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Trip Report: The Latest Singapore Airlines Experience

Last week I travelled on Singapore Airlines from Dubai via Singapore to Bangkok. My first SQ flight in 2 years!

There have been quite a few changes to the Singapore Airlines experience. Watch the video below to find out more.

Dubai to Singapore

Singapore Airlines operates a daily flight between Dubai and Singapore on an A350-900 aircraft. Prior to the pandemic it was a B777-300/ER, even for flights with First Class bookings.

The Check-in area at Dubai was very crowded, with the UAE National Holiday ahead. Terminal one in Dubai has been open now for six months.

Dubai Airport Lounge (Ahlan First Class Lounge)

I used the Ahlan Dubai Airport First Class Lounge, which is a common lounge used by a few other airlines including Qatar Airways. Here are some photos from the lounge.

The lounge offers both buffet and an a-la-carte menu orders, I had the cook make me a burger. There's also a bar service and it beats most of the lounges in North America!

SQ495 Dubai to Singapore

The flight is operated by an A350-900 in medium-haul configuration , which has 40 Business Class and 263 Economy Class seats.

On my flight there were about 160 passengers, most of which were making connections at Singapore Changi Airport to Manila, Indonesia or Australia.

My seat 20A was a window seat in the second Business Class mini-cabin. Here is the seat map of Singapore Airlines medium-haul A350-900.

Onboard amenities included a care kit, water, socks, eyeshade, slippers, a pillow and a blanket, all of which were individually wrapped.

Singapore Airlines do not give out amenity kits in Business Class. There are also no more welcome drinks upon boarding.

As it was an overnight flight, I went straight to sleep and woke up two hours before landing. We were flying over Ache, Indonesia at 41,000 ft when I awoke.

Singapore Airlines no longer offers a printed menu onboard. Instead the menu is accessible online here .

The cabin crew explained to me the three main choices, which were Indonesia Mee Goreng with beef, egg frittata or Nasi Lemak.

We landed after an uneventful flight on-time at Singapore Changi. The airport was quiet in terms of traffic.

Transit at Changi

I had about four hours of transit time at Changi. Depending on where you arrive from, you may be allowed to roam around free during your transit or you might have to go to a restricted area.

New SilverKris Lounge

I got to visit the new SilverKris Lounge, which opened just a few weeks ago. Click here for a full lounge report.

The lounge replaces the old SilverKris Lounge. It has a few different sections.

Food can be ordered by scanning the QR code on the table. All food is served individually.

The new SilverKris lounge experience was very good, especially so given that it wasn't crowded during my transit. Lounge staff told me the peak hours are in the morning, then around 18:00 (US flights) and during late evening (Europe flights).

During my transit I saw several Singapore Airlines, including an A380 and a B737 MAX at the gate.

SQ712 Singapore to Bangkok

This two hours flight was again operated by a medium-haul A350, which has flat bed seats in Business Class for this short two hour flight.

Avgeek Elena, Sabrina and family were also traveling on the same flight to Bangkok. There were 91 passengers on this flight.

On this short flight, Singapore Airlines have simplified their food offering in Economy Class. They serve a carton box entrée with ice cream, the choice was braised beef with mashed potato or chicken fried rice. There are no more appetisers being served.

In Business Class I opted for bismillah chicken biryani, however it tasted a bit bland to me. The crew offered me the Chinese beef brisket noodle, which did hit the spot.

It was another quiet flight with little engagement, due to COVID precautions. There was quite a shocking scene upon landing, as there were a lot of Thai Airways planes parked in Bangkok. Watch the full landing in the video .

Both of my flights were non-eventful and quiet. Everyone was wearing masks and maintaining social distance, so there were few chatters.

What's changed onboard Singapore Airlines? There are no more welcome drinks, no printed menus and no Silverkris in-flight magazine.

The menus are now digitized. The food came on one tray on both of my flights. These measures may change as we navigate through the COVID pandemic.

The service delivery on both of my flights was consistent, which I think is a strength of Singapore Airlines . There are many airlines that are capable of giving great service, but to achieve the right level of consistency you need to be disciplined and that's where Singapore Airlines shine.

No doubt, the recovery of Singapore Airlines and other peers in Asia lies in the re-opening of border without quarantine and consistent border policy.

Recently flew SIA from Changi to Brisbane and back from Sydney (Business class – seats 12 & 14). Excellent service both ways with professional and welcoming staff. Changi airport is a delight compared to some when transiting with plenty to do. Visited the Silver Kris lounge on both legs with the outbound lounge in T3 being particularly pleasant. SIA did provide informative printed menus on our flights. Would not hesitate to fly SIA again.

I flew SIA to San Francisco last december on business class. The crew were delightful and friendly. The seat was very comfortable and the food was delicious! (yum!) Totally worth the money!

Lack of printed menus is a big step downwards for a premium airline.

I recently flew to the UK and returned, both on SIA. The planes appeared older and the seating in economy was appalling. Despite having a row of four to myself on the way back, it was difficult to sleep.

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The Shutterwhale

Luxury Travel | Miles Chasing

Luxury Traveller | Miles Chaser

Trip Report: Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK (Singapore to New York via Frankfurt)

Airline: Singapore Airlines | Aircraft: 777-300ER | Class: Business | Flight: SQ26 (SIN-FRA-JFK)

After taking a long break from international travel (due mostly to the whole COVID-19 pandemic), I was finally ready to depart Singapore again on a trip to the US. While I did have to prepare a set of documents prior to departure (e.g. pre-departure test results, attestation form, and vaccination certificate), getting through immigration at Changi Airport was rather seamless. On this trip, I had the opportunity to check out the relatively-new SilverKris Lounge in Terminal 3 of Changi Airport and even though I had wanted to do a lounge review, it was really busy during my visit so perhaps I will leave that for another time.

Laksa SilverKris Lounge Terminal 3 - Changi Airport

The SilverKris Lounge does get pretty busy due to capacity limitations at the moment - Star Alliance Gold members currently utilise the same lounge since the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge is not yet ready so you may expect high volumes of travellers during your visit (especially if your flight is departing at night). The word from the grapevine is that the Private Room will open in two months so that is definitely something you should plan for if you have any flights in Suites booked. I was pretty impressed with how the new SilverKris Lounge in Terminal 3 turned out - it looks effortlessly modern with different pockets of space for travellers. As mentioned earlier, the lounge was really busy during my visit and so I ended up in the dining area of the lounge for my entire stay but I will definitely drop by the bar area on my next visit to check out the list of cocktails on offer. After taking a two years break from traveling, ordering the Laksa and enjoying a glass of Champagne (from Champagne Jacquart Mosaique Brut for those of you who care about labels) in the lounge was customary.

Seat 20A Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

This was a revenue ticket and I actually booked the flight using my American Express Singapore Airlines Business Credit Card which gives me 8.5 HighFlyer points per dollar (equivalent to almost 8.5 mpd) - you will earn 2.5 HighFlyer Points per dollar on the total spend, but 6 HighFlyer Points per dollar on the fare component of the ticket after taking the flight. Singapore Airlines deploys a 777-300ER for this route from Singapore to New York via Frankfurt. The Business Class cabin has been fitted with the 2013 J class products and they offer 55' of seat pitch (as compared to 38" and 32" in Premium Economy and Economy respectively) as well as a seat width of 28". There are a total of 48 Business Class seats on this plane and it was completely full on my flight in late March 2022.

Business Class Cabin Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

Every Business Class seat on the 777-300ER comes with direct aisle access as it features a 1-2-1 seat configuration. I will not go too much into the hard product as it has not changed over the years but the flight experience is definitely slightly different in a post-COVID world. Firstly, pre-departure drinks are no longer offered but a cabin crew did come around to confirm my meal choices (from the Book The Cook menu) as well as my preference for a drink that will be served after take-off. Mask-wearing on the plane was still required but passengers may remove it when drinking or eating during the flight - they would have to keep the mask on otherwise; even while sleeping.

SIA Care Kit Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

While personal amenities such as socks, slippers, sleep masks, and earplugs used to be placed on the seat, they are now only handed out upon request - a strange thing to do if you ask me since they do not really cost that much and I think most passengers would want a pair of disposable slippers on a 13-hour flight to Frankfurt. Penhaligon-branded Business Class amenity kits are also offered on flights above six hours but these are also only available upon request - each kit comes with a hand lotion (30ml), lip balm (4g), and a facial mist (7ml), as well as a voucher for a 100ml sample at a physical Penhaligon store. Located in one of the bins near the stowed-away table are a bottle of water and an SIA Care Kit which comes with an anti-bacterial wipe (so you can do #TheShutterwipe and tag me on Instagram ), a bottle of hand sanitiser, and a disposable face mask.

Champagne and Nuts Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

Shortly after the seatbelt sign has been turned off, my choice of beverage (Champagne, obviously), as well as some nuts, were served. I am always up for a proper pour and unlike wine, a half-filled Champagne glass is not something you should expect - the pours from FRA-JFK were a lot more generous but more on that later. One thing that I do like a lot about Singapore Airlines is how everything runs like clockwork and to be honest, this is also one of the main criticism that I hear a lot from frequent travellers as the streamlining of the process makes it more challenging to provide tailored service (but hey, there's always First Class for that).

Hot Smoked Salmon Salad Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

The crew began supper service shortly after that and if you are traveling to New York via SQ26, I highly recommend that you try to stay up as much as possible to minimise the impact of jetlag. I am pretty disciplined when it comes to traveling and I will usually set my clock to the destination city's time zone (GMT -4) so I can try to adapt as quickly as possible. Even if you are not planning to eat, do try to stay up and leave most of the sleeping for the FRA-JFK leg (or whenever it is time to sleep in New York). It has been slightly over two years since I have enjoyed a meal on a plane (with the exception of Restaurant A380 @ Changi in 2020 of course) so I was pretty excited about it. An appetiser of Hot Smoked Salmon Salad was served alongside an assortment of bread and obviously, garlic bread was a straightforward choice. Do note that a lot of these dishes are served alongside a plastic lid or cling wrap at this point due to the COVID-19 situation but they are expected to go away in the near future when more restrictions are lifted.

