Japan Airlines Wins Best Economy Seat Award Six Years Running

January 9, 2026 at 01:31 AM•2 min read

Japan Airlines secured the SKYTRAX Best Economy Class Seat award for the sixth consecutive year, recognizing its 34-inch seat pitch and enhanced passenger comfort.

Key Points

1Japan Airlines (JAL) won the SKYTRAX World’s Best Economy Class Airline Seat award in 2025, continuing a six-year trend.
2The JAL Sky Wider seat offers a generous 33-34 inch (84-86 cm) seat pitch, significantly exceeding the 30-inch industry low.
3JAL uses a spacious 2-4-2, 8-abreast configuration on its Boeing 787 fleet, providing approximately 5 cm of extra seat width per passenger.
4The seat product includes premium amenities like charging points, large touchscreens, and enhanced storage features.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has once again proven its commitment to passenger comfort. The carrier secured the World’s Best Economy Class Airline Seat award. This recognition came from the prestigious SKYTRAX World Airline Awards in 2025. The airline has now won this specific title for six years running, according to the source material.

This repeated success highlights JAL's focus on the most spacious economy seats. This is a notable achievement against global competitors. The award specifically judges seat design, recline, and headrest quality.

The JAL Sky Wider Advantage

JAL’s winning formula centers on its proprietary JAL Sky Wider seat product. This design prioritizes passenger space over maximum seat count. The key metric for comfort is seat pitch. This is the distance from one seatback to the next.

Seat Pitch Comparison

Japan Airlines offers a generous seat pitch of 33 to 34 inches (84–86 cm).
This is significantly more than many budget carriers.
For comparison, Ryanair typically offers a seat pitch of 30 inches (76 cm).

This four-inch difference is critical on long-haul flights. It allows for much greater legroom and movement. The JAL Sky Wider design uses slimmer seatbacks. This maximizes knee space without compromising comfort.

Economy Class Seat Design

JAL’s approach to economy class seat design extends beyond pitch. The airline employs a unique seating arrangement on its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet.

Instead of the standard nine-abreast layout, JAL uses an 8-abreast 2-4-2 configuration. This configuration adds approximately 5 cm (two inches) of extra width per seat. This makes JAL one of the few global carriers to maintain this spacious layout.

Key Features Enhancing Passenger Experience:

In-Flight Entertainment: Seats include a 10.6-inch touchscreen monitor. Newer aircraft, like the Airbus A350-1000, feature 13-inch 4K screens.
Connectivity: Each seat is equipped with a charging point.
Storage: Multiple pockets and a dedicated water bottle holder are included.
Headrests: Some seats feature adjustable ‘hammock’ style headrests for neck support.

This focus on long-haul economy comfort sets JAL apart. It demonstrates a commitment to passenger well-being. This strategy is a counter-trend to density optimization across the industry. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) tracks passenger experience metrics. JAL’s success shows that comfort remains a top priority for travelers. This is true even when price is the primary driver.

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