Is Jal Airlines a Good Airline? Safety, Cost & ANA

Anyone comparing flights to Japan has faced the same puzzle: JAL and ANA look equally polished on paper, yet travelers still argue about which one is worth the fare. Japan Airlines has been flying since 1951, and AirlineRatings’ 2025 safety ranking put it in the global top 20, but the real question is whether that reputation matches the cabin experience — and where your money actually goes.

Year Founded1951 (as Japan Airlines)Fleet Size~207 aircraftDestinations92AllianceoneworldSafety Rating7/7 from Skytrax

Here is a quick reference of JAL’s key statistics:

Is JAL Airlines a good airline?

For most travelers, the answer is yes, with one caveat: Jal Airlines delivers consistent, full-service quality, but you will pay for it. JAL earns high marks for service discipline and reliability, and passengers who value predictability rarely leave disappointed.

What do JAL reviews say?

• Skytrax rates JAL as a 4-star airline, the same tier used for many of the world’s premium long-haul carriers.
• Travelers consistently describe cabin crew as attentive and the onboard service as highly organized.
• JAL’s reputation for punctuality is one of its most repeated strengths in passenger reviews.

That consistency is the core of JAL’s reputation. The airline is rarely described as flashy; it is described as reliable — a distinction that matters more on a 12-hour flight than on a short hop.

JAL service quality

• Meals, drinks, and checked baggage are included on most international fares.
• Economy seats are competitive with ANA in both legroom and overall service.
• Premium cabins on newer long-haul aircraft set a high benchmark for the region.

The service style is formal and predictably organized. For families, first-time visitors to Japan, and anyone who dislikes surprises, that predictability is a genuine advantage.

JAL awards and ratings

• 4-star rating from Skytrax.
• AirlineRatings’ 2025 safety ranking places JAL in the global top 20 (AirlineRatings (aviation safety rating agency)).
• JACDEC’s 2022 airline risk ranking assesses JAL alongside the world’s major carriers (JACDEC (aviation risk data provider)).

Awards matter here mostly as a consistency signal. JAL collects recognition across safety and service, but the ratings rarely argue that JAL is dramatically better than ANA — which is exactly the point a traveler should notice.

The pattern: JAL’s “good airline” reputation rests on reliable execution and strong service standards, not on any single wow factor that leaves competitors behind.

What is better, ANA or JAL?

The most useful answer is also the least satisfying: it depends. JAL and ANA are both full-service, both top-tier, and both more alike than the internet debate admits.

JAL vs ANA: service comparison

• Both carriers run comparable economy cabins with meals, drinks, and checked bags included.
• JAL’s A350-1000 premium cabins outperform ANA’s current first- and business-class products on comparable routes, according to a 2025 analysis (Japan Starts Here (Japan travel publication)).
• JACDEC’s 2022 airline risk ranking places both carriers in the same assessment tier (JACDEC (aviation risk data provider)).

JAL vs ANA: route network

• Both airlines serve major Japanese cities and international destinations.
• JAL has a slight edge on North American routes from Tokyo.
• ANA has a stronger domestic network within Japan.

JAL vs ANA: pricing and loyalty

• Fares are generally comparable on the same routes.
• JAL’s oneworld membership offers mileage partnerships with American, Qantas, and others.
• ANA’s Star Alliance membership covers United, Lufthansa, and others.

The implication: JAL and ANA are more alike than different, and the choice often comes down to alliance loyalty or specific route advantages.

The pattern: JAL and ANA are more alike than different, and the choice often comes down to alliance loyalty or specific route advantages.

How safe is JAL airlines?

By every measurable standard, JAL is a safe airline. The more useful question is whether JAL is safer than ANA — and the available data says the difference is small.

JAL safety record

• JAL’s last fatal accident was in 1985; since then, the airline’s record has been clean.
• A Japanese comparison of the two carriers reports zero-fatality operations for both JAL and ANA since the 2000s (coraltrading.xsrv.jp (Japanese aviation comparison)).
• JACDEC’s 2022 airline risk ranking includes JAL among the assessed international carriers.

The 1985 accident is the defining event in JAL’s safety history, and the airline’s public communications still frame safety as the prerequisite for its existence. As cabinmoments.com observes, JAL presents safety as protecting human life, not as a marketing feature.

JAL safety awards

• AirlineRatings’ 2025 safety ranking places JAL in the global top 20.
• JACDEC 2022 data assessed ANA at a risk factor of 88.49, in a ranking that also includes JAL (KN Aviation (aviation safety analysis)).
• The wider JAL group, including subsidiary Air Japan, is IOSA certified under IATA’s operational safety audit (Air Japan (JAL group subsidiary)).

None of these awards claims that JAL is meaningfully safer than ANA. They cluster around the same conclusion: both airlines pass the same audits and rank in the same tier.

JAL aircraft fleet

• JAL’s fleet totals about 207 aircraft, with hubs at Haneda and Narita.
• The A350-1000 is JAL’s long-haul flagship — the same aircraft behind its premium-cabin advantage.
• Fleet age is roughly a decade, a normal profile for a full-service international carrier.

What this means: JAL and ANA clear the same safety gates — IOSA certification, JACDEC assessment, and top-20 placements in AirlineRatings’ 2025 ranking. For a passenger, the safety difference between them is not a decision factor.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of JAL and ANA:

Ten specs, one pattern: a full-service legacy profile with modern fleet discipline and premium pricing.

Is JAL a low cost airline?

No. JAL is a full-service carrier, and its pricing model reflects that. If you want low fares on Japanese routes, the airline’s own answer is Zipair Tokyo.

JAL vs budget carriers

• JAL bundles meals, drinks, and checked baggage into most fares.
• Budget airlines unpack those services and sell them separately.
• The low-cost segment belongs to a separate subsidiary, Zipair Tokyo, not to JAL’s own cabins.

That structural difference is why JAL fares look high next to discount carriers. The two products are not built from the same cost base.

JAL’s service inclusions

• Complimentary meals and beverages on most flights.
• Checked baggage included on most international fares.
• Premium cabins on newer long-haul aircraft set a high benchmark.

What this means: JAL is a premium product for those who value inclusion over base fare.

How to find cheaper JAL fares

• JAL runs periodic fare sales that bring prices in line with ANA’s standard fares.
• JAL Mileage Bank award seats can deliver the same cabin for a fraction of the cash fare when availability opens.
• Flexible date searches and sale alerts matter more than any single booking trick.

Sales and miles are the two proven levers for lowering JAL’s effective price. Travelers who always pay published fares are, by definition, paying the maximum.

The catch: JAL’s premium fare buys a broader product, not a safer flight. If you want the lowest possible price on a Japan route, the full-service model is the wrong tool — Zipair Tokyo exists precisely for that job.

Frequently asked questions