Lobster Thermidor Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

Passengers traveling in Business Class from Singapore to Frankfurt on SQ26 have the following choices for the main course:

Parmesan and Herb Crusted Chicken Breast

Thai Rad Nar Talay

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh

While I was tempted to go for the Song Fa Bak Kut Teh (only because it feels ridiculous to eat something like that onboard), I made the decision to try out the newly-improved Lobster Thermidor with Fondant Potato and Buttered Seasonal Vegetables (only available on flights with a flight time of more than 3.5 hours) from the Book The Cook menu. While the presentation of the meal can be improved (and having said that, I have actually seen worse on Instagram) the taste was actually a whole lot better than what it used to be. If you look past the idea of the lobster tail looking a whole lot like an offspring of Lumpy Space Princess, this dish is actually delicious and it is certainly less carb-heavy for those looking for a slightly lighter alternative.

Sticky Date Pudding Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

For dessert, a Sticky Date Pudding was served and while I was tempted to have a double espresso to help me stay awake for longer, I decided to stick with Champagne. With a full belly and an intoxicated liver, I started to watch some of the movies that I have always wanted to (but never found the right motivation to go to a cinema) on KrisWorld. If possible, you should always try to find out the timing of the meal services so you can wake up slightly ahead of everyone to use the lavatories. As mentioned earlier, the Business Cabin was running at full load when I traveled from Singapore to Frankfurt and there are only four lavatories for 48 seats - imagine the madness when everyone wakes up at the same time (and most of us would spend a few minutes freshening up).

Double Espresso Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

I did end up taking a short 2-3 hour nap after supper and woke up a couple of hours ahead of everyone so I had plenty of time to brush my teeth, freshen up, and even get a double espresso at some point (I always try not to have coffee until it's almost time for the cabin lights to turn on in case the smell wakes them). Flying in one of the premium cabins on Singapore Airlines is always such a treat as you are usually well taken care of by the team (especially if you have a great IFM on the flight).

Sliced Fruits Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

Breakfast service started about 90-120 minutes prior to landing in Frankfurt and a platter of sliced fruits was served. I was also offered some muesli and yogurt after the fruit platter but I have decided to skip that starter course as I do have a pretty heavy main course coming up.

Croissant Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

An assortment of bread was also offered by one of the cabin crew - do remember that garlic bread is not offered during breakfast service so if you have been meaning to try out your first Business Class experience (and obviously the garlic bread is a rite of passage), you should consider booking an afternoon or evening flight to get the full experience.

Bar Chor Mee Soup Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

There were three options for the main course on this flight during the breakfast service:

Scrambled Eggs with Chicken Sausage

Pancake with Back Bacon

Assorted Dim Sum

Having seen the in-flight menu ahead of time (you should always check this via the Singapore Airlines app), I have decided to prebook the Bak Chor Mee Soup from the Book The Cook menu ahead of time - I have such fond memories of this dish when I used to fly frequently during pre-pandemic days but sadly, this dish was quite a disappointment on this flight. There was barely any dried sole fish and the pork lard was stale in this Bak Chor Mee dish. I would probably give it another try in the near future on a medium- or long-haul flight but there are better options to choose from.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mark Chua (@theshutterwhale)

When landing in Frankfurt, make sure you have all the necessary documents (e.g. ESTA, passport, pre-departure test results, and the notarised vaccination certificate) on-hand as they will be checked before you are allowed entry into the gate hold area of the airport. Business Class passengers are typically invited to use the Lufthansa Business Lounge at Frankfurt Airport while transiting (and make sure you walk fast since the layover is only about an hour) but if you hold any Star Alliance Gold status (e.g. KrisFlyer Elite Gold), you may consider going to the Lufthansa Senator Lounge instead. The Lufthansa Senator Lounge is typically reserved for First Class passengers traveling on Singapore Airlines but it is also open to Star Alliance Gold members - the offerings are not fundamentally different across both lounges but the latter lounge is likely to be less busy.

Since I still hold the KrisFlyer Elite Gold status, I have decided to head straight to the Lufthansa Senator Lounge for a quick shower and some coffee. The shower suites at the lounge are great since it comes with an attached bathroom and a rainshower (complete with bath amenities from L'Occitane en Provence).

Depending on the time your flight from Singapore lands at Frankfurt Airport, you might have anywhere between 45-90 minutes to utilise the lounge facilities so make sure you plan your time wisely. I would suggest skipping the food at the lounge entirely (especially since they are mainly light bites) to enjoy the in-flight meal service instead.

Frankfurt Airport Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

After spending approximately 40 minutes in the Lufthansa Senator Lounge, I decided to head back to the boarding gate for my flight from FRA to JFK. Boarding of passengers was pretty quick and the load in Business Class was comparatively lighter (approximately 60% full) on this segment so it felt a little better (and the wait times for lavatories were a lot more reasonable).

I found myself back in Seat 20A and I love daytime flights since it allows me to leave the window shades open (without attracting strange glares from other passengers) to enjoy the natural daylight (which helps in combating any potential jetlag) and the view from above.

Inflight Amenities Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

Similar to my previous flight, slippers and other personal amenities are only provided upon request as the airline attempts to reduce waste (and save cost) across its fleet. Strangely enough, I was given a pair of slippers, a pair of socks, and a sleep mask even though I have only requested slippers.

Post Departure Beverage Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

As expected, pre-departure drinks were not offered but my meal selections were confirmed by a cabin crew as they went around to find out what our preferred beverage of choice was after take-off. The Champagne pour on this segment was a lot more generous and in line with expectations. I also love that the Champagne temperature was just right as it really makes a difference - nothing worse than being served warm Champagne !

Business Class Amenity Kit Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

Business Class amenity kits are typically offered on flights of more than 6 hours but you will have to request them as they will not be placed on your seat (unlike most other airlines). The Penhaligon-branded amenity kits are actually quite nice and even though they do not come with too many things inside, the bag itself is great as you can repurpose it to hold foreign currencies, loose cables, your passport as well as all the documentation (folded, of course) that you need to get through immigration quickly.

Singapore Chicken Satay Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

At some point, you were able to have the SIA Signature Satay delivered to your home if you were willing to pay S$98 for 48 pieces of satay. Honestly, that’s pretty wild and I would very much rather enjoy them in-flight. A canape of Singapore Chicken Satay was served on my flight from FRA to JFK and honestly, it has been almost a year and a half since I have had them - they were as good as I remember them to be!

Starter Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

Next an appetiser of Marinated Prawns with Apple-Celeriac Remoulade was served - this highly-photogenic dish was just as good as it looks. Honestly, the quality of food out of FRA so far has been rather impressive as the prawns were all properly deveined, plump and fresh. Obviously when one of the cabin crews went around with the bread basket, I opted for the garlic bread once again - they were slightly different from the flights out of Singapore but I guess that is due large to the supply of bread.

Prawn Wanton Noodle Soup Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

Business Class passengers have the following choices for the main course on the FRA-JFK segment:

Roasted Chicken Breast with Black Truffle Jus

Steamed Halibut Filet in Soy Ginger Garlic Sauce

Pnang Nuer (Thai Beef Curry)

While the Roasted Chicken Breast with Black Truffle Jus sounded great, I have actually pre-booked (yet another) Book The Cook meal for this flight - the Prawn Wanton Noodle Soup. Unfortunately, this dish was a disappointment (and maybe having two prawn dishes successively might not have been a good idea in hindsight). The dumpling skin was doughy and powdery, and the broth has no depth to it at all.

Black Forest Gateau Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

For dessert, I went for the Black Forest Gateau (which is really my favourite kind of cake) and the Sliced Fresh Fruits but passengers also have the option of Gourmet Cheese Served with Garnishes as well as the Movenpick Lemon Lime Sorbet. I also had what I think was my fifth cup of coffee since Singapore but soon drifted off to sleep as it was nighttime in New York (and I was trying my best to adapt).

View from Seat 20A Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

Traveling internationally after taking two years off is difficult and I honestly felt like I have lost some of that momentum throughout the years. Still, once you get to your seat, everything feels almost like second nature - you remember how to operate everything in your seat, you know what is acceptable and what isn’t but most importantly, looking out of the window to the view makes it all worthwhile.

Ham and Cheese Toasties Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ26 777-300ER - SIN to JFK

Prior to landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport, we were served (yet another) snack of Ham and Cheese Toasties with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and olives. Flying from Singapore to New York is always tiring regardless of cabin class but I am glad to be flying on Singapore Airlines again - the food and service are as good as I remember them to be, but most importantly, it makes international travel so much more bearable when you have got a solid hard and soft product in the air.

Qatar Airways is currently offering up to 13% savings on flights when you book and pay using a Visa card that is issued in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam - book by 30 June 2024, travel by 31 December 2024.

You will no longer require to fly on Alaska Airlines to earn elite status in the Mileage Plan program from 2024 - this is a great way to earn both PPS Club and oneworld elite status at the same time!

Alaska Airlines will be introducing new award charts for redemption using Mileage Plan miles from March 2024 - this is how it would affect Asia Pacific redemptions.

Singapore Airlines Trip Report – Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s Longest Flight

• Singapore Airlines SQ 21 – Newark (EWR) to Singapore (SIN) – All Business Class on the Longest Flight in the World!
• W Retreat Koh Samui
• The St. Regis Singapore
• Le Méridien Bangkok
• Le Méridien Angkor

Pre-Flight Singapore Airlines does not offer car service to the airport so I made my own way to Newark from Manhattan, probably the most frustrating part of this trip!  I didn’t leave particularly early as I knew there was no Singapore Airlines lounge at Newark and that passengers are instead given access to the SAS Club Lounge. Check-in was brisk and there were approximately four open desks with no other passengers in sight.  I had my boarding pass and lounge invitation in under five minutes and proceeded through security to the SAS lounge.  I had visited this lounge a few times before and while adequate, I had never been overly impressed.  The lounge is on the smaller size and always feels like a cramped IKEA.  Anyway, they had a selection of crackers, breads, and cheeses as well as some veggies at first followed by chicken and vegetarian rolls closer to the flight time.  There is complimentary wifi, however there are few other amenities provided and there is no view of the Singapore plane from the lounge.

