ANA vs JAL: Does It Matter Which One You Fly in Japan?
The figures come from JAL’s and ANA’s own pages and the airports’ airline lists, checked on 13 October 2026. Neither airline wins on every point. Your terminal, your bags and the alliance on the rest of your ticket decide which one suits you.
JAL and ANA side by side
The table below puts the main differences in one place. The JAL column matches our JAL baggage page, and the ANA column matches our ANA baggage page. Both pages copy each airline’s published rules.
| Item | JAL | ANA |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance | oneworld | Star Alliance |
| Haneda terminal | T1 (domestic), T3 (international) | T2 (domestic), T2 or T3 (international) |
| Narita terminal | Terminal 2 | Terminal 1 South Wing |
| Kansai terminal | Terminal 1 | Terminal 1 |
| Carry-on | 115 cm (55 × 40 × 25 cm), 10 kg | 115 cm (55 × 40 × 25 cm), 10 kg |
| Free bags, international Economy | 2 × 23 kg | 0 to 2 × 23 kg, by fare |
| Free bags, domestic Economy | 20 kg per person, any number | Up to 2 × 23 kg, by fare |
| Domestic Wi-Fi | Free | Free |
| International Wi-Fi, Economy | 1 hour free | Text messages free |
| Fare for visitors | JAL Japan Explorer Pass | Discover Japan Fare ended 18 May 2026 |
Read each row with your flight type in mind. Baggage rules differ between international and domestic flights, even on the same airline. If a domestic flight is part of an international ticket, both JAL and ANA apply their international baggage rules to it.
Osaka is the easy case. Both airlines use Terminal 1 at Kansai Airport, so you head to the same building either way. In Tokyo, the terminal is the first thing to check on your e-ticket.
Which terminal at Haneda and Narita
At Haneda, ANA and JAL check in domestic flights in different buildings. The JAL Haneda Airport guide lists Terminal 1 for domestic flights and Terminal 3 for international flights. Our Haneda Terminal 1 guide covers its station, lounges and lockers. The photo below shows Haneda Terminal 1, where JAL domestic passengers check in.
ANA needs one more check. ANA domestic flights use Haneda Terminal 2. The ANA Haneda Airport international terminal guide says ANA-operated international flights use both Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. The terminal depends on the destination. ANA expanded its international flights from Terminal 2 on 31 March 2024.
If My Booking on the ANA website or app shows the terminal as (0) or a hyphen, your flight could use either building. ANA’s Flight Status page shows the planned arrival terminal 24 hours before departure. It confirms the terminal 2 hours before arrival. International codeshare flights operated by other airlines stay in Terminal 3.
Terminal 2 keeps its domestic and international departure areas apart. For an ANA international flight from Terminal 2, go to security checkpoint D on the 2nd floor. Then take the escalator next to the INTERNATIONAL sign up to the check-in counters on the 3rd floor. Airport signs and JAL’s Japanese pages use 国内線 (kokunaisen) for domestic flights and 国際線 (kokusaisen) for international flights.
Narita is simpler. The Narita Airport airline guide for JAL lists JAL in Terminal 2, with international flights on 3F and domestic flights on 1F. The Narita Airport airline guide for ANA lists ANA in Terminal 1 South Wing, with international flights on 4F and domestic flights on 1F. Our Narita Terminal 2 page and Narita Terminal 1 page cover each building. The guide to Narita terminals by airline lists the other airlines in each one.
Codeshare flights leave from the operating airline’s terminal, so check which airline actually flies the plane. The illustration below sums up where ANA and JAL fly from in Tokyo.
If you need to change terminals at Haneda, a free shuttle bus links all three. It runs every 4 minutes from 05:00 to 20:00 and every 8 minutes from 20:00 to midnight. In Terminal 1 it leaves from bus stop 8 in the 1F arrivals lobby, and in Terminal 2 from bus stop 9. Between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 you can also walk the underground passage, which is about 400 m.
