Best airline for Sydney > Tokyo?

Best airline for Sydney > Tokyo?

Flying economy, hold gold with Qantas, Etihad (thanks status match) and Virgin Australia.

Would also like to work in HK.

As you have Gold Status with QF = One World Sapphire your choices are JL SYD- NRT Day Flight, QF SYD - NRT Night Flight or CX via HKG. It really depends if you want a direct flight or stop at HKG. Booking this under a QF flight code meaning you will be on QF21/22 will ensure maximum Status credits and points.

Thanks Martin. Ideally direct flights, it's a matter of SYD > NRT return with a Tokyo to Hong Kong return in between or one way trips SYD > NRT/HND > HKG > SYD or vice versa.

I've flown long haul economy of Cathay and Qantas, would put Cathay in front for service and Qantas in front for comfort. Anyone have any review of JL economy?

Why not book on a QF ticket SYD - NRT/HND - HKG - SYD? It would be cheaper than booking seprate tickets. JL economy is ok it comes in an overall second place at CX and QF. I have only flown JL economy once and it was ok but nothing to special. 

Having just come back from a trip on QF21/22 I have decided never again

The flight over (from SYD) was good with a great lounge and an overall enjoyable flight but on the way back the staff were rude and I had to decline the meal service around 3 times before they got the point

There was also 3 medical emergencies onboard which made the flight dreadful

Upon arrival into Sydney Quaratine had to come onboard to plane to check everyone before we ere allowed to get off and during landing someone was lying on the floor after being sick

That sounds like a painful experience but can't blame the airline for medical emergencies.

Qantas service / politeness can be a bit touch and go but I've noticed an improvement over the last year or so, particularly domestic. 

Would be awesome if you could elaborate on how the QF staff were rude? Were they trying to give you a meal you didn't want?

Unlike the flight over they did not want to serve any snacks, drinks or amenity kit items in Economy outside of meal times

I had some food in the lounge and did not want a meal but was given some slop on a tray anyway which ended up sitting there uneaten for 2 hours

Just before they were about the clear the meals someone was sick in the bulkhead which ended up on the seats and the bulkhead its self. The crew then stoped the rubbish service and then found these yellow rubbish bags and some gloves before cleaning it up and the she left the gloves on while servicing some people more drinks (as they asked)

A doctor offered to help and she told him to go away before calling him back less than 5 minutes later calling him back to help for the rest of the flight

This was the first  of 3 medical problems as about half way through they asked if there way another doctor onboard and finally someone was sick in the exit area and then collapsed and ended up lying on the exit row area for landing

That being said the Japanese based crew were amazing as you could ask for something at they would get it almost instantly

Breakfast was served 2.5 hours out of sydney which at 4am local time was just not needed

I had done the flight from Sydney to Tokyo about a week earlier and had ordered my meal online which was tasty and the crew would help out instantly when asked

Riley you are correct it depends on the crew as some can be great and some can just not care (Domestic crew are usually great) and quite alot of the time i've had better service on Jetstar (Osaka to Carins) has been the best

I would Fly JL to Toyko and then CX to HKG and QF to SYD. I find the service from HKG much better 

To get the most of SC for the next cycle, I would if I were you fly QF.  Unless you have enough to keep you at QF SG for the next year.

JL uses the QF J international at SYDi, yes?  If they had their own lounge, then maybe forgo earning QF SC and go with JL, if only just to try their lounge, but if as I think, that JL uses the QF J international lounge at SYD, you might as well just use QF to fly up.

Now if you were flying J/F, then I would say go for JL/CX, but in flex/discY, might as well fly QF.

Not sure when you are flying, but just remember, if you are flying direct from August, if you choose QF, you will fly direct to Haneda (HND) which is closer to Tokyo, while flying JL will bring you to Narita (NRT), which is the furthest airport from Tokyo.

Good point, flying in September and would prefer to fly into Haneda due to locality. Will most likely do SYD>HKG>Japan>SYD. I believe regional full service carriers fly into Haneda and budgets Narita.