Boarding & Flight I left the lounge early and headed to the gate, I wanted to see the aircraft and was curious about the boarding process as all passengers are in Singapore’s Raffles Business Class. They gate agent announced that all Singapore KrisFlyer elite members would board, followed by Star Alliance elite, passengers in the back rows of the plane, passengers in the front rows, and then the middle rows.  I was in seat 37A (considered the back) but boarded with the Star Alliance elite group.

Two flight attendants were there to greet me as I walked on to the plane and another two greeted me in the middle section and again when I reached the back.  Even though the flight was completely sold out, the boarding process with only 100 passengers was painless and quick.  I was offered a drink prior to take off and went with some champagne.

The boarding door closed early and we began our taxi to the runway about 12 minutes ahead of schedule.  The Newark to Singapore flight crosses the Atlantic as you would on a transatlantic trip to Europe and then continues southeast towards Singapore.  Unfortunately, the captain informed everyone that there would be moderate turbulence for most of the Atlantic crossing and that we would take an extremely southern route over the ocean to minimize the bumps.  Once we were up in the air the flight attendants came around with menus and snacks, but no amenity kits. Instead we were given eye masks and socks and the bathrooms were stocked with dental and shaving kits. It was a little surprising considering that kits are standard on the majority of US carriers operating much shorter flights and that purchasing a round-trip ticket on SQ 21 /22 averages between $8500-$11000.

Supper Menu

Due to the turbulence, dinner was not served until about three hours into the flight but it was truly delicious. I really enjoyed the grilled black cod and the the crab and mango salad starter. It was also crazy to see the “Singapore Girls”  doing their best to walk professionally down the aisles while serving the food during moderate turbulence.  I fly all the time and this was some of the worst turbulence I’ve ever experienced.  I was surprised they even got the OK to get up at all, tough we might have had to skip dinner otherwise as the turbulence continued for the entire Atlantic crossing until we made landfall over the UK.

After about two movies in, I began to get hungry again and started browsing the light bites menu.  There’s a snack area on board that offers bananas, apples, chips, and nuts, but I wanted something more substantial.  I decided to go for the warm philly steak as well as some dim sum… I know what a combination!   The philly steak was surprisingly good for something that was obviously frozen and re-heated and the chicken and vegetable dumplings were great.

Once I satisfied my hunger it was time to sit back and enjoy some movies.  The entertainment system was excellent and consisted of a 15.4 inch screen, noise canceling headphones, and over 70 films. You’re also able to connect an iPhone, Blackberry, or any USB device to the system to watch your own movies or photos, this was extremely convenient as I was three episodes behind on the Amazing Race and quickly transferred them from my MacBook Air to a USB thumb drive for viewing. The seat itself was very comfortable with a width about 30 inches and a reclining position that I found really comfortable.  The seat flips into a bed as well when you’re ready to try to get some sleep.

For someone who is under six feet tall I found the bed to be extremely comfortable, though I did wish that the pillow was full size like those that Delta provides.  I’m not much of a sleeper anyway (even on an 18+ hour flight), so I really used the bed to relax and watch movies. I saw other people flipping their own seats into beds but when I went to do mine one of the flight attendants came over and made the bed for me (rookie mistake – no one flips their own bed on this flight).  She softly placed the padding, a duvet, and the pillow in place and brought me two extra water bottles. The service throughout was truly excellent and I constantly received water and club soda refills, in fact I completely emptied them out of club soda and sparking water.  If you prefer not to be interrupted you can press a do not disturb button on your remote which illuminates a do not disturb sign. The aircraft is also equipped with mood lighting as well which is adjusted based on the time of day and cabin service.

I also tried some authentic drinks, the Silver Kris Sling and of course the Singapore Sling…

Well after a total of five movies, a few of my own TV shows, and a short nap we were only a little over two hours from landing and breakfast was ready to be served.

I actually got to speak with one of the pilots while waiting for the bathroom and besides discussing how turbulent the flight was he mentioned that the updated route added about 40 minutes to our flying time and increased our distance by several miles, back at my seat the screen was showing that we had already traveled 10,179 miles.

Overall the flight was excellent with great entertainment, food, and service and an extremely comfortable bed and seat. The 19 hours literally flew by and there were still two movies that I was upset I didn’t have a chance to finish viewing!  I even snapped a few pictures and exchanged emails with several of the flight attendants once everyone else deplaned.

Remember, Singapore began releasing saver first and business class award seats to their KrisFlyer members about two months ago and Star Alliance partners have had access to a few last minute award seats as well.  I was successful in finding award availability using United’s website about three days prior to the departure date.

Need award booking assistance? Consider  Juicy Miles  for all your award booking needs!

• Singapore Airlines First Class 777-300ER Houston (IAH) – Moscow (DME) Part 1
• Singapore Airlines First Class 777-300ER Moscow (DME) – Singapore (SIN) & DME Transfer Lounge Part 2
• The Singapore Airlines Private Room @ SilverKris Lounge Terminal 3 & SilverKris Lounge Terminal 2 @ SIN
• Singapore Airlines Business Class 777-200 Singapore (SIN) – Bali (DPS)
• How Much Do Singapore Airlines Flight Attendants Get Paid for Providing Great Service?

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Adam is the proud Founder and CEO of both Point Me to the Plane and point.me . An international consultant turned TV programming strategist, Adam currently works full-time on both websites. His obsession with points and miles dates back to his freshman year at college. After browsing Flyertalk and Mileage Workshop, Adam pulled the trigger and signed up for his first Citibank AAdvantage credit card and MCI phone line (yes, landlines still existed). Back then, both deals were churnable and in no time at all, the college freshman had enough miles to travel to Europe and Asia in First Class for free, multiple times. Needless to say, he was hooked! Fast forward a few years and Adam of course ended up in a career with a heavy travel requirement…which meant extra miles for awards! As his colleagues and friends started to hear about and see pictures from his trips, they wanted in on the secret and Adam began to assist them with their bookings, Juicy Miles was born. At the same time, Adam started an email newsletter to prevent those less obsessed co-workers from squandering their point collection opportunities. The bi-weekly email covered everything from upcoming promotions, guidance on maximizing points, and redemption advice. The distribution quickly expanded outside the office and Point Me to the Plane became a BoardingArea blog.

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Great trip report!

Distance Travelled 10k+ Very cool. Don’t see that very often.

@ Levi Flight – Yea, was very cool, the total distance ended up being 10,268 mi. @ Angelina – Thanks!

More pictures please, but I’m jealous. It’s crazy to be on a 18-19 hr flight

MilePoint had a discussion on this flight recently – only A340-500 can do this for now “they can fill the plane 95% four days a week with fare-paying J pax”

http://milepoint.com/forums/threads/a340-500-vs-747-400-vs-777-200.36213/

Star Alliance partners have had access to a few last minute award seats as well. I was successful in finding award availability using United’s website about three days prior to the departure date. ===================================

Did you use UA miles or just their website for searching? I wonder if i could us US dividend miles on such a flight?

@ Mike S. – I used the UA website and UA miles. In practice, if you do find the award on UA’s website it would indicate a standard award is available and you should therefore be able to book the same flight with US. Though this doesn’t always seem to happen for some reason…

[…] Singapore Airlines Trip Report – Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s … Recent CommentsBob W on Delta Adds New Caribbean Routes – Can You Find Any Award Availablity?adam on Park Inn by Radisson 1+1 Stay One, Get One – Promo LIVEGroucho mama on Park Inn by Radisson 1+1 Stay One, Get One – Promo LIVEadam on Park Inn by Radisson 1+1 Stay One, Get One – Promo LIVEGroucho mama on Park Inn by Radisson 1+1 Stay One, Get One – Promo LIVECategories […]

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I recently did the Newark Singapore direct flight – envy you – you got to enjoy most of the flight and eats, I slept almost 8 hours and missed breakfast! However try booking the cook for dinner – they do a great herb crusted lamb loin out of Newark.

[…] Report…and lots of pictures – Point Me To The Plane on St. Regis Singapore – Trip ReportSingapore Airlines Trip Report – Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s … on W Retreat Koh Samui – Trip Report…and lots of picturesRapid Travel Chai on Delta […]

[…] four of a Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia trip report covering our stay at the Le Méridien Bangkok: Part 1 – SQ 21 – Newark (EWR) to Singapore (SIN) Business Class on the Longest Flight in… Part 2- W Retreat Koh Samui Part 3 – The St. Regis Singapore Part 4 – Le Méridien […]

[…] four of a Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia trip report covering our stay at the Le Méridien Bangkok: Part 1 – SQ 21 – Newark (EWR) to Singapore (SIN) Business Class on the Longest Flight in the Wor…Part 2- W Retreat Koh SamuiPart 3 – The St. Regis SingaporePart 4 – Le Méridien BangkokPart 5 […]

[…] two itineraries figuring as a Platinum member I could cancel them later with no fee .  Though I’ve flown Singapore’s all business EWR-SIN flight, I’ve never had the opportunity to experience their first class service and it was an […]

[…] Related Post – Trip Report – Singapore Airlines EWR-SIN using UA Miles. […]

[…] Now, I had already posted an entry right after my flight titled, SQ First-Class Disappointment? Broken TVs & Seats, Hair in Food, & Very Sick Passengers, as there were some unexpected blunders, but there were also some amazing surprises. This was my first Singapore First Class experience, though I had flown with them before and had an excellent experience on their direct and all Business Class Newark – Singapore flight. […]

[…] Anbei noch ein tripreport Singapore Airlines Trip Report – Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s … […]

[…] Singapore Airlines Trip Report – Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s Longest Flig… […]

A great flight report – and one heck of a loooooong flight. Wow!

