there are tabs labeled "Pricing" and "Help & Service." The main section of the page features an image of an airplane flying above the clouds with the text "You are now online. Enjoy wireless surfing with HotSpot." On the right side, there is a box with a Wi-Fi symbol and the text "You are online. Your pass is valid until: Tomorrow, 23:45:41. 23h 45m 41s left." Below this, there is a pink button labeled "Start surfing," a "Log out" link, and a "Keep in mind" link.

Cathay: None.

JAL: Complimentary throughout the flight! It wasn’t blazing fast, but it did the trick!

The image shows a personal entertainment screen on an airplane. The screen displays a selection of movies and TV shows available for viewing. The setup is part of a larger, modern seat or suite, which includes a cushioned area with a pillow on the left side. The overall design appears to be sleek and contemporary, indicating a premium or first-class cabin. The image shows a screen displaying a flight map with a route over the Pacific Ocean, indicating locations such as Los Angeles, Tokyo, and other cities. The screen is mounted on a wall or a panel. In the foreground, there is a baseball cap with the letters "TB" on it, placed on a wooden surface. The setting appears to be inside an airplane, possibly in a business or first-class cabin.

A person is holding a pair of Bose over-ear headphones. The headphones are silver with black padding and have a green band wrapped around one of the ear cups. The background appears to be the interior of an airplane. A hand is holding a pair of black Bose noise-canceling headphones. The headphones are resting on a black case with the Japan Airlines logo and text on it. The case also has the Bose logo. The background appears to be the interior of an airplane.

IFE Monitor & Bose Headphones – Very comparable between the two, no clear advantage here…

Entertainment Winner – JAL! Free wifi… nuff said!

The Food and Drank –

A person is holding a bottle of Krug champagne next to a window on an airplane. There is a glass of champagne and a small bowl of mixed nuts on a table by the window. A person wearing a dark jacket and a baseball cap is sitting in an airplane seat, drinking from a glass. The background shows the interior of the airplane, including the overhead compartments and another seat.

Champagne – Comparable! Cathay serves Krug, while JAL serves Salon. They are both amazing and delicious and make you feel like a real baller!

A gourmet dish is presented on a white square plate. The dish includes a piece of fish topped with a sprig of fresh herbs, served over a bed of lentils and accompanied by a red sauce. In the background, there are two wine glasses and a fork on a white tablecloth. A gourmet dish is presented on a white square plate. The dish features a piece of meat topped with a sauce and garnished with pine nuts. On the side, there is a small serving of green vegetables, including leafy greens and asparagus, also garnished with pine nuts. The plate has a decorative drizzle of sauce around the meat.

Meals – Comparable for the most part! Caviar and multiple dishes/snacks to follow… but I’ll note that my best meal during the two flights was the Beef Fillet with green Asparagus accompanied by Egg Yolk Soy Sauce on JAL!

A luxurious dining setup is displayed, featuring a tin of caviar on a plate, accompanied by small dishes containing finely chopped onions, chopped egg yolk, and a dollop of sour cream garnished with chives. There are also a few blinis (small pancakes) on a separate plate. The table is set with a knife and fork, and there are two glasses of champagne in the background. A basket of bread is also visible. The setting suggests a high-end meal, possibly in a fine dining restaurant or on a first-class flight. A square white plate contains a small, open jar of black caviar with a gold and blue lid, a white spoon, a round cracker with an Eiffel Tower design, and a small dish of finely chopped garnishes on top of a yellow spread. The items are neatly arranged on a white napkin.

Food & Drank Winner – Tie!

The Amenities –

Amenity Kit –

The image shows an open travel toiletry kit on a wooden surface. Inside the kit, there is a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, a small container of mouthwash, and a black card. Outside the kit, there are two tubes of cream, a comb, and a folded cloth. The image shows a collection of travel amenities laid out on a surface. The items include a red zippered case, a pair of earplugs in a gray packet, a moisture mask in a gray packet, a pen in a gray packet, a packet of tissues, a comb, a pair of socks, a small tube of lotion, a small spray bottle, and a brochure featuring a man in a suit. There is also a card with text on it placed on top of the moisture mask packet.

Cathay: The First amenity kits are gender specific, featuring Aesop products – lip cream and face moisturizing lotion – both of which came in handy as my lips typically dry out so bad on long-haul flights that I have trouble sleeping! The rest of the kit was pretty standard with the essentials – toothbrush, comb, mouthwash, and earplugs.

JAL: The JAL First amenity kits just underwent a change, moving from Lowes to Porsche design. Despite the change, the gender specific Shiseido product offering remained constant in a separate container – and came in especially handy during the long flight!

Jammies –

The image shows a neatly arranged set of items on a surface. There is a pair of dark blue slippers on the left, a folded dark blue button-up shirt in the center, and a gray bag with a white tag attached on the right. The background includes part of a light-colored chair and a white fabric, possibly a bedsheet or pillow. The image shows a neatly folded black jacket with a gray collar and a zipper, placed on a black surface. The jacket has the text "Porsche Design" on it. The background appears to be a light-colored fabric.

I’ll start by saying I am not a pajama guy and typically just bring my own shirt and shorts to change into. However, I had to test out the First pajamas on each of the flights!

Cathay: The PYE pajamas were super soft, though didn’t fit me very well as they were 2 inches short in both the legs and the arms! that said, they were super soft and I actually still wear the high-water pants around the house! The top was the most awkward sized and didn’t last long as I ditched it within a few minutes.