Haneda Terminal 3 is a bus ride away. Passengers connecting between flights can ride the Keikyu Line or Tokyo Monorail there free with a Transit Boarding Ticket. The domestic terminals open at 05:00 and close at midnight, so you cannot stay in them overnight. Terminal 3 is open 24 hours. Our Haneda Airport page has the trains and buses into the city.
Carry-on and checked bags: international vs domestic
Carry-on is the one rule where ANA and JAL match. Both allow one bag of up to 115 cm in total, or 55 × 40 × 25 cm, plus one personal item such as a handbag. The two pieces together must weigh 10 kg or less.
ANA adds two details. On aircraft with fewer than 100 seats, the carry-on limit drops to 100 cm in total. Since 1 July 2026, the ANA carry-on baggage rules page limits the personal item to 40 × 30 × 20 cm. Our carry-on size table by airline lists the same limits for other airlines in Japan.
Free checked bags are where the two airlines split, and the rules change with the flight type. The table below sets the international and domestic Economy allowances side by side.
| Item | JAL | ANA |
|---|---|---|
| International: pieces | 2 | 0 to 2, depending on fare |
| International: weight | 23 kg per piece | 23 kg per piece |
| International: size | 203 cm (three sides added) | 158 cm (three sides added) |
| Domestic: pieces | No limit | Up to 2, depending on fare |
| Domestic: weight | 20 kg per person in total | 23 kg per piece |
| Domestic: size | Within 50 × 60 × 120 cm | 158 cm (three sides added) |
On international flights, the JAL international checked baggage allowance page gives Economy passengers two pieces of 23 kg each. Each piece can measure up to 203 cm in total, wheels and handles included. The ANA international free baggage allowance page allows up to 23 kg and 158 cm per piece in Economy. The number of free pieces runs from 0 to 2, depending on the fare. ANA applies the allowance written on your ticket, so check it before you pack.
Inside Japan the shapes differ. The JAL domestic checked baggage allowance page gives each passenger up to 20 kg free, with no limit on the number of bags. The bags must fit within 50 × 60 × 120 cm. The ANA domestic free baggage allowance page allows up to 23 kg per piece in Economy, and up to 2 pieces depending on the fare. Each piece can be up to 158 cm in total. The photo below shows the domestic check-in area at Haneda Terminal 2, where ANA passengers drop their bags.
JAL counts weight, not pieces, so several light bags work well on its domestic flights. ANA counts pieces, so one heavy suitcase of up to 23 kg works well. ANA also lets people who fly together combine their free allowances, so one person can check in everyone’s bags. The illustration below compares the three domestic options, including the JAL Japan Explorer Pass.
If you go over, the fee depends on the route. On JAL international flights between Japan and Asia, Guam, Vladivostok or Oceania, a bag of 23 to 32 kg costs JPY 6,000. Between Japan and the Americas or Europe, the same overweight bag costs JPY 10,000. On ANA domestic routes, a bag of 23 to 32 kg costs JPY 1,100 on most routes, and each extra piece costs JPY 5,500. On ANA domestic flights, the total per passenger must stay within 100 kg, and no single piece may weigh over 45 kg.
Our JAL baggage allowance guide covers JAL’s free bags, sizes and excess fees in more detail.
Power banks follow the same rule on both airlines. Each passenger may carry up to two, each 160Wh or less, in the cabin only. You cannot put them in checked bags, charge them from the seat outlet or use them to charge another device on board. ANA’s version of the rule has applied since 24 April 2026, and JAL asks you to keep power banks out of the overhead bins. Tape over the terminals or put each one in its own plastic bag. Our Japan power bank rules guide and the power bank rules by airline have the details.
Seats and Wi-Fi on board
Legroom depends more on the aircraft than on the airline. The JAL SKY WIDER Economy seat page gives a seat pitch of about 86 cm on the JAL SKY SUITE 777 and 767. On the JAL SKY SUITE 787 it is about 84 cm. JAL’s A350-1000 has 155 Economy seats in a 3-3-3 layout, with a pitch of about 84 to 86 cm.