[…] Singapore Airlines Trip Report – Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s Longest Flig… (#1) […]

[…] As a travel and aviation enthusiast, I feel very fortunate that I got to experience this flight (both ways) and you can see that Trip Report here – Singapore Airlines Trip Report – Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s Longest Flig…. […]

[…] Singapore Airlines SQ 21 – Newark (EWR) to Singapore (SIN) – All Business Class on the Long… […]

[…] Singapore Airlines Trip Report – Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s … on Singapore Airlines Private Room & SilverKris First Trip Report […]

[…] Singapore Airlines SQ 21 – Newark (EWR) to Singapore (SIN) – All Business Class on the Longest … […]

[…] Singapore Airlines Trip Report – Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s Longest Flig… (Retired #1) […]

[…] Trip Report – Singapore Airlines Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s Longest … […]

[…] Trip Report – Singapore Airlines Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s Longest Flig… […]

[…] For years, the longest nonstop flight—by distance and by flying time—has been the one between Newark (EWR) and Singapore (SIN). Singapore Airlines flew the route with a specially configured A340-500. The route operated for almost 10 years, from 2004 to 2013, until the economics no longer worked for ultra-long flights like this. We were lucky enough to fly this route back in 2012 – Singapore Airlines Trip Report – Newark to Singapore Business Class – The World’s Longest Flig… […]

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World’s longest flight: A review of Singapore Airlines' A350-900ULR in business class from Newark to Singapore

During the COVID-19 crisis, our team has temporarily ceased taking review trips and we are not publishing new flight or hotel reviews. While bringing our readers unbiased, detailed reviews of travel experiences is one of our core missions, now is not the time. We all love to travel and know you do too. So, to help keep you entertained — and maybe inspire you — we are republishing a selection of the most popular reviews on our site, including the one below. Hopefully, this will help you once we're all ready to start booking trips again.

This review was originally published in January of this year. The Singapore Airlines nonstop flight from Newark to Singapore was last operated on March 25, and the airline has cancelled most of its flights for the time being.

[tpg_rating ticket-class="business" tpg-rating-score="84" ground-experience="15" cabin-seat="23" amens-ife="13" food-bev="18" service="15" pros="Tons of IFE content on KrisWorld, top-notch food and beverages, impeccable service." cons="Seat uncomfortable for lounging or sleeping, usage-based Wi-Fi pricing, poor headphones." /]

Singapore Airlines has held the title for the world's longest commercial flight on and off for the last several years, but last year Qantas of Australia made a splash when it decided to fly two of its brand-new 787 Dreamliners from New York and London to Sydney.

As part of Project Sunrise, Qantas used these flights as tests to learn more about the effects of ultralong-haul flying, but those were one-off test flights with no paying passengers aboard.

So the title of world's longest scheduled commercial flight is still owned by SQ21, which operates daily between Newark (EWR) and Singapore (SIN). With a block time of 18 and a half hours to complete the 9,534-mile journey, Singapore Flight 21 is, well, long . This flight has always been on my AvGeek bucket list, so I couldn't have been happier about being stuck in a metal tube for so much time. After my experience, though, it became clear that the flight's certainly not for everyone.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6lnrIpFrer/

RELATED: 18 thoughts I had while flying the world's longest flight

Because of the convenience of a nonstop flight, Singapore charges a pretty hefty premium for biz-class tickets on the flight. It's not unusual to see fares hovering closely to $5,000 or more for the round trip. If you don't need a flat bed, though, it's pretty easy to find deals on premium economy on this flight .

If you're set on flying flat, your best bet is to use miles for your ticket. Unfortunately, Singapore long-haul flights can't be booked with most Star Alliance partners. Your only two options are booking directly with Singapore KrisFlyer or with Alaska Mileage Plan .

Singapore releases a fair number of saver biz-class award seats, and the saver KrisFlyer award availability should match that of Alaska Mileage Plan. Singapore charges 99,000 miles for a saver seat, while Alaska charges 100,000 miles. Singapore also offers Advantage awards, which are more expensive (140,000 miles) than saver awards in exchange for expanded award availability.

Although no credit card points transfer to Alaska, all four of the major points currencies ( Amex Membership Rewards , Chase Ultimate Rewards , Citi ThankYou Rewards and Capital One Miles ) transfer to KrisFlyer.

[flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Ground Experience" tpg-rating="15" tpg-rating-max="20" tail="9V-SGF" age="1" departure="10" departure-2="12" duration="17" duration-2="54" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

Flight SQ 21 departs from Terminal B at Newark Liberty International Airport , which is home to almost all international airlines flying out of Newark. Since most of the international departures from Newark leave in the afternoon and evening, Terminal B was empty when I got there at 7 a.m.

Singapore's check-in counters are on the third level of Terminal B, and there was no wait for any of the 10 counters. I had already checked in online but couldn't print my boarding pass without visiting a counter.

The check-in agent was extremely friendly as she engaged me in small talk. She printed my boarding pass and directed me to the security checkpoint and lounge.

Even though I had TSA PreCheck printed on my boarding pass , the PreCheck lane wasn't open that early.

Singapore doesn't operate a lounge in Newark and instead contracts the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse for its business-class passengers. The Clubhouse is one level above the gates, easily accessible by stairs or elevator.

The friendly lounge agent greeted me with a smile and explained that all food and beverages were included during my lounge visit. I chuckled when he handed me the lounge's Wi-Fi password (it was " Spirit," like the budget airline).

The lounge was packed when I arrived. Virgin Atlantic flights don't depart until much later in the day, so the lounge must've been full with Singapore passengers. You can also access the Virgin Atlantic lounge with Priority Pass , but only between the hours of 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The lounge is basically just one large room with different seating areas. There are no windows, and this is definitely one of the more bare-bones lounges that Virgin operates.

There is a small bar and some formal dining tables, but you can order off the menu from anywhere in the lounge.

Virgin was serving breakfast when I visited, and I wanted to save my appetite for food on board. All food and drinks were served by a waiter, as there was no buffet in the lounge.

My biggest gripe with the lounge was the bathroom and shower situation. There are two single-use restrooms and two single-use showers that double as restrooms when no one is showering. For a lounge that can easily fit 100 people, two single-use restrooms aren't enough. I had to wait multiple times to use the restroom.

I spent about 45 minutes in the lounge getting caught up with work before heading to the gate. The gate area was empty, which wasn't surprising, since Singapore A350-900ULRs — the ultra-long-range version of the Airbus A350 — only have 161 seats.

The departures board was the first and only reference to Singapore's flight being the world's longest.

Boarding began exactly 30 minutes before departure, and the entire plane was boarded within 15 minutes.

[flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Cabin and Seat" tpg-rating="23" tpg-rating-max="30" configuration="1" configuration-2="2" configuration-3="1" width="28" bed="73" tray="20" tray-2="14" lavs="4" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

Singapore's business-class cabins on the A350 are really sleek and visually appealing. Seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration and split across two cabins. The cabin feels incredibly spacious, thanks to the lack of overhead bins in the middle of the plane.

The more intimate forward business-class cabin only has five rows of seats. The main business-class cabin is double the size, with 10 rows of seats. I'd definitely choose a seat in the forward cabin in the future for its privacy.

If you're flying alone, I'd do everything in my power to select a window seat, though a couple would find the middle seats great. There is a small privacy partition that extended between the middle seats for pairs of strangers.

The seats themselves are stunning. I particularly liked how the colors alternated between beige and brown. To add more privacy, the window and middle seats are slightly staggered from each other.

The leather seats definitely gave me boardroom vibes, but they were slightly more uncomfortable than a plush office chair.

At 28 inches wide, these are some of the widest business-class seats in the industry. But though the seats are wide enough to fit two average people, the footwell is incredibly small. Furthermore, because of the cabin configuration, the footwell is misaligned with the seat, meaning that you have to either sleep diagonally or in a fetal position.

I'm about 5 feet, 10 inches, and I had issues getting comfortable while sleeping or relaxing. If you're tall, you'll definitely want to choose a bulkhead seat, which has unobstructed footwells.

If the bulkheads are taken, you might want to consider another routing, since you may have trouble sleeping on the 18-and-a-half-hour flight.

There is a legrest that can be raised to 180 degrees, but the seat itself doesn't recline that much. When it's time for bed, flight attendants convert your seat into a bed by flipping the seat over, kind of like a Murphy bed.

Once in bed mode, you can't raise the seat to watch TV or get more comfortable. The bed is incredibly wide, but the sleeping surface noticeably hard. Singapore used a thin mattress pad that didn't help soften the seat.

There is also an uncomfortable diagonal seatbelt that you needed to wear while sleeping when the sign belt sign was illuminated.

The seat has plenty of storage. There is a narrow shelf for sliding in books, computers, iPads and papers. There is also an enclosed compartment to the right of the TV above the cup holder.

Just below the cup holder is a small mirror. There is another enclosed storage compartment on the armrest, which is where I found a bottle of water and the provided headphones.

The self-explanatory seat controls are on the armrest closest to the aisle.

The other nice thing about the seats is the variety in lighting choices. It's nice to be able to simulate an office environment when the cabin lights are dimmed. There are three lights to the left of the seat, one to the right and one above the seat. (There aren't any personal air nozzles next to the overhead light, though).

When it'a time to eat or work, the tray table can be extended from the armrest adjacent the window. The 20-inch-wide and 14-inch-long tray table is massive and can be raised or lowered. The tray table also swivels for easy egress during meals.

There are four standard-size bathrooms for the 67 business-class passengers. There was never much of a line, and the bathrooms were kept pristine throughout the flight.

Overall, the seats definitely look prettier than they are comfortable. The seat and bed are quite hard, the footwell is tiny and awkwardly positioned, and the seat doesn't recline much. Though the oversized width compensates for some of the seat's flaws, I'd still prefer a reverse-herringbone seat over the ones Singapore installed on the Airbus A350-900ULR.

[flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Amenities and IFE" tpg-rating="13" tpg-rating-max="15" screen="18" movies="301" tv-shows="700" live-tv="No" tailcam="No" wifi="0.01" wifi-2="1.46" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

Singapore's Airbus A350-900ULR operates some of the world's longest flights , so you'll be happy to hear that there's plenty of content to keep you occupied during your journey. KrisWorld, Singapore's inflight-entertainment system, had over 300 movies and 700 TV shows. Of the movies, about 20% of them were new releases like "The Lion King," "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" and "Toy Story 4." If you're a frequent traveler, you'll be thrilled to learn that Singapore rotates many of their movies on a monthly basis. In November, Singapore offered 79 new movies on board.

Aside from random TV episodes, there were 49 full seasons of TV shows, including HBO classics like "Big Little Lies" and "Game of Thrones," as well as dramas like "Billions" and "This Is Us."

There was also a robust game and music library on KrisWorld. With all the content, I didn't miss the lack of live TV — and I almost didn't miss the tailcam.

The moving map was high-quality and highly customizable.

Although the content selection itself was impressive, the actual TV screen was not. The high-definition TV screen measured 18 inches wide and tilted slightly downward to make it easier to watch TV in bed (though it still wasn't particularly comfortable).

Unlike most other cutting-edge entertainment systems, Singapore's was not touchscreen. Like a toddler, I found myself stupidly pressing the screen for a few minutes before realizing that I needed to use the remote instead.

Bring your own pair of headphones ( AirPods Pro in my case ), since the sound quality of the unbranded active-noise-canceling headphones Singapore provided was just OK.

For a flight so long, it's important to be connected to home, but Singapore dropped the ball on inflight connectivity. Wi-Fi, provided by Panasonic, was available throughout the flight. Note, however, that most flights on this route go via the North Pole, where there's no satellite connection. To take advantage of favorable winds, though, we proceeded via Europe, so we had a Wi-Fi signal the entire flight.

Business-class passengers got 100 MB of free Wi-Fi, and any additional data cost extra. Singapore charges based on usage, as opposed to time, which is really frustrating. I purchased a 200 MB package of Wi-Fi for $15.99, and I was through with the pass within 30 minutes. Expect a hefty bill if you're looking to stay connected for most of the flight.

Furthermore, the speeds themselves weren't great. I measured 779 ms of ping and 1.46 Mbps download. The upload test repeatedly failed.

There is a universal power outlet, a 0.5 A and 1.0 A USB port as well as iPod (really!) and HDMI connectors.

In terms of amenities, Singapore takes a different approach from most other carriers: They don't offer traditional amenity kits. Instead, there were low-quality slippers, socks and an eye mask waiting at my seat during boarding.

If you wanted traditional amenities, they were in the bathrooms. The lavs were stocked with single-use mouthwash, toothbrushes, shaving kits, combs and hairbrushes. There was also a shared bottle of eau du toilette, facial mist and hand lotion made by the British perfume house Penhaligon's in each restroom.

Flight attendants came through with a toiletries bag about midway through the flight. The bag had Laundress fabric freshener and fabric wrinkle remover, as well as hand cleanser, lip balm and a 1-quart Ziplock bag for toiletries. It was definitely a nice touch, but I missed the traditional amenity kit.

There was one plush pillow on the seat during boarding. Flipping the seat into bed mode revealed two other similarly sized pillows, as well as a thin mattress pad and duvet. While the mattress pad and duvet were of average quality, I loved that Singapore gave three plush pillows. It made all the difference in getting somewhat comfortable on the otherwise hard bed.

[flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Food and Beverage" tpg-rating="18" tpg-rating-max="20" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" meals="2" champagne="Laurent Perrier Brut La Cuvée" dine-on-demand="Yes" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

With over 18 hours in the air, you're bound to get hungry at some point. Fortunately, Singapore's menu is exhaustive, and the food actually tastes good.

Once I got seated, the flight attendant serving my aisle came through with a tray of predeparture drinks. Singapore didn't serve liquor on the ground, but I knew I'd have plenty once airborne, so I selected the coconut pineapple agua fresca — definitely a refreshing way to start the voyage.

As we were on our climb out, I browsed the menu for the flight. Singapore outlines the dining schedule in the menu, and I was happy to see that there was a meal right after departure, as well as a second meal on demand anytime between eight and 16 hours into the flight. Refreshments were always available on demand after the first meal service was completed.

Aside from the extensive inflight menu, Singapore also offers its Book the Cook service, which allows you to select from nine off-menu main courses at least 24 hours before your flight's departure. I was quite satisfied with what was being served on the inflight menu, so I made all my selections on board.

Once we hit our initial cruising altitude, flight attendants came through taking drink and meal orders. I had the famous Singapore sling, which was served alongside warm nuts.

Lunch began shortly thereafter with a green salad, which was served with smoked salmon and avocado picked at a farm just days before our departure.

From the breadbasket, I took some of Singapore's famous garlic bread and a sesame pretzel roll to accompany my meal.

The main was served about 90 minutes after takeoff. The baked, cheese-herb-crusted halibut filet was a tad too tough. At least the vegetable medley and potato side were delicious.

Once my main was cleared, I had a choice of cherry ice cream or mocha mousse cake for dessert. I had the cherry ice cream, a refreshing treat to end my meal.

Lunch didn't fill me up. I hadn't eaten breakfast in the lounge, so I was still hungry. Fortunately, I had lots of time to try many of the refreshment options on board.

I started by perusing the snack basket. I took SunChips and nuts, which satisfied my salt craving. But then I started craving something sweet, so I raided the snack basket again, this time for a bag of Tate's cookies, a Hershey's cookies-and-creme bar and an unbranded package of peas and crackers.

The snacks held me over for a few hours. Although I wasn't totally hungry yet, I ordered more food, all in the name of research.

The two refreshments I tried were the tikka masala wrap and vegetarian rice noodles. Both were excellent, but I preferred the rice noodles. The wrap was served warm, and my only complaint was that I would've preferred naan instead of a traditional wrap. I have no complaints about the rice noodles — they simply hit the spot.

I fell into a brief food coma before being woken up about nine hours into the flight by the cabin lights. At this point, the crew was preparing to serve the second meal.

Just like all the other food I'd had thus far, this meal was delicious. The smoked trout appetizer was light and refreshing.

I had the steamed cod filet with fried soybean crumbs as my main, and it sure didn't disappoint. The cod was flaky and tender, and the spicy Asian noodles added kick to the otherwise bland fish.

There was a choice of chocolate cake or apple pie for dessert, but I was so full at this point that I chose neither.

Singapore did a fantastic job curating an exhaustive menu for the world's longest flight. Not only was I spoiled for choice, but everything I ate was delicious, too.

[flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Service" tpg-rating="15" tpg-rating-max="15" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="Yes" turndown-service="Yes" /]

When flying with Singapore Airlines, you're either going to have a good crew or a great one. On my flight, we had the latter.

From the moment I stepped aboard, I was referred to as "Mr. Griff" for the entire flight. Throughout the flight, the flight attendants checked on me every 20 minutes and offered snacks at each hour during the night. During the meal services, the crew was proactive about drink refills and removed my tray the minute I finished my food.

When the crew wasn't roaming the aisles, it only took them three minutes to respond to the call button.

In terms of service flow, it was interesting that the first meal was served on trays from trolleys while the second meal was placed directly on the tray table. I don't really have a preference for how the meal is served, especially since the service took about one and a half hours either way.

The crew also did a great job of catering to passengers' sleeping schedules. Some passengers went right to bed after takeoff, but the crew kept their lunches waiting for them if they wanted it when they woke up. The flight attendants were incredibly flexible about mixing and matching courses as well, and I heard one passenger request a lunch appetizer for dinner.

After experiencing 18 hours of Singapore's legendary service, it was clear to me how the carrier continually wins awards for the best airline service.

Overall impression

So would I do it again? Absolutely — and that's not just the AvGeek in me talking.

SQ21 is a really special flight. Aside from the title of the world's longest flight, the dining experience and service are so good that you may not want to get off the plane when you land.

The biggest issue with the flight was the seat itself. Though the seat is oversized compared to competitors, it's not comfortable for relaxing or sleeping, especially if you prefer a soft mattress or have trouble sleeping at an angle.

My recommendation? Do whatever you can to select a bulkhead seat on this flight. If you can't, rest assured knowing that there's enough IFE content to keep you entertained for multiple trips from New York to Singapore. But if you're a particularly sensitive sleeper, it may make sense to seek an alternative routing with a more comfortable seat.

All photos by the author.

Review: Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Class

At last, my long-awaited trip on Singapore Airlines onboard the A380 in Suites Class had arrived. My expectations were dangerously high. Could this flight live up to those expectations?

In This Post:

Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Class Review

Singapore Airlines ran its flagship Airbus A380-800 service on flights between New York (JFK) and Singapore (SIN) via Frankfurt (FRA) till mid 2023. This review recounts the first leg from JFK to FRA. This was a very deliberate booking to experience the A380 on a true longhaul flight. These days, the A380 operates on routes between Singapore and:

• Auckland (AKL)
• Delhi (DEL)
• Hong Kong (HKG)
• London Heathrow (LHR)
• Melbourne (MEL)
• Mumbai (BOM)
• Sydney (SYD)
• Tokyo Narita (NRT)

Singapore Airlines offers its flights as both “saver” and “advantage” awards. The advantage award is also capacity restricted, but often available when saver space is not.  A one-way paid ticket would have been over $11,000 but cost 243K KrisFlyer miles (a saver award would have been 148.5K miles). Singapore KrisFlyer points can be transferred in from American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt, Capital One Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi Thank You…there are many ways to obtain KrisFlyer miles.

