ZipAir review (Narita, Japan ⇔ Honolulu, Hawaii)

ZipAir is the new(ish) budget airline from parent company JAL! My experiences with JAL in the past have always been extremely positive, especially on the customer service side, but definitely had a little bit of cost attached, so we were definitely interested to see what this new airline had to offer.

We used ZipAir for two round trip flights between Narita International Airport NRT (Tokyo, Japan) and the Daniel K Inouye International Airport HNL (Honolulu, Oahu, HI) in June 2022 and August 2022.

tl;dr - It was adequate, not super special, but you definitely get what you pay for. It's worth trying if you're on a budget and don't mind the slightly cramped leg room (which is typical in the cheapest economy for most airlines).

What you should know before you book

NOTE - Both trips we took were while Japan was still closed to most tourism and COVID-19 protocols were still in place (negative test required to enter Japan, attestation for vaccination to enter the US etc).

Two seat classes - standard and lay flat, with a difference of about 100,000yen between the two (varies depending on flight)

Flight packages - 

Value: what you'll get from a typical non-budget airline - select your seat, 1 in-flight meal and 23kg (50lb) check in bag(s) 

Biz: select your seat, 1 carry-on + personal item (weighing no more than 12 kg/26lbs together) 

Premium: select your seat, 1 in-flight meal, 23kg (50lb) check in bag(s), 12kg max carry-ons, amenity set

Ala carte/custom: select your own upgrades

Meal selections are made at the time of your (online) booking. You're presented with a decent number of options (including halal and vegan indicators) with pictures and prices. The 1200yen meals are included as part of the in-flight package and any more expensive meals with have an additional cost. You can order as many meals as you want (with associated costs). 

Checking in

We were unable to use the automatic check-in feature because we were flying during active COVID restrictions that required airlines manual approval at the check-in counter, so unfortunately I cannot comment on that particular service. It does seem like it would be useful when possible, because there was a long, slow-moving line for check-in for every flight. We waited a minimum of 1 hour in line for each of the 4 flights, even with us getting to the airport 4 hours early for 2 of the flights and joining the growing line before the desk was even open. It's just...not fast. I'm not 100% sure how much of that is contributed to COVID and how much is other things. I will say that regular JAL check-in during the pandemic is still quite efficient (almost never a line and usually takes 10-15 minutes max, if that).

Expect that all of your bags will be weighed, including your carry-on & personal item (together should not exceed 12kg), and for the weight restriction to be strictly enforced. While you can add "upgrades" like additional baggage weight at the counter at check-in, it is highly encouraged to pay for your upgrade beforehand online. 

[Edit 11/14/2022 - forgot to add this earlier but remembered after using HA to fly back and forth] On the US side, you cannot get TSA Pre-check even if you are eligible. According to the ZipAir employee who was checking us in, their system is not connected to whatever acknowledges Pre-check status, so the known traveler number is useless. You'll have to go through the standard boarding pass security screening (taking off shoes and outerwear, removing electronics, 3-1-1 bag, etc) which often has a longer and slower line. This contributes to how much time you need at the airport and just a general convenience factor (if you are someone who has/pays for Pre-check status).

On the plane/during flight

Boarding was all fairly standard/nothing of note; everything was orderly and nothing unusual. We were able to find our seats with no issues and stow our carry-on bags in the overhead compartments. The space between rows/leg room is a bit small and the seats are not very robust with cushioning or sturdiness. That being said, we were more or less OK being only 2 people in a 3 person row. I'm anticipating that having empty seats will be more rare as travel increases to/from Japan. It would be a bit uncomfortable to sit that close to a stranger for so long where any movement kind of affects the whole row of seats and be barely able to recline or reach down towards the bag I store under the seat in front. 

There are charging ports for every seat and no provided screens. There is free in-flight wifi which works reasonably well based on my husband's experience (able to watch YouTube videos, for example) and a little fold down tray with a cup holder space.

Over the 4 flights, my husband tried a variety of meals. I actually opted to eat beforehand (and sleep on the flight) or bring my own food even though we got a package that came with a meal for me (my husband ate it). He particularly liked the omurice dish, but all the rest were the same meh airplane food you'd expect. The meals do not come with sides (other than what's in the box/description) but do include a small bottle of water.

