Desirees

We are planning our 25th anniversary next year and using miles to go to SE Asia. Right now, have our outbound award hold on Cathay, and inbound on Jal. However, I see there is availability on JAL on the outbound - and so my question to you - if the time taken is same - which business class would you go with? Did searches online and seems like both are good.

BearX220

for couples traveling together JAL is better, because the business class seatsets are all (so far as I know) side-by-side in sets of two. The CX business class configuration in longhaul is all herringbone-style, all single seats set at angles, so you are basically sitting by yourself.

BuildingMyBento

Though I can't comment on the couples-aspect, IME JL had better food/service, whereas CX works for bedding/IFE.

That said, I'd much prefer to transit Japan than Hong Kong.

IMOA

What aircraft though? The suites on JAL aren't exactly side by side, one seat sits a foot or so in front of the other and they are more enclosed even with the divider lowered. For a solo/business traveller I'd say JAL but for a couple its very close and may be better on cathay. I'd also say that the Japanese menu on JAL is better than cathay food but the western menu can be a bit weak and there cathay is better, ICE is clear win to cathay. Personally I prefer to transit Japan if I have time to get out of the airport but I greatly prefer HKG to any japanese airport.

Between those two I would think that schedule and cost would be the deciding factor, they're both very good products and the benefits and drawbacks of either are very close.