Check-In + Ground Service

Singapore Airlines operates out of Terminal 4 at JFK. I arrived about two hours before departure and found the check-in line oddly deserted.

My boarding passes (all the way to Bali) were issued and I was invited to use the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse (review here ) prior to the flight.

One area where Singapore Airlines is weak is its ground product. While you can expect escorts and car service on Air France, Lufthansa, and SWISS, Singapore did not even provide an exert to security or from the lounge to the aircraft.

Boarding began about 45 minutes prior to departure, with guests in Suites Class invited to board first.

Singapore 025 New York (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) Saturday, March 4 Depart: 8:15 PM Arrive: 9:50 AM+1 Duration: 7hr, 35min Aircraft: Airbus A380 Distance: 3,856 miles Seat: 3A (Suites Class)

Onboard, I was warmly greeted at the door by a flight attendant and escorted to my suite, 3A.

The first class cabin, located on the upper deck, features six suites designed by Zodiac in a 1-1 configuration. Suites 1A and 2A as well as 1F and 2F have a partition between seats that can be lowered for couples traveling together, creating a double bed and plenty of space to move around.

Each suite is includes a separate full-flat bed with adjustable recline and plush leather chair, enabling guests to lounge or rest without the need to convert the bed.

Seats are upholstered in Poltrona Frau leather and feel like a comfortable dentist chair (much like the Emirates 777-300ER first class seat). Seats can swivel between 135º and 270º and even recline 45º.

There’s also a closet and a large handbag stowage compartment.

A door can be closed to maximize privacy.

Seat controls adjust the seat, window shades, and lights.

There are also two power ports and two high-speed USB chargers.

The bed flips down…flight attendants prepared the bed for sleeping (mattress pad, duvet, and two pillows) after dinner. Quite candidly, I found the bed too hard and I generally prefer a firm mattress. The mattress pad was too thin. I still slept, but did not find this the most comfortable bed.

Here’s what the middle suite looks like (2A). You can see the partition that flips down to create a spacious shared suite.

Amenity Kit

Singapore partners with Lalique to offer an attractive leather amenity kit filled with Lalique products (body lotion, lip balm, soap, and room spray).

Separately, flight attendants offered more traditional things you find in an amenity kit, like slippers, socks, and eyeshades.

Pajamas are also Lalique and quite soft, with S, M, L, and XL sizes available. I chose medium and it was a good fit. Most important for me, the trousers had pockets. However, I ended up not even changing on this flight…I don’t like changing into pajamas on flights less than 10 hours…but I’ll model them for you on the next portion of this flight review.

Food + Drinks

You won’t go hungry on this flight…but the meal service also had a couple disappointing elements.

An elaborate menu was waiting inside the suite (opened to the dinner page and placed on a side table next to orchids).

Before we took off, Champagne was offered (a choice of Krug or Tattinger). I sampled both and preferred Tattinger.

Service began with a choice of beverage and a selection of mixed nuts. I loved how passengers were able to select thier own nuts amongst several choices. I had macadamia nuts and cashews along with a glass of Tattinger.

My table was set for dinner shortly after dinner, with a choice of bread offered (I chose garlic).

Next, I was invited to sample the trio of appetizers offered, including:

• with blinis and condiments
• Aerofarms, medley of baby bak choy and watercress, beet pure and dressed with grainy mustard vinaigrette
• with abalone and morel mushroom

First, caviar. While not my favorite delicacy, I was not going to turn down this treat that I only ever get to eat in first class. The caviar was carefully arranged with blinis, eggs, onions, sour cream, lemon wedges, and a mother of pearl spoon.

The lobster salad was a great…the lobster was flavorful and the mustard dressing provided a nice accent of flavor.

Then chicken soup, which had an abalone in the middle of the bowl.

I had pre-ordered a beef filet and it was horrible…one of the worst steaks I have ever had on an airplane.

While nicely presented, the meat was not only cooked to shoe leather consistency, but the flavor and quality was poor (gristle). I pushed it aside and a flight attendant, horrified, apologized and offered to bring me something else.

I switched to the pork belly, which was delicious and also something you do not often see on an airplane.

Although I was stuffed at this point, the meal continued with a cheese course…

…then concluded with a sumptuous pecan pistachio tart with vanilla ice cream and berries (and a decaf cappuccino).

Before going to sleep, a flight attendant asked me if I would like to be awakened for breakfast. After a dinner of that size I could have gone for days without eating…but I said yes for purposes of this review.

Ridiculously, I was awakened for breakfast before we even hit Ireland: there were still over two hours left in the flight. I understand that business class passengers have to be awakened about 90 minutes prior to landing in order to complete the assembly-line service in time, but I felt hat waking up first class passengers two hours before landing was totally unnecessary, especially when it appeared that I was the only one of six passengers who was even eating.

Oddly, there was no western breakfast option. Instead, was a choice between pork and egg congee or a smoked turkey sandwich.

Although it was 4:00 am in New York and 10:00 am in Frankfurt, the sandwich included a side salad and potato chips.

The sandwich was not bad: the cheese was nicely melted and the pesto spread was nice. I just wasn’t hungry…

I did eat some berries and had a cappuccino…that was more than enough.

IFE + Wi-Fi

Each suite features a 32-inch HD monitor mounted to the wall that can swivel to optimize viewing weather you are in the bed or the chair.

Noise-cancelling headphones from Bang & Olufsen were provided.

Singapore’s KrisWorld entertainment system offers hundreds of movies and TV shows to choose from, along with games and an extensive audio library. Put simply, you won’t be bored with a selection this wide.

I’m not sure whether to be ashamed or proud to admit that after finishing a chilling movie on euthanasia called Plan 75 , I spent hours and hours (on this flight and the connecting flight to Singapore) binge-watching White Lotus .

> Read More: I Spent My Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Flight…Binge-Watching White Lotus

I love Christmas music no matter the time of the year…

Complimentary wi-fi was available to first class passengers without data caps.

With first class located upstairs, Singapore offers two massive lavatories in the first class cabin to the left and right of the staircase. One even includes a sit-down vanity counter.

The smaller lavatory:

In my experience, service on Singapore Airlines can be hit or miss…I’ve had a couple questionable flights over the years, so my expectations were somewhat guarded. However, the cabin crew were absolutely delightful on this sector. Not only were they attentive, but they were charming and professional.

I do think starting the breakfast two hours before arrival is ridiculous and I strongly recommend you skip breakfast on this flight…but other than that service flow issue, the service was top-notch.

One aspect that really distinguishes a top-tier first class product is whether glasses are kept full. Here, the Champagne flowed freely and flight attendants carefully monitored to ensure that drink glasses never remained empty for more than a few moments.

We landed in Frankfurt on-time. All passengers had to exit, even those connecting to Singapore on the same aircraft, so that the plane could be cleaned and for the crew change.

This flight was far too short, which made me very happy to be continuing to Singapore on a 12-hour flight…but while not perfect (horrible beef, hard bed, early wake-up), it was such a pleasure to fly. I would not rank this as my favorite first class product, but I was so happy to finally fly this product.

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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15 comments.

Happy to read you were excited to experience this cabin. Bed that felt like laying on a massage table,hammered steak and limited recline chair do not add to over $10 grand in fare. Specially when AF offers a competitive schedule.

Im trying this in March. 58.5k Singapore miles from Delhi to Singapore. 5.5 hours should be fine at that price.

How would you compare it to the apartments?

Just a guess, but as the breakfast was actually billed as a refreshment, you probably could receive it at a later time. From remembering my mother saying you cannot expect (cringe) ” the help” to read your mind.

Was the $11k price for the entire journey, or just the transatlantic bit? If the latter, it’s completely ridiculous.

Entire journey.

Still a fair amount of money, but it is a long journey and I am sure plenty of people can afford it without feeling ripped off.

Honestly, while it looks great, you didn’t sell it very well. From the worst steak you’ve had to an uncomfortable bed, it sure seemed like the experience was very inconsistent and on a product like this, that should never happen. I have a friend who just booked Business on the JFK-FRA flight segment in April and is very excited, I have wanted to do likewise for years, but could never make it work, and wonder if I should show him your column. And, again, he’s only in lowly business.

Well this is why you should reviews from more than one person…

The hard bed killed it for me. The only reason to book this seat is to be able to lie down comfortably and enjoy a nice meal. $11k for a long table with a pillow on top and over cooked beef sounds like a nightmare.

Years ago we ordered the chef’s table.. but not up to par at all with other major airlines.. DId you pay $11K for the seat????????????????

So many amazing choices of wines and cocktails, coffees and teas!

Beers: Tiger or Heineken. Seriously?

Nice review. Similar complaint about SIN-JFK. No Western breakfast option; not even via Book The Cook on a 18 hour flight. I don’t understand why SQ ignores this option.

Especially when it has multiple Western breakfast options on SIN-LAX/SFO flights.

Unless the BTC website is out of date, there are Western breakfast options listed for both First/Suites and for business class when flying out of Singapore.

Thanks for the review and I really agree with your comments!

Singapore Airlines really has great crews but sometimes they can be very “follow the book” in terms of meal times. That’s why SQ never figures out a way to do “on demand” dining in its premium cabin, considering that they have some long flights. I presume that you can ask the crews to serve the “breakfast” a bit later given the small first class. cabin and I am sure that they will have no issues. But it is pretty crazy that they will do this service in business class two hours prior to landing. I also don’t know why SQ switches from “continental breakfast” to this odd “refreshment” menu.

Thanks again for sharing! Adrian

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Passengers awarded thousands for ‘mental agony’ of ‘malfunctioning’ business class plane seats that wouldn’t recline

First-world, first-class problems.

A high-ranking member of India’s police brass and his wife won more than $2,000 in court because their lavish Singapore Airlines business-class seats would only manually recline and not do so automatically.

News reports cited the “mental agony and physical suffering” endured by the passengers, Ravi Gupta, a local Director General of Police, and his wife Anjali, during their under-five-hour trip from Hyderabad, India, to Singapore in May 2023.

