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An air journey of a few hours where you can thoroughly enjoy truly luxurious service in a seat priced about 11,000 JPY higher than a regular ticket—First Class, the highest-class seat on JAL domestic flights, departing from Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport and arriving at Haneda Airport.
Here is a First Class boarding report on a space where you can spend the journey from Sapporo to Tokyo elegantly and comfortably.
Is JAL domestic First Class really worth that roughly ten-thousand-yen upgrade for a short hop?
Fair question. I flew New Chitose to Haneda and checked the lounge-to-seat luxury so you can decide.
Highlights of JAL Domestic First Class (New Chitose Airport, Sapporo, to Haneda)
First Class is a seat priced 11,000 JPY higher than regular airfare. It is a special moment of top-tier domestic air travel where you can enjoy a comfortable space and time worthy of the price.
Access to New Chitose Airport’s Diamond Premier Lounge
New Chitose Airport features JAL lounges: Sakura Lounge and Diamond Premier Lounge. Both are wonderful, but in the Diamond Premier Lounge especially, many guests have a more mature feel, so you can relax in a calm space.
Seating is abundant, and compared with the Sakura Lounge there are fewer First Class guests, so it is relatively uncrowded. There are few families and many fairly calm adults, making it just the right lounge for relaxing.
First Class Offers All-You-Can-Drink Alcohol and Champagne!
Drinks (including alcohol) are all-you-can-drink on board. The menu has a range of options—Japanese sake, champagne, red wine, white wine, shochu, and beer—so you can enjoy what you like.
The lineup ranks among rather high-end items even by ordinary izakaya standards, such as Jikon for Japanese sake and Mori Izo for shochu.
Light Meals Served in First Class
First Class comes with a “light meal” service.
Naturally, the food is delicious, with a luxurious lineup that hardly seems like a light meal. JAL’s butter has a soft, rich sweetness that pairs well with bread. Because First Class seats are wide, you have more space than in Economy and eating is easier, though you still feel a slight tightness when using a spoon or knife.
You Can Also Have Extra Ramen
If you haven’t eaten enough, you can also order JAL’s original Ramen de Sky. Slurping cup noodles that fill luxurious First Class with a ramen aroma takes a little courage, but it is a great-value ramen you can enjoy for free—and it’s surprisingly delicious.
Dishes Served in First Class (New Chitose to Haneda)
February 2025: “Sautéed Redfish and Shrimp”
- Appetizer
- Quiche Lorraine
- Low-temperature cooked chicken
- Sautéed redfish and shrimp with saffron tomato sauce
- Dessert: “Milk Madeleine”
April 2019: “Roast Short-Horn Beef from Iwate Prefecture”
- Sanriku mizudako octopus and wakame salad
- Tanohata mountain dairy string cheese and green asparagus
- Sunchoke mousse with colorful mixed grains
- Roast short-horn beef from Iwate Prefecture with wakame and krill croquette
- Tanohata mountain dairy milk bavarois with kuromoji flavor and wild grape jelly
November 2017: “Yuan-yaki Himemasu Trout from Lake Akan”
- Hokkaido pumpkin dumpling with silver thickened sauce and yellow carrot
- Softly cooked octopus, simmered burdock with Arima pepper, and string beans
- Yuan-yaki Himemasu trout from Lake Akan, simmered herring with Arima pepper
- Incan No Mezame university-potato style, simmered Akan pork, paprika, and broccoli
- Shaped rice: Hokkaido’s high-end brand rice “Fukkurinko” new crop
- Miso soup with black laver
- Teatime sweet: Tsuruga Group specialty sweet “Mame-leine”
June 2017: “Simmered Saga Beef Wagyu”
- Tuna somen croquette on a bed of tomato thickened sauce
- Imari paprika nigiri topped with wasabi nori, Okara colorful salad
- Steeped lotus yam, Saikyo miso-pickled cheese, Saga ice plant
- Simmered Saga beef Wagyu, rolled egg with Arima nori dashi
- Sea bass grilled in tomato miso marinade
- Pickled onions from Yamaryo Farm
- Shaped rice: Imari Miyama rice “Yumeshizuku”
- Teatime sweet: Etoile Horie Imari-yaki Manju
How to Fly First Class Affordably
Use Same-Day Upgrade
When you actually fly First Class on a JAL domestic flight from New Chitose Airport (Sapporo) to Haneda, the fare is high. Buying in advance costs about 30,000 to 40,000 JPY.