ANA gives a 34-inch pitch, about 86 cm, in Economy on the B787-9, the B787-10, the new B777-300ER and the A380. The ANA B787-9 Economy seat page shows the same figure. On the B787-8 and the B767-300ER, the pitch is 31 inches, about 79 cm. The 184-seat version of the B787-8 is the exception, at 34 inches. Check the aircraft type when you book, because one route can use different planes. The photo below shows a JAL Airbus A350-1000.
On JAL’s domestic A350, Economy seats are up to 44 cm wide, and every seat has USB ports and AC power outlets. Class J on the same plane has a 38-inch pitch, about 97 cm.
Wi-Fi is free on domestic flights with both airlines. The JAL free domestic Wi-Fi page dates JAL’s free service from 1 February 2017. The ANA domestic Wi-Fi service page says the service is free on Japan domestic flights.
International Wi-Fi is where they differ. The JAL inflight Wi-Fi service page gives Premium Economy and Economy passengers one hour free. After that, JAL sells a 3-hour plan for $14.40 and a 24-hour flight plan for $18.80, billed in US dollars. The ANA international inflight Wi-Fi page lets Economy passengers send and receive text messages free. Web browsing costs $6.95 for 30 minutes, $16.95 for 3 hours or $21.95 for the full flight. The chart below compares the paid browsing plans.
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| JAL 3-hour plan | 14.4 USD | |
| ANA 3-hour plan | 16.95 USD | |
| JAL flight plan (24h) | 18.8 USD | |
| ANA full-flight plan | 21.95 USD | max. 24 hours |
Some aircraft change the picture. ANA’s B767 has free Wi-Fi for every class, and on the A320 it is free while flying over Japan. On JAL’s 737-800 flights, every class gets unlimited time. Paying with a JAL Card or JAL Pay brings the two paid JAL plans down to $12.95 and $16.80.
On JAL, and on ANA’s A380, B787 and B777, the service runs from about 5 minutes after take-off to about 5 minutes before landing. Both airlines ask you not to make voice or video calls. On JAL, switch on airplane mode, turn on Wi-Fi and pick the network named Japan Airlines or JAL-WiFi.
Network and alliances
The alliance decides how easily each airline fits the rest of your trip. JAL is a member of oneworld, and the JAL oneworld alliance page counts over 900 destinations in 170 countries and territories. As of 31 March 2026, the JAL Group reached 71 countries and regions and 413 airports, codeshares included.
ANA belongs to Star Alliance. The ANA Star Alliance member airlines page describes 26 airlines and over 1,150 airports in 190 countries. The ANA Where We Travel page lists 40 international destination cities. We counted them from the city codes on that page.
Inside Japan, ANA says it flies over 130 routes to over 50 airports, and more than 40 airports from Haneda alone. ANA had 289 aircraft as of 31 March 2026, including 44 Boeing 787-9s. The photo below shows one of them.
Pick the airline whose alliance matches your other flights. If your long-haul flight is with a oneworld airline, JAL keeps the whole trip in one alliance. If it is with a Star Alliance airline, ANA does the same. Status counts too. Star Alliance Gold members get one extra free piece, or 20 kg more, on ANA international flights. JAL Mileage Bank members with oneworld status get 3 pieces of 32 kg each in Economy on JAL Group international flights.
Domestic flights for visitors: passes and fares
JAL still sells a domestic fare just for visitors. ANA ended its Discover Japan Fare in May 2026.
The JAL Japan Explorer Pass page sets clear conditions. You must live outside Japan and hold an international ticket to and from Japan when you book. You book and pay for the domestic flights on the JAL website, and you need your passport details to buy.
The fare reaches over 30 cities on JAL’s domestic network, in Economy only. You can buy Class J or First Class only at check-in, on standby. After you buy, you cannot change the booking, and every ticket is non-refundable. Children pay the adult fare, and infants under 2 without a seat fly free. Each passenger gets two free checked bags of up to 23 kg each, instead of JAL’s usual 20 kg per person.
The pass covers flights operated by JAL, JTA, J-Air and Japan Air Commuter. It does not cover flights operated by Fuji Dream Airlines, Ryukyu Air Commuter, Amakusa Airlines, Oriental Air Bridge or Jetstar Japan. You can buy up to 24 hours before departure, or up to 20 minutes before on some routes. The fare is charged in the currency of the country where you buy it.
