Is This the World’s Best Low-Cost Carrier? Zipair Full Flat Review
Is the Zipair “Full Flat” seat the ultimate travel hack, or does the rigid low-cost model take the luxury out of the experience? In this full trip report and flight review, I’m flying from Tokyo Narita (NRT) to Bangkok (BKK) to see if this Japan Airlines subsidiary is still the king of “cheap luxury.” From reverse herringbone seats at a fraction of the cost to a “pay-for-everything” service model that even charges for blankets, this is the most honest look at the world’s most unique low-cost carrier.
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In today’s review, I’m putting Zipair’s flagship 787-8 to the test on a 7-hour journey to Thailand. While Zipair offers a seat that you’d typically find in long-haul business class on legacy carriers like KLM, the experience is strictly “unbundled.” It’s a modern lie-flat seat, but it’s still very much an economy service where your ticket includes absolutely nothing but the space you occupy.
I’ll take you through the entire journey, starting with a hectic train connection at Shinagawa and the hit-or-miss “Express Check-in” at Narita. On board, I’m back in seat 1K—a beautiful reverse herringbone space that comes with some very specific emergency duties. I’ll break down the $517 total price tag, the lackluster $13 Katsudon preorder, and why Zipair’s refusal to include even the bare minimums (like a pillow or 20kg of luggage) might be holding them back from being the world’s undisputed best LCC. Is a world-class seat enough to make up for a complete lack of “premium” feel?
In this video:
-The JAL Connection: Analyzing Zipair’s origin as a Japan Airlines project and how they leverage legacy assets to keep overhead lean.
-Flat Bed Economy: Why Zipair is the only low-cost carrier globally offering a fully lie-flat, reverse herringbone product on every flight.
-The Emergency Roadblock: Explaining the unique “extra duties” required of passengers sitting in the bulkhead seats 1A and 1K.
-Unbundled Reality: Reviewing the buy-on-board inventory where hot meals are scarce and even basic comforts like blankets are for purchase only.
-The Competitive Edge: Comparing Zipair to the now-defunct Air Japan and why a superior seat is the key to surviving the long-haul low-cost market.
Video Chapters:
00:00 Zipair Full Flat Review: World’s Best LCC?
00:23 Connecting at Shinagawa: Shinkansen to Narita Express
01:40 Narita Terminal 1: Express Check-in Experience
02:27 Is Zipair Full Flat Business Class or Economy?
03:48 Review: Narita Noa Lounge (Priority Pass)
04:12 Zipair History & Connection to Japan Airlines
05:55 Comparing Zipair to Other Low-Cost Carriers
07:27 Boarding Group Process at Narita
08:01 Seat 1K: Reverse Herringbone Cabin Tour
09:21 The Emergency Duties of Sitting in 1A/1K
10:02 Takeoff from Tokyo Narita (NRT)
11:39 In-flight Comfort Kits & Amenities
11:54 Zipair Food: Pre-order vs. On-board Menu
13:14 Total Price Paid & Value Breakdown
14:06 Final Verdict: What Zipair Needs to Improve
Airline: Zipair
Route: Tokyo (NRT) to Bangkok (BKK)
Class of Service: Zip Full Flat (Economy Service)
Aircraft: Boeing 787-8
Full Ticket Routing: NRT-BKK (ZG)
Price Paid: $517 All-in
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39 Comments
I found Apple maps to work great for transit in japan when I could board with Suica. For reserved seats, I found it would always take a lot longer than expected to transfer within a station, find where to buy ticket, find a machine that takes foreign cc
Disagree, give me a great seat and zero add ons, that's all I want,
Interesting! Nice to see what's available for an upgrade; will definitely be influenced by how long a flight im taking to/from Japan
Always enjoy your reviews. I also took that exact same flight and seat because of your review. It was a perfect flight for it's price point. I've been recommending them ever since. My only shortcoming would be them never diming the lights till landing in BKK
I'm guessing this is a English vs Japanese thing but I didn't know that it's pronounced J-A-L in English contexts! In Japan we pronounce it as JAHL so I've been saying it wrong in English for a while now hehe
6 golf courses around the airport, you never really notice that on the train.