In the JAL reservation screen above, the First Class fare at the Saver price is 44,050 JPY. Quite expensive—a price that makes it hard to buy.
An Economy seat on the same flight at Special Saver price is 11,820 JPY—a difference of 32,230 JPY from First Class. While First Class is comfortable and comes with alcohol and light meals, a price difference of 32,230 JPY is harsh, as expected.
However, JAL has a same-day upgrade service; using this, a ticket purchased at Special Saver price for 11,820 JPY can be upgraded to First Class for an additional 11,000 JPY.
With the same-day upgrade, you can use First Class for a total of 22,820 JPY. Compared with the original 44,050 JPY, that is 21,230 JPY cheaper.
Merits of JAL Same-Day Upgrade
- You can experience higher classes relatively cheaply (ultimately more advantageous than booking in advance)
- Can be used right before departure if seats are available
- Same-day procedure is first-come, first-served (= an advantage if you can put in the effort)
Demerits of JAL Same-Day Upgrade
- Cannot be used if no seats are available
- Cannot be guaranteed in advance
- Mileage accrual rate does not increase
- You must complete the procedure on the day
- Same-day procedure is first-come, first-served (= a drawback if you cannot put in the effort)
Purchase Method for JAL Same-Day Upgrade
- Complete the procedure at the airport JAL counter
- Upgrade from your smartphone via the JAL app
Same-day upgrades are first-come, first-served, but getting to the airport JAL counter well before departure is tough. So installing the JAL app on your smartphone, checking as soon as same-day registration opens, and applying for an upgrade immediately if seats are available is recommended.
Reserve with JAL Miles
If you have spare JAL miles, you can also reserve First Class using miles. Note that the miles required vary greatly depending on the flight.
A wonderful hotel in Sapporo featuring an all-you-can-eat seafood breakfast.
While there are plenty of hotels in Sapporo, you can choose one that perfectly fits your budget and how you want to enjoy your trip—ranging from budget-friendly accommodations meant simply for sleeping, to hotels featuring hot springs (large public baths) and buffet-style breakfasts with all-you-can-eat seafood. However, it can be quite difficult to make a choice without knowing the best recommendations.
Since you're going out of your way for a special trip, you definitely don't want to regret your hotel choice. You want to carefully weigh your options and stay somewhere wonderful. For anyone feeling this way, our top recommendation is Dormy Inn PREMIUM Sapporo, where you can enjoy seafood bowls to your heart's content for breakfast.
＼Recommended Hotel "Dormy Inn PREMIUM Sapporo"／
Above all, the all-you-can-eat seafood breakfast is simply irresistible! Complete with an onsen (large public bath) and situated in the absolute best location right along Tanukikoji, it’s a hotel you’ll want to stay at at least once to savor the hot spring and breakfast experience.
＼Hotel Reservations Are First Come, First Served／
Worried about room availability? Book early!
Whether you stay near "Sapporo Station" for easy airport access and JR day trips, stay near Odori Park for business convenience, or stay in the "Susukino" area to enjoy the famous Jingisukan (grilled mutton) and nightlife bars to your heart's content—choosing a hotel that matches your travel purpose is a key factor in making your stay in Sapporo fulfilling.
Ways to Pass Time at “New Chitose Airport” & How to Spend Waiting Time for Departure and Layovers
(Souvenirs, Seafood, Gourmet, Movie Theater, Hot Spring)
New Chitose Airport, serving Sapporo, Hokkaido, condenses the best of Hokkaido into a wonderful space so engaging you could spend an entire day here without getting bored. The futuristic open space is sleek and impressive—making New Chitose Airport a fully realized commercial complex, or rather, a theme park in its own right. Let’s make the most of New Chitose Airport!
Sapporo’s Jogai Market and Nijo Market! Which is Recommended? Highlights, How to Go, Points to Note,
How to Buy Seafood Skillfully? Crab, Scallops, Abalone!
Sapporo, Hokkaido is bursting with delicious food! While dining at local restaurants in Sapporo is wonderful, visiting the vibrant fish markets that support the city’s food culture is an equally exciting experience.
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