Gupta and his wife, who had a layover in Singapore on their way to Perth, Australia, didn’t hold back about the “malfunctioning” seats in legal documents.

They wrote of the devastation that came with feelings of being relegated to the treatment of “economy class passengers” — sans the spacious extra legroom — per the Deccan Chronicle.

In a statement to The Independent , Singapore Airlines did confirm the “faulty” automatic recline ability in their seats — and how airline workers waited on the Guptas hand and foot over the issue.

“Our crew proactively checked in on these customers regularly and offered to manually recline the seat when needed,” the spokesperson said.

“As it was a full flight, SIA staff unfortunately could not reseat the customers elsewhere in the Business Class cabin.”

The airline rep also noted that “there were no issues” on their connecting flight to the land down under.

Gupta and his wife paid roughly the equivalent of $800US per seat and were awarded $2,400 in court at the end of April.

They declined a previous offer of 10,000 frequent flyer miles.

Last year, a passenger sued Emirates for $3,300 over a broken seat recliner and general untidiness.

The 20-year-old flyer called his business class seat “grubby” and “absolutely disgusting” after paying $2,166 for his ticket from Oslo to Dubai.

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Follow our news, recent searches, singapore airlines ordered to pay s$3,580 to couple in india over faulty seats, advertisement.

The couple's business class seats had failed to electronically recline during their journey from Hyderabad to Australia via Singapore last year.

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SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been ordered to pay a couple in India more than S$3,500 after their seats failed to electronically recline during their journey from India to Australia last year.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Hyderabad ruled in favour of Ravi Gupta and his wife Anjali Gupta, media outlets in India reported on Thursday (Apr 25).

According to a report by the Deccan Chronicle, the couple had travelled from Hyderabad to Australia via Singapore on May 23, 2023. 

They complained during the flight that their business class seats, which were supposed to recline electronically, had malfunctioned.

India Today reported that the couple were "forced to stay awake throughout the journey", after forking out 66,750 rupees (S$1,090) for each ticket.

Singapore Airlines had initially offered 10,000 KrisFlyer miles per person, but the offer was rejected by the complainants.

Mr Gupta, who is Telangana's director general of police, reportedly claimed that they were treated as "economy class passengers", except for the extra legroom, the Deccan Chronicle reported.

The commission ruled that SIA should refund 48,750 rupees to each complainant, along with 12 per cent interest. 

Additionally, the airline was ordered to pay a compensation of 100,000 rupees for "mental agony and physical suffering", as well as 10,000 rupees for the costs of the complaint, the media outlets reported. 

In total, the airline was ordered to pay 219,200 rupees, which is about S$3,580.

"OFFERED TO MANUALLY RECLINE THE SEAT"

In response to queries from CNA, the airline on Sunday said it acknowledged the decision of Hyderabad’s District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and apologised to the couple for the inconvenience caused by the mechanical issue.

SIA confirmed that while the automatic recline function on Mr and Mrs Gupta’s seats was faulty, "the manual recline function was working on their flight from Hyderabad to Singapore".

"The flight duration from Hyderabad to Singapore is typically around four hours. As it was a full flight, SIA staff unfortunately could not reseat them elsewhere in the Business Class cabin.

"Our crew proactively checked in on these customers regularly and offered to manually recline the seat when needed," said SIA.

The airline also added that there were no issues with Mr and Mrs Gupta's connecting flight from Singapore to Perth. 

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A first-timer’s guide to Singapore Airlines Business Class

Excited about your first-ever Singapore Airlines Business Class experience? Here's what to look forward to, and how to make the most of it.

If you’ve just booked your first-ever Singapore Airlines Business Class flight, congratulations!

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a deep-discount Spontaneous Escapes ticket to Bangkok, or a full-priced Advantage award to New York. Earning those miles wouldn’t have been easy, and any redemption is a cause for celebration.

The question before us then, is: how can I get the most out of my experience?

In this post, I’ll explain what lies in store from the time the booking confirmation arrives in your inbox, to the time you step off the plane, your life hopefully forever changed. I’ll also be publishing a similar post for First Class, so look out for that soon!

And if you’re wondering whether you should cash out your hard-earned miles for Business Class, or continue saving for First Class or Suites, here’s a detailed post that walks you through the key differences in terms of experience.

Singapore Airlines First Class vs Business Class: Which should you redeem?

Singapore Airlines Business Class seats

First of all, what seat can you expect onboard? 

Singapore Airlines has five types of Business Class seats, and not all are made equal.

• The 2013 Business Class seat (2013J) , found on the A350-900ULR, A350-900LH and B777-300ER
• The 2014 Regional Business Class seat (2014RJ) , found on the B737-800
• The 2017 Business Class seat (2017J) , found on the A380-800
• The 2018 Regional Business Class seat (2018RJ) , found on the A350-900MH and B787-10
• The 2021 Regional Business Class seat (2021RJ) , found on the B737-8 MAX

I’ve ranked all five Business Class seats in the post below. 

Ranked: My favourite Singapore Airlines Business Class seats

To identify which aircraft is rostered for your flight, go to Manage Booking and look at the flight details (you can also check this before booking by using the Flight Schedule function).

Do note that there’s some potential ambiguity with the Airbus A350-900, because Singapore Airlines operates three variants:

• A350-900 Medium Haul (MH, used for medium-haul flights)
• A350-900 Long Haul (LH, used for long-haul flights)
• A350-900 Ultra Long Range (ULR, used for non-stop flights to the USA)

However, all three are simply labelled as A350-900.

Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to identify which one you’re on, based on the seat map. 

The A350-900MH seats appear as squares with distinctive privacy “wings”.

The A350-900LH/ULR both use rectangles to represent seats, but the ULR has a much bigger Business Class cabin (with the first row labelled 10, as opposed to 11 on the LH).

You can also check the seat map without booking. Simply do a search for a commercial flight; you’ll have the option to select seats before making payment. 

After you’ve booked

Pick your seats.

If you didn’t already do so during the booking process, be sure to select your seats ASAP.

While there’s no such thing as a “bad” Business Class seat, some are inherently more suited to families, couples or solo travellers.

A350-900ULR

Browse the inflight menu.

Ahead of the flight, whet your appetite by checking out the meals served onboard. This can be done via the Manage Booking function, or you can visit this page within eight days of departure. 

In terms of what you should expect:

Breakfast service is a three-course service with:

• Sliced fruits
• Starter (cornflakes, Bircher muesli or yoghurt)
• Main course

Lunch , dinner and supper service is a five-course service with:

• Satay (not offered for supper)

Sleeper service is only for flights departing after 10 p.m to Asia or Australia. This is a mash up of supper and breakfast items, to allow passengers to eat after boarding then sleep till landing, or sleep after boarding then eat before landing (or both, really).

Here’s a sample sleeper service menu. 

While course-by-course dining should be expected on medium and long-haul flights, meals may be served on a single tray on shorter flights. 

Business Class passengers can browse the Inflight Menu in advance of their flight, and pre-select their main course within 15 days of departure. This guarantees you’ll get your first-choice option (and also be among the first in the cabin to receive your meal); while Business Class flights are catered with some buffer, popular options may occasionally run out. 

You can browse the options by going to Manage Booking, then scrolling down to Meals > Inflight Menu.

Book the Cook

But why limit yourself to the Inflight Menu when Book the Cook offers dozens of options?

If you’re departing from Singapore and selected medium/long-haul destinations, you can pre-order your Book the Cook meal all the way up till  24 hours before departure time (except for flights departing from Auckland and Newark, where the cut-off is 48 hours).

Do note that certain menu items are only available on flights over 3.5/4 hours.

As for what you should pick, most people will tell you that the quintessential choice for your first-ever Business Class flight is lobster thermidor, and to a certain extent I agree. It might be a bit cliched, but I think it’s the kind of thing you have to try at least once.

However, I’m personally not the biggest fan of this dish- even after reformulation , its still a bit too rich for me. My favourite items, in no particular order of merit:

• Aromatic Barramundi
• Steamed Cod Fish Thai Style
• Beach Road Prawn Noodle Soup
• Kok Kee Wonton Noodle
• Soon Heng Bak Chor Mee Soup

Some people may find it silly that you fly Business Class and order hawker food (although that sounds an awful lot like culinary AMDK to me), but from where I sit it’s all about what I like to eat, not about what I feel I should eat. 

I find that airplane steak and lamb comes out way too dry, not to mention that airlines have a penchant for serving tasteless tenderloin over flavourful ribeye. Remember: the flavours that perform best at altitude are robust ones.

For more real-world photos of Book the Cook items, refer to this post.

Not a light traveller? No worries. When you fly Business Class, luggage allowance should be the least of your concerns.

If you’re flying to the USA or Canada where the piece concept is used, you’ll be able to check up to 2 pieces of luggage, each of which can be a maximum of 32kg (versus 23kg for Economy).

If you’re flying to all other destinations where the weight concept is used, you’ll be able to check as many pieces of luggage as you wish, provided the combined weight is no more than 40kg (versus 25-30kg for Economy).

All Business Class luggage receives priority tags, which theoretically ensures they’re among the first to come off the belt. In reality your experience may vary, depending on factors like when you checked in or whether you were on a connecting flight. 

Order a complimentary cake

If you happen to be marking a special occasion like a birthday, honeymoon or anniversary, you can request for a complimentary cake to be served onboard. This works on the honour system; no supporting documentation is required (though obviously if you’re born in July and ask for a cake in December, I can imagine a few eyebrows will be raised).

Orders cannot be placed online, so you’ll need to call up customer service. Don’t overthink it, just say something like “hi we will be celebrating a birthday/anniversary/honeymoon/joining the mile high club onboard, could you please help request a cake”.

Once onboard, the cabin crew should usually confirm with you that the cake has been loaded (and if they don’t, remind them ASAP- sometimes screw ups happen, but they can try to rectify it quickly if given enough time), and ask when you would like for it to be served. 

