Find cheap ANA flights

All Nippon Airways (ANA) has long been one of the best airlines in the world and it shows no signs of slipping. The Japanese carrier is all the things an airline should be: reliable, safe, with excellent service, comfortable seats and good food. It’s also one of just ten airlines to have gained a 5-star rating from Skytrax, and unlike with some of those ratings, ANA really deserves it.

But maybe the best thing about ANA is its utter consistency. Every time I’ve got an ANA flight upcoming I feel great about it because I know exactly what I’m going to get—the service standards never slip or fall short, regardless of what cabin I’m travelling in. I know it’s going to be a quality experience.

Route network

ANA is Japan’s largest airline with service between 11 different North American cities and Tokyo, including 3 in Canada. With its membership in the Star Alliance and comprehensive connections via United Airlines in the US, it’s an obvious choice from the Americas to Japan or further afield.

The airline also serves Mexico City, most major cities in Asia, 3 cities in both Australia and India, quite a few in Europe, and of course just about everywhere in Japan (though in many cases it’s easier to just get on a train in Japan, especially if you’ve landed at Tokyo-Narita). ANA also serves Osaka directly from San Francisco (convenient for Kyoto).

Aircraft types

ANA has several different configurations of aircraft on long-haul but these can be broadly grouped into three aircraft types. As a big fan of premium cabins, I love that ANA tends to have very premium-heavy configurations with big business class cabins. That means it can be easier to get upgrades and seats using miles. Also, more premium seats mean fewer people on board overall—which speeds up boarding and creates a calmer atmosphere.

The 777-300ER is a long-haul workhorse and has a huge number of business class seats. These aircraft also offer true first class and premium economy in addition to rather small economy cabins.

The 787 tends to serve routes with less demand and has just three classes of service, as these do away with first class.

The A380 operates exclusively Honolulu flights. It’s known as Flying Honu and it’s painted like a giant sea turtle in different colours.

Onboard experience

ANA has a number of different onboard products that vary by aircraft type and it can be difficult to keep track of what’s what, but I’d be happy ending up on any one of them, and in pretty much any cabin.

Long-haul economy class

In economy class on ANA you can expect to be treated well. There’ll be a pillow and blanket available, the seats are well-padded and have adjustable headrests. It’s about as good as it gets for economy, if you ask me.

ANA’s 787-9 and 787-10 aircraft in particular have an industry-leading 86 cm of legroom in economy, more than most other aircraft in the fleet. Note that the smaller 787-8 doesn’t offer quite as much room.

Tip: ANA carries postcards (adorned with ANA planes), writing pads and pens to give out—don’t forget to ask for some.

Long-haul premium economy class

Premium economy can represent a sweet spot for value on ANA. You’ll find it on most of its long-haul aircraft, but not all.

The seats vary depending on how new they are, but in general you can expect around 96 cm of legroom, good padding and plenty of recline. So much so that the seat in front of you may feel very close to you if they recline and you don’t. However I’ll happily take a good recline for a night flight even if the tradeoff is having someone’s seatback a little bit in my space as well.

The best premium economy seats on ANA right now are on the recently reconfigured 777-300ERs, those that feature the latest business and first products as well. They are extra cushy and feature huge personal screens (15.4 inches). The new 787-10 and A380 also have these seats. But you won’t go wrong with the previous generation either.

The food may be the only letdown in this cabin—whereas some airlines offer a more premium meal up here, ANA’s is very similar to economy class. However there are some additional snacks and drinks you can request that economy passengers cannot.

There are amenities on offer such as eye shades and the like, but you may have to request these from the crew if you don’t spot them going down the aisle with a selection. This being a Japanese airline, you’ll also get slippers even in premium economy. A very useful perk for being able to get up and not having to put your shoes back on.

Finally, premium economy passengers on ANA also get lounge access included if departing from Tokyo airports, Osaka, or Honolulu.

Tip: on Flying Honu A380 flights, you’ll also get a nice branded bag that can be used later for shopping or going to the beach.

Long-haul business class

ANA has two basic versions of business class.

The first is a fairly standard staggered configuration that’s very private, with direct aisle access for everyone, but it’s a previous generation seat and it isn’t incredibly wide. That said, it lies flat, there’s lots of storage and personal space overall, and it’s a very comfortable way to fly. This is the most common offering.

The second business seat is its new showstopper dubbed “The Room”. With sliding doors and a 24-inch monitor, it really is like flying in your own little suite. However, though it’s an exceptionally wide seat there’s less room in front of you, and it’s designed in such a way that you’ll need to lie down on a diagonal in order to sleep. This is not necessarily a problem, it just takes some time getting used to. It’s also a bit less padded than I would like, personally. So it’s a bit of a tradeoff, with exceptional privacy and a very luxurious setting, but with some drawbacks. To be clear though, I’d happily fly long-haul in either seat.

Lounge access comes with this as standard of course, as does a nice amenity kit that will make for a good souvenir if you’re into that sort of thing (or have a friend who is).

Long-haul first class

ANA still offers First on quite a few of its long-haul flights, including Honolulu. Here again there are two versions of the seat.

The previous generation is called The Square and it’s only found on the 777. While the service and soft product will be at a very high level, the seat itself is not the best in my opinion. That’s because there is a shell surrounding you on both sides, making it more difficult to see out the window and creating a hemmed-in feeling that I don’t love (although you also won’t see any other passengers if you don’t want to.)

Then you have the pinnacle of ANA’s onboard offering, dubbed The Suite. This is available on some 777s, and it features unmatched privacy and comfort. The A380 first class seat, while not branded the same way, is very similar. If you’re springing for first class, it pays to try and book one of these.

Service-wise you can expect caviar, extensive Japanese tasting menus and restaurant-quality food, top-shelf alcoholic beverages and more. Special first class check-in and first class lounge access is also included.

Tip: If departing from Narita in First Class don’t forget to check in at the dedicated Suite Lounge check-in for a calm and speedy trip through the airport.

Medium-haul business class

There’s one more major seat type to be aware of on ANA, and that’s business class on the 767s that primarily serve medium-haul destinations, including some Southeast Asian cities. These are an older seat that reclines within a shell but is not fully flat. So if you’d like a fully flat seat, try to catch a 787 on these routes instead.

Domestic flights

If you do find yourself on a domestic flight in Japan, you’ll encounter a much more pared-down but still very efficient and polite service, and, this being Japan, things tend to run on time. While domestic flights tend to be short in this relatively small country, and premium cabins tend to be small, you can usually also get very cheap upgrades to a nicer seat. It’s good to be aware of the option.

Same day upgrades to what ANA calls “premium class”, which will generally be a recliner type seat similar to domestic first class in Canada, are commonly offered and are priced very well. I will always take the upgrade when it’s available. You can check online for the option or even at the airport kiosk or counter.

Narita versus Haneda

ANA’s long-haul operation is split between Tokyo Narita and Tokyo Haneda. In general, Haneda is preferable as it is closer to Tokyo for those whose final destination is the Japanese capital, and if you’re headed elsewhere in Japan, this is where most domestic flights depart from too. The international terminal is also beautiful and efficient. So if you have the choice, in this case, definitely opt for Haneda.

Narita is further from Tokyo and has very few domestic connections, so like I mentioned earlier, if you end up landing in Narita and need to get elsewhere in Japan, often the train is your best bet (Japanese trains are super fast, frequent and lovely to ride too). However for connections via Tokyo, for example onward to Asia, Narita is a perfectly good airport to transit in.