Ending Where It All Began

Flying WestJet Business Class to Japan: Why I Can Never Go Back

When I booked our flights to Japan, I made a decision that felt wildly extravagant.

I booked Business Class.

Not because I’m a frequent luxury traveler.

Not because I enjoy spending unnecessary money.

But because a ten-hour flight is a long time to be uncomfortable, and I wanted to start our adventure feeling excited instead of exhausted.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that the flight itself would become one of the highlights of the trip.

A Full Circle Moment

Before I even settled into my seat, I had one of those unexpected travel moments that makes you smile.

A good friend of mine works for WestJet. Not just any friend. She’s someone I met back in 1993 when we were both students on the same exchange program in Tokyo.

More than thirty years later, Japan still has a funny way of bringing our stories full circle. Before the trip, she told me she wasn’t working my flight. So imagine my surprise when I stepped onboard and there she was. Greeting passengers. In uniform. Standing right in front of me. I looked at her and immediately said:

“You are a bold-faced liar.”

The look on her face was priceless.

We both laughed.

Here we were, more than three decades after meeting as students in Japan, and she was welcoming me aboard a flight taking me back to the country that had first brought our paths together.

It felt like the perfect way to begin the trip.

Welcome to a Different World

The difference between Business Class and every other flight I’ve ever taken became obvious almost immediately.

We were welcomed onboard, offered beverages before takeoff, and comfortably settled into our private pods.

There was no rush. No chaos. No competition for overhead bin space. Everything felt calm. Intentional. Relaxing.

I wasn’t even in the air yet, and I already understood why people rave about Business Class.

The Sleeping Pods

The star of the show was undoubtedly the pod itself.

WestJet’s Business Class on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner features private pods with lie-flat seating, direct aisle access, privacy screens, storage space, and enough room to actually move around comfortably.

For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel trapped in an airplane seat.

And perhaps even more importantly, I wasn’t trapped with everyone else’s airplane habits. There was no one reclined into my lap. Nobody kicking my seat from behind. Nobody enthusiastically punching the touch screen mounted directly behind my head.

And no worries about being seated beside someone who may have dramatically underestimated the importance of deodorant.

For ten glorious hours, I had my own space. And it was wonderful.

The Herschel Amenity Kit

Waiting at my seat was a beautiful Herschel amenity kit filled with travel essentials and Canadian skincare products. WestJet includes exclusive Herschel amenity kits as part of its Business Class experience.

Now, could I have survived the flight without it? Of course.

Did receiving a fancy travel kit make me irrationally happy? Absolutely. I still have it.

Dinner at 35,000 Feet

Then dinner arrived. And suddenly I forgot I was on an airplane.

Instead of being handed a foil-covered mystery tray, we were offered multiple menu choices accompanied by wine, beverages, and attentive service.

The meal felt surprisingly elegant. The presentation was beautiful. The food was excellent. I mean, we had Scallops…come on.

And just when I thought service was finished, someone appeared asking whether I’d like another drink.  Or a snack. Or anything else.

Honestly, I’ve had worse experiences in actual restaurants.

The Best Sleep I’ve Ever Had on a Plane

The moment of truth came after dinner.

I converted my seat into a fully flat bed, stretched out, pulled up the blanket, and settled in. A real bed. On an airplane.

WestJet’s Business Class seats transform into fully lie-flat beds and include premium bedding designed specifically for long-haul routes.

And then something magical happened. I slept. Not airplane slept.

Not the kind where you wake up every fifteen minutes with a sore neck and one shoe missing. I actually slept.  For hours. When I woke up, I felt rested. That has literally never happened to me before on a long-haul flight.

Why It’s Worth It

I’ve spent years convincing myself that Business Class wasn’t worth the cost.

Now I know better.

For a short flight? Economy is perfectly fine.

For a ten-hour flight to Japan? Business Class completely changed the experience.

The private pod. The lie-flat bed. The incredible service. The delicious meals. The endless drinks. The Herschel amenity kit.

And the unexpected reunion with a friend whose story has been intertwined with my own Japan journey for more than thirty years.

It was the perfect start to an unforgettable adventure.

The only downside? I now understand why people become Business Class snobs.

And I’m not sure I’ll ever be happy in economy again.