I am going on my first trip to Japan this July and have a few questions about NRT.

I'm flying award UA metal from ORD to SFO, and ANA to NRT (Business).

UA NRT-ORD on UA Metal

Thoughts or feedback on ANA business.

Is there an arivals loung /showers that I can use as a *a Gold?

When taking off fon NRT I see some confusing threads on using *A lounges. I though I am only allowed to use the *A loung of the airline I am flying out on.

I have a UA RCC card and a *A card, canI use any *A? If so whats better at NRT.

Thank!

AFAIK there is no "Arrivals" lounge with a shower.

You will have access to any *A lounge. At SFO however, the SQ lounge does not open in time to really take advantage of any food there if you are on the ANA flight. Daylight savings time may change this however. Upon departure, from departure, you will also be able to use any *A lounge, but the ANA lounges are all in Terminal 2 and you will be departing from Terminal 1 on UA. The RCC in NRT is actually quite nice. I think I've seen mention of an SQ lounge there as well.

I think you'll enjoy the ANA business class experience. I'd give the seats a slightly lower score than the UA Intl business, and on the 777, you won't have quite the same as you would if you were on the upper deck of a 744, but the service should surpass the UA service by a mile.

At 6'6" I was very comfortable the 1 time I've flown ANA biz on a transpac. Fortunately, I have been on an unbelieveable streak of 10 of 11 transpacs in F since switching to ANA.

There is a SQ lounge - nothing brilliant (no showers; the RCC does have them I believe), but it's adequate and there is nice food (dim sum) and free internet.

All the lounges are on the secure airside: you cannot enter the secure side without a BP. As you're going terminate at NRT, you won't have an onward BP so you cannot enter any lounges.

I just flew UA business a week ago IAD-CDG on a 772. The only good thing about UA is they give you an amenity kit pouch while NH does not. For everything else, NH is superior.