As Japan is my favorite destination. I will now be on the lookout for ZipAir. Thank you very much.
By the way, what is your take on Spirit Airlines demise?
Do people really use the pillows and blankets on planes? I've never ever used them.
I did the exact same flight APR last year in that cabin, and I bought everything extra. The blanket is on my couch to this day. I would fly their Houston route in this seat without a second thought.
I heard Zipair is planning to start services to KUL soon – crossing hard so we have options to TYO soon haha. NRT is a pain to travel into tokyo fast, but Narita is a wee bit cooler than HND lol.
The Bare standard offering should be included yeah.
On the other hand, if you are only looking for the seat, Zip Air is pretty value.
3:17 that solo rolling wheel chair….
4:22 RIP Air Japan
sadly, Zipair pulled out of the MNL market in the end of March this year
Appreciate the review but completely disagree on baking in extras and increasing the ticket fare. If I wanted something closer to a legacy carrier experience, I’d just fly a legacy carrier and pay legacy carrier prices.
Part of ZIPAIR’s appeal is that everyone knows what they’re getting: a much lower base fare, and the option to pay only for what they actually want. Adding food isn’t just “throwing in a meal.” It means more catering, more storage space on the plane, more handling, and more potential waste, all of which gets baked into the fare.
And honestly, if you really want food, you’re departing from one of the best food countries in the world, and one of the rare places where airport food isn’t insanely marked up. Most people already know ZIPAIR doesn’t include meals, so they plan ahead and bring something onboard. Plus, airport food in Japan is probably going to be better than whatever gets reheated on the plane anyway. Let ZIPAIR keep the fares as low as possible.
I guess their offering is just too different to really appreciate it, or at least it’s difficult to think about that experience relative to a competitor? Agreed about the food though. I never got to fly them, but Air Japan looked to offer much better presentation of food and its not even close:
Hey dude you should totally fly the new 787-9 from Royal Jordanian it has a better seat than the old 787-8
You’re so real with the food! ZG is my go-to LCC for hops to Seoul and Taipei from my home in Tokyo. But I never order their meals because I feel like the 7-Eleven in Narita does it better and is asking for less in the price tag lmao. Like you said, I hope the food quality improves since I do find Jetstar Japan (another JL Group LCC) to be fairly decent in that department.
On a less related note, when Jetstar Japan rebrands, I’m one of those travelers who hopes that the powers-that-be in the JL Group will fold it into ZG operations since they could really use their network around the country too.
I love ZIP AIR.
ZIPAIR could definitely improve its meal offerings, but they probably also know that for many Japanese passengers — myself included — grabbing a good bento from a department store on the way to the airport is already part of the travel experience, just like buying one before getting on the Shinkansen.
hi kevin, noticed you sounded somewhat sick in this vid, take care and get well soon!
So did the train station Agent inform of where that correct location happens to be for the connecting ticket or was that info by chance saved for the flip floppin Patrons?
Zip overlapping with JAL makes complete sense being Zip is owned by JAL…their low cost carrier > JAL flight attendant & Pilot minor league as well which also helps to explain the success they continue having… imo
1 other "perk" on the lay flats .. being Zip tends to be the default ankle biter school bus in the air, for me a significant part of the difference between basic economy & lay flat is that your odds are greatly improved you won't be getting annoyed by said demographic… which imo is well worth the added cost alone.
I agree with your closing comments. A few minor tweaks would make all the difference. Happy travels, Kevin. (By the way, we got to see a bit more of you than usual on your recent Air Asia X video. Are you working up to a big reveal? lol.
I wish a domestic American carrier had this on trans con flights. I’d be their number one customer. All I care about it physical space and comfort. But here’s the thing: at least in the US, I know I’m an outlier and most people care a great deal about getting their little reheated meals and amenity kits and especially their free drinks. I’d gladly take a NYC to LAX flight that has zero catering on board if I had a lie flat seat that cost an average of $520.
Thank You ✈️. I always carry my own metal fork and spoon. Wood is no fun.