A friend told us you're not really supposed to bring your own food onto the plane (to eat), but I couldn't find any rules about that and none of the staff mentioned anything to me, even when taking my trash, so it seems like that may be an option. 

From what I could gather based on barely overhearing a conversation from another passenger across the aisle, it seems like you cannot do on demand orders of all food items mid-flight. I don't think they keep all options available on the plane but may have a few extras of the popular meals (like gyudon). I would strongly recommend ordering a meal when booking if you want to be guaranteed food during the flight. 

Food - 7/10 comparing to other airline-provided food. I took my husband's rating for this one because I didn't eat any of the food. Note that the meals do not come with sides although it does come with a small bottle of water.

Comfort - 5/10 While it wasn't straight up uncomfortable, I certainly wouldn't consider it comfortable by any measure either, so that's why I feel like a middle of the road 5 makes sense. The seats were not very cushy and there was less space between rows than I was accustomed to. They were fine but not great for a 8 hour flight. 

Service - 6/10 There was nothing particularly stellar that we noticed about the attentiveness or service on the plane but it was certainly adequate. We don't ever really hit the call button, so we didn't interact much with them. Unlike Hawaiian Airlines flights, it doesn't seem like they occasionally offer water while walking down the aisle every hour or so, but I'm sure you would be provided some if requested (not sure if there would be a cost). Check in at the counter is very slow (not sure how much COVID factors in). ZipAir is also currently only operating out of Narita in Japan. Haneda is a lot more convenient for us, but that could vary from person to person and where your ultimate destination is once arriving. Also, ZipAir's system does not allow for TSA Pre-check (used on the US side) which makes the time required at the airport and waiting in lines even longer. 

Cleanliness - 8/10 Even though this is considered a new airlines, it seems like they're just using older JAL planes(?) so the planes themselves are not super modern or sparkly. That being said, there weren't really any issues with things feeling dirty or unsanitary beyond what you usually get with a plane.

Price - 10/10 Due to the exchange rate and the timing of our flights (not a popular season to travel), we were able to get round trip tickets from Japan to Hawaii for about $500 each including the Value package (pick your seat, 1x meal and 1x 23kg bag each). Other airlines at that same time with similar features would have cost $900-1000+. 

Overall - ★★★1/2 3.5/5 stars We would definitely consider flying ZipAir again if we were being budget conscious, and the price differential was similar to our choices this past summer and especially if we didn't need to check in any bags. We would be booking knowing that in exchange for the much cheaper price, we will likely have a bit less comfort and longer check-in times. For personal reasons, we'd consider it a lot more if they operated out of Haneda since Narita is comparatively a lot farther for us. 

Unfortunately I didn't think to write a full review ahead of our travel so I don't have the best photos to accompany this, but hopefully this short post will be useful if you're on the fence about booking with ZipAir. If you have any additional questions about our experience, I'll do my best to answer them! 

Popflex Active - Marble Collection crop tops, bras, leggings & jacket

I used to try to spend as little as possible on work out clothes. Well, honestly, I used to spend as little time as possible working out, haha. I got back into looking at Popflex Active when I saw an IG ad for the Belladonna Duffle a few months ago and have been obsessed with the more recent quality/material. And now I (happily) find myself with quite a few items from the Marble Collection!

Gulch Crop Bra - Marine Marble

I ordered the marine marble print during the restock, but decided to go with the older crop versus the vivid crop bra for this order. I was hoping to be able to wear it casually as a crop top instead of only as a sports bra. Based on how the perfect bra from a previous order fit + the reviews, I decided to order an XS. 

This ended up being a bit disappointing. The material and print are nice, as expected from this collection, but I don't love the design of the top, despite it being really simple. The straps are not adjustable and shorter than I'd like them to be. As a result, the underbust band sits on the bottom bit of my already small boobs. It wasn't enough of a dealbreaker for me to try to do a return (especially since you have to pay for return shipping), and I'm definitely still wearing it, but overall it's just not the fit I was anticipating. I don't consider myself to have an especially long torso and my bust is definitely on the smaller side, so I'm not sure what the ideal body type for this is supposed to be. I do not think that sizing up would have been helpful either.