JAL: The tops and bottoms were Porsche design and fit quite nice/awkward all at the same time. Again, I ditched the top shortly after trying it on in favor of my own t-shirt.

Amenity Winner – Cathay! Aesop and PYE victory over Porsche Design… love the cars, but the amenities are meh…

The Overall Service –

A person is sitting comfortably in a first-class airplane seat. They are smiling and appear relaxed. The seat is spacious with a pillow and blanket. On the side table next to the person, there are headphones, a small box, a glass of champagne, and some snacks. The airplane windows are visible in the background, letting in natural light. A man and a woman are sitting in a first-class airplane cabin. The woman is seated in a spacious seat, smiling and wearing a cap, a white long-sleeve shirt, and a gray scarf. The man is sitting on the armrest of the seat next to her, also smiling, and wearing a cap, a dark long-sleeve shirt, and dark pants. The cabin appears luxurious with ample space and amenities visible, including a control panel and packaged items on the console between the seats.

Cathay: The little things made all the difference here. From the personalized welcome note, to the flight attendants helping my wife move her things up to First Class so we would be able to depart together – First Class service all around!

JAL: Accommodating and attentive! Between the standard meal service and my snack requests my total meal course count came to 9! That’s a high number of meal requests and the JAL staff put them on one after the other without a hitch!

Overall Service Winner – Tie! The Cathay & JAL services were top notch!

Final Thought/Tally

The Mileage Cost – Tie

The First Class Cabin – Cathay

The Seat/Suite – JAL

The Entertainment – JAL

The Food & Drank – Tie

The Amenities – Cathay

The Overall Service – Tie

That brings the final tally to 3 ties and 2 wines apiece! Ties are boring… so I will make a quick tiebreaker judgement and give the crown to Cathay Pacific First Class! The overall experience felt a bit more exclusive and luxurious with excellent attention to detail!

So, there you have it! While you really cannot go wrong with either First Class product, in the head to head match-up, I give the nod to Cathay Pacific! Hopefully this little side-by-side makes your next redemption decision a bit easier to make!

Have you experienced either (or both) of these First Class products? What are your thoughts!?

Thanks for tuning in and make sure to check out the rest of the trip report!

 

Happy Travels!

DW

The image shows a simple white line drawing of a paper airplane on a blue circular background.

9 Comments

  1. Are the number of English speaking IFE Movies / TV shows the same between the two? Does one have a broader selection of titles or more channels?

    Reply

    1. Great question! I would say that Cathay has a broader selection of Western cinema and a better music album selection. JAL has slightly less of a selection, but makes up for it with wifi capabilities!

      DW

      Reply

  2. Timely post. Just completed CX F legs to SE Asia, and will be taking JAL F on return. How about throwing in the ground/lounge experience as a component?

    Reply

    1. Nice! I did consider that but it can vary based on the departure airport and unfortunately I did not experience the Pier at HKG but rather the International First Lounge at JFK… which was nice still! At NRT, the First class lounge is sweet and mentioned it in my full JAL First Review!

      Reply

  3. I flew RT SFO-HKG on CX F so I got to experience the whole enchilada: 2 Long haul flights with 2 different crews, the SFO lounge, the HKG Arrival Lounge, and the Pier.
    The flight to HKG was just nothing special because the crew was mediocre. The flight back was wonderful because the crew was great. I have found CX crews to be hit and miss and SQ crews more consistently good.
    I thought the amenity kit was disappointing, just basic stuff and nothing special about it at all. While the amenity kit from SQ F I thought was exceptional.
    The food was OK, I thought SQ food was better in flight.
    I did love the pajamas though. Best pajamas I have ever had in my life. Far better than what you get from SQ F and BA F.
    Regarding the lounges: I thought the SF lounge was a vast improvement over the previous one they had in SF which I thought was a joke.
    The Arrival lounge in HKG was decent and while small and cramped, served its purpose well.
    The Pier of course was fabulous and I hope to spend more time there again some day.

    Reply

  5. Last year I did Cathay first ORD-HKG, SQ suites from SIN-NRT, and JAL first from NRT-ORD. For me, the overall experience was best on cathay. I loved the wing over the pier, but the dining in the pier was fantastic.

    On SQ, I enjoyed the private room, but didn’t think it added much other than privacy. For the flight, It was my first time on an A380, and that made the flight really unique. I thought the service was great, but didn’t find the lobster thermidor to be anything amazing. However, that was after several glasses of krug, dom perignon, and johnnie walker blue…

    The JAL first lounge was pretty busy when I was there, but the sushi was great, as was the selection of self pour drinks. Hard to get tired of Hibiki 17. On my flight, the wifi was $18, which is definitely reasonable, but I just wanted to relax and enjoy myself. I thought the seat was comparable in comfort to the other two, but there was a problem where i could only sit up straight, or lie flat, and that was a problem through the whole flight. Because of that, it ranked third on my list.

    Reply

  6. Interesting…I did similar flights and found food and service on JAL to be head and shoulders above my two Cathay flights. There’s something I really love about the Japanese style of service. That being said, the seat on Cathay really is something special (especially the HND-HKG leg on the now retired 747 sitting in the nose). It’s definitely a tough decision but you can’t go wrong with either!

    Reply
  7. Pingback: JW Marriott Hong Kong – the Highs and Lows - AcCounting Your Points

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