Problem is i get the same lie flat for your lie fat price at major airlines already with points
I can probably purchase any needed amenities or food for inflight, albeit cold food, prior to taking off. I would imagine these would be better quality than anything Zipair would provide at an additional charge. So I am okay with this model. What I wish is the ability to book connecting flights operated by Zipair, on one ticket. I would like the ability to go BKK – NRT – HNL all on one ticket with bags checked through to HNL and the same returning to BKK. As it is now, you have to book two separate tickets, BKK – NRT and another ticket NRT – HNL. Then collect your bags in NRT, clear customs/immigrations and recheck in at NRT on both the outbound and inbound stopover.
Strange. Selling a decent food and drink selection is an extra revenue stream.
1) I'm still surprised they don't offer any IFE even if it's a purchase option for a portable device 2) Food wise while you can pre-purchase again surprised they don't UP the food offering to be true biz class yet still charging in advance thru reservations. I'd say if they track these sales and everyone takes the fancier option then proof of incorporating it into their fare structure. 3) Premium bedding could also be another buy up option too. But hey what do I know. 😉
Flew them from Vancouver. Service was kind of bad, miss me with the meal service have to literally beg for my meal which tasted terrible from Vancouver due to reheating. Bed was a game changer on a 10 hour flight, I brought the bedding but the inflatable neck pillow was just incredibly weird and uncomfortable. Only 1000 dollars though.
Seems like, if leaving from Japan…might as well buy far superior food in the terminal to bring along. And if leaving from an outstation…might still consider buying something in the respective terminal, outside, or even from home (if flying from home).
I'm by YVR and enjoy watching Zipair land (as well as other Asian carriers we have here). Hoping to fly to Japan next year and am still for sure considering Zipair if the lie flat seat has a good price. Everything else is honestly secondary to me (food, service, etc) vs 10 hours of comfort.
Just offering JAL's economy meal will be a big upgrade.
Zip Air provides free WiFi, charging ports, a limited IFE, and allow you to consume your own food in flight. I'd put value on that when compared to the nickel and diming Scoot.
Unsold food is extra weight and gets thrown away. Also, allowing passengers to bring their own food onboard are probably reasons why their food options are limited. Pre-ordering guarantees certainty for Zip Air.
u flew Air India to jfk?
Cheap Luxury? Lie-flat economy? So how would one define Zipair anyway? Hybrid low cost/full service carrier? Low cost with perks? Or just something else entirely?
I don't really get the point of low-cost carriers. The #1 cost for an airline is jet fuel, and that is the same for all carriers. The #2 cost is leasing/financing aircraft and that is also the same for all carriers. Airlines have to pay the going rate for pilots and mechanics or they just quit and move to the full-service carriers as soon as they get the chance. Ryanair was able to save some money by flying to obscure airports without jetbridges, but that is a anomaly that only works only in Europe. Most cities in the rest of the world don't have a selection of airports 60 miles from the city center with lower landing fees. You can eliminate the reservation agents and meals/drinks, but that will only save you $30 per passenger at most. Low cost carriers can squeeze in more seats, but anybody who has flown on American Airlines lately knows that the legacy carriers do this also. Zipair can offer fares substantially less than JAL because JAL only has 8 across seating on 787s and generous seat pitch. But that is a situation unique to JAL/Zipair. Other full-service airlines cram economy class passengers in like sardines on their 787s.
i went on ZIPAIR before and I think the food they offered that you ordered ahead of time was amazing, especially the dietary restricted meals, they were way better than any dietary meal i have ordered on a Legacy US Carrier
I understand they're a LCC, but it's odd that couldn't tap into JAL's food catering options, even if just the JAL economy class mains.
Interesting concept. Sometimes I’m content in Economy, except I’d love the ability to lie flat. Bingo! Zip Air. Let’s get them down to Australia.
Hey Kevin. Any plans to fly IndiGo (Norse-operated) long haul or on their XLR routes this year? They’ve reduced European frequencies lately due to airspace restrictions and the jet fuel spike. Would love to know what you make of it!
Feels like you're nitpicking for soft products not being included from a product that has such bare bones pricing.
For all those talking about bringing their own meal onboard, how are you going to have a hot meal on a LAX-NRT flight? As far as I know they don't allow you to use their ovens in exchange for being a road block in an emergency in 1K