Hourglass Legging - Marine Marble

I very much loved this deep blue color and the marbling "print". The re-release of this legging was actually the motivation for my initial marble collection order and it definitely made me a fan! It's no wonder it was released a second time. I ordered this legging in XS based on the specific reviews even though I had tried a gulch legging in XS and had to return it because they were just much too compressive.

The XS is definitely the right size for me for this style/design. I mostly wear these for running and don't have any noticeable problems with the waistband folding over or sliding down. The cross over waistband is very flattering and I really like how high waisted they are. Plus they are so soft! The length is like a 7/8 legging on me rather than completely full length. 

Perfect Bra - Sailor Blue

Purchased this one after already really loving the cool plum version (below). I knew this one would be unlikely to have the issues that the black one had (material not as stretchy and actually chaffs my skin at the point where the strap connects on the front) since it's from the marble collection. I ordered my typical XS without hesitation. 

This color doesn't really match with the marine marble legging but it was the closest I had. I do think it would match a bit better with the sky marble color that was available during the original release but there's also an exact color match drawstring legging (which I didn't get bc I don't prefer a solid color legging). No surprises here with this item. The color is fun and bright and the fit and fabric are great. If anything, if you're between sizes, I would actually advise sizing down since the fabric is quite stretchy for this one. (Otherwise, order true to size.) Highly recommend the perfect bras from this collection!

Captivate Bra - Acai Marble

Tbh I actually initially ordered the pieces in the acai marble print intending to gift them to a friend, but after receiving it and trying it on myself, I couldn't resist keeping them. I was very much not hyped at all about this sports bra since it appears so ordinary, but the material is great and the open back actually makes much more of a difference to me than I anticipated. I ordered this in XS.

This is actually one of my favorite sports bras now because of the open back design, which is so nice, especially on long runs. The material is also super soft and smooth and the fit is great. I would definitely consider ordering more of this style of bra in the future. The only thing I would change is making it more like a crop top....but that's mostly because I recently decided that I love a crop bra design recently. This is a great classic sports bra. 

Hourglass Legging - Acai Marble

As mentioned, I ordered this legging in this color just to get the matching set for a friend but I guiltily ended up keeping it for myself. I have no regrets because I do love this hourglass leggings design/cut and I'm super happy to have it in two colors that are distinct. This was also ordered in XS. 

I was initially unsure about whether I would like a lighter colored legging (which is why the marine marble was my first choice), but I don't think I have any issues with darker or printed underwear showing through these. I like these just as much as the marine marble version since they're identical aside from color. Fit and material continue to be great and definitely a worthwhile purchase for me.

Vivid Crop Bra - Lavender Marble

Already loving the marine/blue and acai/warm purple color series from this collection, I thought it might be worth it to try this cool lavender version as well. I wasn't immediately into the cut of this bra (which is why it wasn't in any of my initial orders) but then I saw Cassey's post about being able to wear it backwards and thought it would be worth a try since I have a pretty small chest and the support shouldn't be too much of an issue. I ordered this in XS. 

Reversed! (Don't forget to take the padding out of the mesh side if you do wear it backwards, haha)

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, material is so soft and comfortable! It's easy to put on and take off (I bought my regular/typical size). I'm someone who actually likes the padding in sports bras, so I wasn't sure if I would actually want to wear it reversed (where there is no pockets for the padding since it's meant to be the back lol) but surprisingly, there isn't too much nipple poking through and I find it quite wearable! I don't even look quite as flat as I anticipated haha. 

The lavender marble is also different enough from the acai marble although they are a bit similar but that's not a negative to me!

Sculpt Legging - Lavender Marble

This was a last minute addition to my cart of sale items and wasn't immediately on my radar. Since I was planning to get the lavender vivid crop, I figured why not get the matching leggings? There was another pair that was on sale from a different collection, but I personally prefer to have a print on my leggings (vs solid color), so in the end I went with this one. I purchased XS (same as the hourglass leggings). 