ANA renewed its domestic fares for flights from 19 May 2026, with three fare options. The ANA Japan domestic fares page says the Discover Japan Fare ended for new bookings, ticketing and travel as of 18 May 2026. From the same date, ANA’s domestic booking page shows the classes as “First Class (Premium Class)” and “Economy Class”. ANA says the service itself has not changed.
With ANA, your free bags depend on the fare you pick, so read the allowance on the ticket before you pay. Our JAL baggage page and ANA baggage page list both allowances next to the other Japanese airlines.
Which one should you choose?
Let your ticket and your bags decide. Use these checks in order.
- Alliance: connecting with a oneworld airline points to JAL, and a Star Alliance airline points to ANA.
- Light bags: for several light bags on a domestic flight, JAL’s 20 kg per person with no limit on pieces fits best.
- One heavy bag: for one suitcase of up to 23 kg, either airline works, so check the pieces on your ANA fare.
- Several cities: if you live outside Japan and hold an international ticket, look at the JAL Japan Explorer Pass.
The illustration below turns the first two checks into a quick yes or no.
Connections at Haneda take one more step. From an international to a domestic flight, JAL passengers move from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1. ANA passengers move from Terminal 2 or Terminal 3 to Terminal 2. From Terminal 3, use the free shuttle bus or the train with a Transit Boarding Ticket.
If you land at Narita and fly on from Haneda, our Haneda to Narita transfer guide lists the buses and trains between the two airports. For the ride into the city, see our Narita and Haneda to Tokyo guide.
JAL or ANA: what 98 people in Japan chose
On 13–14 October 2026, japan-japan.com ran an online survey of people living in Japan about 32 travel choices. 130 people answered. We removed answers that looked machine-written, one from outside Japan and most of those that contradicted themselves, which left 98. Shares below are of the 98 respondents unless a smaller group is named; they describe these people, not all travellers in Japan. See all 32 comparisons and how we asked.
At the same time and the same price, 20.4% (20 people) would choose JAL or probably JAL and 19.4% (19 people) ANA or probably ANA. 41.8% (41 people) said either. Of the 80 who fly, 58.8% (47 of 80) had no particular reason; the reasons named most were collecting miles (15.0%), in-flight service (12.5%) and seeming more punctual (10.0%).
For a friend coming to Japan, 46.9% (46 people) said either is fine and 28.6% (28 people) said whichever is cheaper. 9.2% (9 people) would recommend JAL and 5.1% (5 people) ANA.
“ANA: I trust it, and I have a good impression of its safety.”
— Man in his 50s, Kanto (outside Tokyo). Original Japanese (excerpt): 「ANA：信用度が高い、安全性に対する良いイメージ」
“JAL. I have a JAL card and I collect the miles.”
— Woman in her 30s, Tohoku. Original Japanese (excerpt): 「JAL。JALカードを持っていて、マイルをためているから。」
FAQ
Do JAL and ANA have the same carry-on size limit?
Yes. Both allow one bag of up to 115 cm in total (55 × 40 × 25 cm) plus one personal item, with 10 kg for the two together. On ANA aircraft with fewer than 100 seats, the bag limit is 100 cm. ANA also caps the personal item at 40 × 30 × 20 cm.
Which Haneda terminal does ANA use for international flights?
Both Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, depending on the destination. Check ANA’s Flight Status page before you leave. It shows the arrival terminal 24 hours before departure and confirms it 2 hours before arrival. ANA domestic flights always use Terminal 2.
Is Wi-Fi free on JAL and ANA domestic flights?
Yes, on both. JAL’s domestic Wi-Fi has been free since 1 February 2017, and ANA’s domestic service is free as well. On international flights, JAL gives Economy one free hour and ANA gives free text messaging, with paid plans for web browsing.
Who can buy the JAL Japan Explorer Pass?
Only people who live outside Japan and hold an international ticket to and from Japan. You book the domestic flights on the JAL website and give your passport details. The fare is Economy only, non-refundable and cannot be changed after purchase.
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