From Airplane to Shinkansen: A Decision for Quiet Transitions

The changes to ANA's SFC program prompted me to start choosing the Shinkansen over airplanes. In the past, whenever I had a business trip or needed to travel long distances, I would think of flying first. Heading to the airport, entering the lounge, and spending a little special time until boarding—there was certainly a sense of excitement about travel in that whole process.

I also took no small amount of satisfaction in having an SFC. It wasn't just about getting there faster; the small accumulation of perks like priority boarding, baggage handling, and lounge access made the fatigue of travel a little lighter. For me, the SFC was not just a status symbol, but a practical tool for making travel more comfortable.

However, that premise collapsed. As the service conditions changed and the value I had taken for granted began to fade, my feelings naturally drifted away as well. Of course, the company likely has its own reasons. Perhaps the number of users grew too large, or maybe they needed to review their cost structure. But from the user's perspective, it was a change that made those who had used the service for a long time feel like they were losing out.

That was when I reconsidered. Do I really want to fly? Or do I just want to reach my destination comfortably? The answer was the latter. I wasn't attached to the airplane itself. The existence of airport lounges and priority boarding had simply reinforced my reason for choosing to fly. Now that this reinforcement has weakened, it is simply a matter of calmly comparing it with the Shinkansen.

The Shinkansen has its own strengths. First, the stations are in the center of the city. There is no need to travel to the suburbs like you do for an airport. There is no need to arrive long before departure to go through security. Once you arrive at the station, pass through the ticket gate, and go up to the platform, your journey begins immediately. This simplicity is greater than I had imagined.

Furthermore, there is a high degree of freedom once you are on board. On an airplane, it is difficult to move around during takeoff and landing, and there are times when you must keep your seatbelt fastened. You even have to choose the right time to pull out your table. On the Shinkansen, you can open your iPad and start working as soon as you board. You can use power outlets. While communication signals can fluctuate depending on the location, it is often sufficient for getting work done. You can use travel time not just as waiting time, but as productive work time.

Choosing the Green Car changes the impression even further. The seats are wide, quiet, and calm. It is much easier on the body than being in a cramped position in an airplane's economy class. Of course, premium class on an airplane is comfortable, but considering the balance with the price, I don't feel like paying that much every time. The Shinkansen's Green Car is positioned just right as an everyday luxury.

Airplanes are fast. There is no doubt about that. However, that is only if you look at the time spent in the air. When you include travel from home to the airport, waiting time at the airport, travel from the destination airport to the city center, and baggage claim, the difference in total travel time is sometimes not as large as you might think. In fact, for travel between Tokyo and Osaka, Okayama, or Nagoya, the Shinkansen is overwhelmingly more mentally relaxing.

In a sense, this recent SFC change might have been a good trigger. Until now, my thinking had been "I fly because I have an SFC." But was that really rational? What is important to me is not standing in a priority boarding line, but traveling without fatigue, without rushing, and in comfort. Once I realized that, the option of the Shinkansen suddenly became very realistic.

Airplanes have their own charm. The power to travel long distances in one go, the extraordinary feeling of flying through the sky, and the unique atmosphere of airports. I do not intend to deny those things entirely. If I am going to Hokkaido, Okinawa, or the remote parts of Kyushu, airplanes are indeed advantageous. However, there is no need to fly for everything. Especially for travel within Honshu, the stability of the Shinkansen is very strong.

Since switching to the Shinkansen, my feelings about travel have also changed. There is less of a sense of being chased by time, unlike with airplanes. I arrive at the station a little early, buy a bento and a drink, and wait for the train on the platform. Once I get on the train, it becomes my own time as soon as I sit down. I can work, watch videos, or just look at the scenery without doing anything. This freedom suits me better now.

In the end, a degradation of service is also an event that prompts users to reconsider. It becomes an opportunity to review habits that have been continued out of inertia and to keep only what is truly valuable. If the ANA SFC had remained attractive, I might have continued to choose airplanes. But since I felt the value had decreased, I am simply changing my means of transportation.

Loyalty cannot exist as a one-way street. Just as there are reasons for users to choose an airline, the airline must also provide reasons for users to keep choosing them. If those reasons weaken, the choice naturally changes. It is less of a feeling of anger and more of a quiet parting.

From now on, I will not make flying my goal. I will judge based on the destination, time, fatigue level, ease of working, and cost—all of it. And in many cases, I feel my answer will be the Shinkansen. It is a pity about the SFC changes. However, it is also true that thanks to that, I was able to re-evaluate the comfort of the Shinkansen.

Travel should be my own time, not time to be endured. Thinking about it that way, the time spent sitting in a Shinkansen seat, watching the city flow by outside the window as I head to my destination, is not bad at all. In fact, this feels more natural for me from now on. I have some lingering attachment to airplanes, but I have even more conviction in the Shinkansen. If I can feel that way, then this switch is the right decision.

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