First Look: ANA First Class Tokyo to Washington

Last week, I finished up my around the World trip by flying from Tokyo-Narita to Washington-Dulles in ANA First Class in its new ANA First Square product.

How would I describe the experience in a word?

Spectacular.

The 12+ hour flight on this new, ANA B777-300ER will surely serve as the benchmark to which I compare any future flight.  The whole experience was outstanding, from start to finish.

The new First Square product provided a TON of very private space.  Though there was not a door, the dividers of the square were high, and I could not see into any other suite at any time.  The seat was very comfortable, with a huge LCD screen with a decent amount of entertainment selections.  It laid down into a bed where I would sleep soundly for about eight hours.

The service was impeccable.  The crew could not have been more personable or attentive.  The attention to detail from greeting me to setting up my table, to ensuring that my every wish was fulfilled was simply impressive.

The catering took the experience to another level.  I started with a trio of canapés to go along with several glasses of Krug Grand Cuvee champagne and  a glass of Suntory Hibiki 21-year-old Japanese whiskey.

I chose to be a little less adventuresome and ordered from the Modern European menu instead of the Japanese selection.  I started with an excellent caviar course, an appetizer, and a salad.  For my entrée, I selected a tenderloin of grilled Oito Bungo beef.

To say that I enjoyed my steak is an understatement.

This was not the best steak I’ve ever had on an airplane — it was one of the top five steaks I’ve eaten anywhere.  

I know…. that sounds like hyperbole, but I swear, it was that good.  It was cooked to perfection, and was simply melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Desert was creative and wonderful, and went along really well with a pot of tea before I laid down for some rest.

When I awoke after a good night’s rest, a thorough breakfast was delivered, highlighted by a delicious salmon eggs Benedict.

Again, service throughout the flight was the best I’ve experienced on any airline.

I’ll post a full review of the flight later, but I did want to post my initial impressions of this simply spectacular flight.  The ANA first class experience surpassed all of my other flights in International First Class.  On this particular trip, it blew away my experience on United Global First Class and Air China Forbidden Pavilion First Class, and was also notably superior to an otherwise excellent experience in THAI Royal First Class.  Sadly, I reluctantly ended my two-week trip around the World in Washington after these twelve memorable hours with ANA.