First Flight to Tokyo, Japan

6265 miles. That’s how far I had to travel to get to Tokyo, Japan. Thankfully, I managed to due so in comfort aboard an American Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The flight, spanning 13 hours and 15 minutes, took place on a Tuesday afternoon out of Chicago O’hare International Airport.

I remember walking up to my designated gate, K5. The plane was about to reach the jet bridge as I took a seat in the lounge. The engines alone told me that this was a larger aircraft than the CRJs in the area.

As boarding commenced, I was anxious. I was curious how I would fair on a long-haul flight. My longest flight duration up to that point was under three hours. But as soon as I figured out the seat-back touchscreen, I was set. I brought up the flight information, which provides a range of in-flight data. You can see distance traveled, distance to destination, air speed, temperature, etc. I then dug into the in-flight entertainment. I started the flight with Baby Driver, my favorite movie of 2017. I also had a celebratory Jack & Coke.

After the credits rolled, I checked the flight information and noticed we were at an altitude of 41,000 feet. It was only around two in the afternoon but it looked dark outside. This was due to the automatic window dim of the Boeing 787. Which I have to say was a comfort. It put me at ease and even made me tired. But I was far too wired to sleep. I watched Shaun of the Dead, A Christmas Story and Guardians of the Galaxy. I also watched Aliens, by far my favorite movie.

As the last hour of the flight approached, immigration cards were handed out. I filled mine out quickly. There weren’t many questions or boxes to check.

We landed at Narita International Airport a little after 4:00PM local time. It was finally time to go through customs and enter Tokyo, Japan.