JAL starts selling wagyu beef to passengers flying to U.S., Singapore

Japan Airlines Co. launched a service on Monday to sell Japanese luxury wagyu beef to passengers traveling to the United States and Singapore and have it inspected for customs clearance.

Passengers can purchase wagyu of highest A5 grade from Hokkaido and Kagoshima prefectures on the airline’s website and pick it up at Haneda and Narita airports during check-in at departure counters.

The beef, about 20 to 30 percent cheaper than equivalent grade beef distributed abroad, needs to be ordered 48 hours prior to departure, it said.

For passengers traveling to the United States, block cuts of Kagoshima wagyu are sold for 29,300 yen ($198) per kilogram, while Hokkaido wagyu is priced at 27,800 yen. Cut meat is offered instead to passengers heading to Singapore.

Low-cost career Zipair Tokyo, a subsidiary of Japan Airlines, already started wagyu sales to its passengers in January.