I do have a bit more of a camel toe problem (if you consider it a problem...I do lol) with these leggings compared to the hourglass versions. It's not too big of a deal for me since I mostly wear leggings for running and am in motion for the most part, but I probably wouldn't wear these if I know I'm going to be in pictures without blocking my crotch haha. There's also a very minor issue in the back of the leggings where the Y seam meets and the fabric tents a little. I don't know if this is just a bad design or if my butt is way too flat. It doesn't affect wear, but is a little weird looking when you do notice it. Overall, I do prefer the hourglass leggings but I don't regret ordering these to have the matching set.

Perfect Bra - Cool Plum

I already posted about this piece in my previous post that includes the Belladonna duffle, but since it's also part of the Marble Collection, I wanted to include a small section for it here. It's actually one of the reasons that I continued to order more things from Popflex Active over the following few months - I really loved this new material. I continue to really enjoy this piece - I always worry about wearing it too much! I ordered this in XS. 

As mentioned in my other post, I do love this piece. The design is great and so in the fit and material. I'm glad I got the lavender marble leggings because they match well with this cool plum color without being an exact matchy-match print. I'm definitely looking forward to wearing this combination more in the future. 

City Crop - White

This top really wasn't on my radar, but as I was really taking my time and looking through what was still available in my size during the labor day sale, I decided to take a closer look at this listing. I've been favoring crop tops a lot lately and love how it looks with the different marble leggings (of which I now have all 3 of the different printed versions). Based on the reviews, I wasn't sure if I should order XS or S but because I wanted it to fit pretty snugly, I decided to go with XS. 

layered over gulch crop bra in marine marble with hourglass legging in marine marble

layered over perfect bra in sailor blue with hourglass legging in marine marble

layered over captivate bra in acai marble with hourglass legging in acai marble

layered over vivid crop bra in lavender marble with sculpt legging in lavender marble

layered over perfect bra in cool plum with sculpt legging in lavender marble

So cute and I'm happy with the size I ordered! I love that you're able to tie it in the front or the back and I also love the little curve in the front that shows just the right amount of a cropped bra. For a regular length sports bra (like the captivate bra), it covers the whole thing which is fine as well - just a different look. This is going to be great as a coverup or as a top on its own for workouts and outside of workouts! The material is thin so it will be great for the summer (or all year in HI).

Cloud Hoodie - Blue Violet

This hoodie is meant to have an oversized fit and only comes in two sizes - S/M and L/XL. I purchased the S/M size (which was also the only size available at the time). I decided to go with this blue violet color rather than plum, which would typically be right up my alley, because I wanted something a little different and I liked the cooler tone color. 

Love the cropped length which is perfect to balance the oversized sleeves and body. I do think I wouldn't have minded an XS/S version, but I do also find value in a baggier fit, especially when layering or putting it over sweaty workout clothes. The color matches great with the lavender marble but would also be great with denim or regular non-workout stuff! The material is as soft as most of the reviews promised, but was actually a bit different than I expected and unexpectedly warm - not a bad thing for a hoodie! 

Side-by-side leggings comparison (content warning for potential camel toe & weight/size mention)

Hourglass legging in marine marble --> Hourglass legging in acai marble --> Sculpt legging in lavender marble

For reference, I am 5'4" (162cm), 32A and approx 110-115lbs. For clothes, I typically fit XS/00 depending on the brand. 

I know this doesn't matter to some people, but in case it does, I wanted to include this small section at the end. I wanted to quickly show a more "neutral" pose from the front. (But note...I also didn't want really, really bad camel toe to be posted on the internet, so there are sometimes poses where it's more obvious, but I just don't feel comfortable posting them.) I also wanted to mention I'm wearing nude colored bikini style underwear for all of these photos in case you wanted to see the potential for panty lines + tightness in the butt area based on the size. Again, I know sometimes people don't care about these things, but just a brief mention if that is something that would affect your decision.

These items weren't all purchased in the same order (actually 3 different ones). Once I figured out that I loved something within this collection, I felt more confident ordering more. When the Labor Day Sale announcement went out and I added items to my cart, I realized pretty much everything I wanted was from Marble and it might make for a decent blog post. I scour the reviews for these items since the fit can be quite variable, so I did want to take some time to write about my experience if my body type is similar to yours and this might be helpful!

My previous Popflex Active orders

- Belladonna duffle, Perfect bra & Booty bands

- Courage cami, Enchanted shrug & Hold me zip bra