The standard setup is to serve the cake along with two glasses of champagne, a pair of bears, some lights and dry ice. 

At the airport

Check-in (singapore).

Singapore Airlines flights currently depart from Terminals 2 and 3 at Changi Airport:

Business Class passengers will enjoy priority check-in whether they’re departing from Singapore or overseas. It usually means a shorter wait, though I have seen cases overseas where the Economy line moves faster purely because more positions are assigned. 

Check-in (Overseas)

When departing from overseas, Business Class passengers can make use of priority check-in counters and immigration, where available. 

This includes Gold Track access at airports where the service is available. 

Lounge (Singapore)

Why would you bother checking in at the “wrong” terminal? Because of the lounge. 

SIA has SilverKris Lounges in both Terminals 2 and 3, but the facilities in Terminal 3 are much superior. I’m well aware there are some who say they still pale in comparison to what other airlines offer, but you know what? If you’re a first-timer, you’re still going to have a good time nonetheless. 

The Terminal 3 lounge completed a major renovation in 2021, and now boasts facilities such as an oversized food hall with live cooking stations, a tended bar with barista and barkeeper service, slumber areas, private shower suites with attached toilets, and productivity pods- all of which the Terminal 2 lounge lacks.

For reviews of the Terminal 2 and 3 lounges, refer to the articles below. 

Review: Singapore Airlines SilverKris Business Class Lounge Changi Terminal 2

Review: Singapore Airlines SilverKris Business Class Lounge, Changi Terminal 3

The good news is that Business Class passengers may use whichever lounge they wish, regardless of the terminal their flight is departing from. The lounge dragons may gently remind you that your flight is departing from a different terminal, but all you need to do is nod and say “thank you”.

The only drawback I can think of with the Terminal 3 facility is that it’s much more crowded than Terminal 2, especially during the peak early morning and late night departure slots. But hey, I assume you’ll be arriving early enough to snag a seat, right?

Speaking of which, how much time should you budget for the lounge?

Singapore Airlines check-in opens 48 hours before departure, but if your plan is to head to the airport early so you have more time at the lounge, do note that you’ll only be allowed into the departures area within 24 hours of your flight. 

This effectively caps your lounge time at 24 hours. I leave it to you to decide how long you want to be there, but I’d reckon for most people 3-4 hours would be a good duration.

Lounge (Overseas)

Singapore Airlines has SilverKris Lounges at 10 overseas airports, and these are generally pleasant enough (my favourite outstation SilverKris lounges would be Bangkok, London and Seoul).

If you intend to arrive early to enjoy the lounge, check the opening hours , and be aware that ground staff may not allow you to check-in earlier than three hours before departure, even if there’s an earlier SQ flight departing that day.

If no SilverKris Lounge is available, SIA will offer access to an alternative facility. The quality can be very variable- some partner lounges are completely forgettable, others may be even better than SIA’s flagship in Changi.

My personal favourites are the Polaris Lounges , available to Business Class passengers departing from Houston and San Francisco (you can also visit the Polaris Lounges when departing from Los Angeles and Newark , but it takes a lot more effort to get there because they’re in another terminal).

The best thing about the Polaris Lounges are their sit-down dining rooms, which serve made-to-order meals. This is something that Singapore Airlines does not offer its Business Class passengers, though to be fair, Business Class is United’s highest level of international service. 

I’d certainly come early to the airport to enjoy a Polaris lounge!

As Business Class passengers, you’ll be among the first to board the plane. Since it’s not quite as intimate as First Class, you can still expect a bit of a queue, so some may prefer staying a little longer in the lounge and boarding a bit later.

But don’t leave it too late, or you’ll miss the pageantry of welcome drinks (still and sparkling water, champagne and orange juice are the usual offerings) and hot towels (which made a return from September 2023).

Get your amenities kit

On flights six hours and longer, Singapore Airlines offers Penhaligon’s amenities kits which contain:

• Quercus hand lotion (30ml)
• Quercus facial mist (7ml)
• Quercus lip balm (4g)
• a clear ziplock bag 
• a gift card that invites you to visit a Penhaligon’s store for a “fragrance profiling experience”

Sometimes the amenity kit is already waiting at your seat, and other times you’ll need to request for one.

Additional amenities like toothbrush kits and shavers can be found in the lavatories, and sleep masks, earplugs and compression socks are available on request from the crew.

If your flight is less than six hours, it doesn’t hurt to ask anyway. The aircraft you’re flying on may have just finished a rotation from a long-haul route, and it’s possible there may be some leftover kits onboard (e.g. the A350-900LH aircraft perform regional hops to Bangkok and Jakarta between long-haul flights). 

Ask for the bears

SIA stocks teddy bears on its flights for its younger passengers, but they’re available on request to Business Class customers of any age and subject to availability. 

As a brief search on Carousell will show you, these can be quite the collectible. Special versions are created to commemorate special events, like the launch of a new route or aircraft. The latest collection features a pair of bears in chef’s whites, though that may have changed by the time you read this post.

Oh, and the bear does have a name: “Beary”. Still a better name than Budget Terminal , though.

Dine when you want

Singapore Airlines doesn’t officially advertise this, but Business Class passengers on long-haul flights can usually request to have their meal served outside the cabin-wide service time. 

For instance, you might have stuffed yourself silly in the lounge, and can’t bear the thought of eating again so soon. Or perhaps you want to take a nap right after take-off. Either way, when the cabin crew come around to confirm your meal order, just ask whether they can serve your meal at a different time. You might run into the odd crew member who demurs, but most of the time it’ll be fine.

Peruse the snack menu

If you’re peckish between meals, Business Class passengers have access to an expanded snack menu on medium and long-haul fights.

Temper your expectations, however, because the quality isn’t great. In fact, there’s a big overlap with the Economy Class snack menu, just that the plating is nicer. If you order instant noodles, for example, they’ll come on fine china…but they’ll still be instant noodles.

That said, the airline has recently expanded its Business Class snack menu to add Hokkien mee and/or carrot cake on long-haul flights.

Singapore Airlines adds hawker items to snack menu

Alternatively, you might try asking if there’s any leftover items from the previous meal service. If there are, the crew can help to heat and serve them (all food leftover at the end of the flight is disposed of anyway, so waste not want not).

After the flight

Priority immigration.

Certain SIA destinations offer expedited immigration processing for arriving Business Class passengers:

• Bangkok (BKK)
• Brunei (BWN)
• Delhi (DEL)
• Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
• Istanbul (IST)
• Jakarta (CGK)
• Mumbai (BOM)
• Paris (CDG)

For Male, the cabin crew will pass through the cabin to distribute fast track cards before landing. For all other airports, hold on to your boarding pass to access the fast track queue.

Lounge access

To pre-empt a commonly asked question, Singapore Airlines does not offer lounge access on arrival to Business Class passengers, regardless of airport.

If you need to freshen up with a shower, some airports may have arrival lounge facilities you can access via Dragon Pass , Priority Pass or LoungeKey . Refer to the respective websites for more details.

If this is your first-ever Singapore Airlines Business Class experience, you’re certainly in for a treat. Some may complain that the standards have dropped, but you know what? SIA standards at 70% can still beat many other airlines at 100% (even if the seats are starting to show their age )

Don’t worry about appearing swaku. The crew don’t judge, and even if your cabin mates give you strange looks for photographing everything, who cares? It’s a proud milestone in any miles chaser’s career, and one to be relished.

Stay tuned for my separate article on the first-timer’s guide to First and Suites!

Any other tips for first-time SIA Business Class passengers?

• business class
• singapore airlines
• star alliance

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Re cake, I tried using the online enquiry to request for a birthday cake (we were flying biz to Bali), only to be told that they serve cakes only +1/-1 of the actual date. We were 2 days before the birthday. So, I guess, YMMV? We were probably just unlucky, and I didn’t want to push the issue anyway.

couldn’t you just request on other grounds then, like the generic “special occasion”?

can ask for cake for my first business class ride? is it special for me too.. heheehhe

I just tried to ask for the same thing and was told the birthday needs to be within +/- 3 days of the flight. Apparently the policy came into effect in October 2023. I asked what about anniversaries, same thing. I then asked about generic special occasion like job promotion, and they said the request will be denied.

thanks for the heads up! looks like cake’s on the chopping block

Don’t forget to order 1 of each bar drink to try em all or “catch em all”

I love to order hawker food too instead of AMDK food lol… And i always ordered Soon Heng Bak Chor Mee Soup or my TPY Kok Kee.. whenever they are available to choose.

the wanton noodles are surprisingly good, in my experience. as is the BKT.

How do we check if the lounge is viable for arrival use? I tried checking PP site and it didn’t state.. Also, anyone has any idea if I am departing from Christchurch, which lounge will be eligible to use? Thank you for any replies in advance!

You would be using the Air New Zealand international lounge (if taking biz), which is… sad. It’s worse than some contract lounges so just go in with low expectations. The Manaia lounge under PP is not too good either.

Thanks for all this valuable information

Do the 2018 business class seats have the same footprint as the 2017 business class? If so, wondering why SQ chose to introduce so many variants like Qatar? The 2018 regional business class seat is horrible. The 3 point seat belt, unnecessary seat ears for aisle seats (to block the windows and view) and the awful milk chocolate colour scheme. The 2017 seat is much nicer and sleek. Adelaide and Osaka are classified as ‘regional’ and they use the fugly 2018 seats. 😂

It’s a proud milestone in any miles chaser’s career, and one to be relished. <– love this.. gonna have my virgin experience in SQ next Jan,..

Data point on birthday cake request. It was rejected when I called. The policy says it has to be 3 days before or after birthday. Maybe a generic celebration request will be accepted.

Just read this and requested a cake for our honeymoon via the app’s live chat. Worked like a charm! We’ll be taking the ULR this week to Singapore. Can’t wait!

Unfortunately, you’re SOL lounge wise if departing from New York JFK. Both lounges you have access to are horrible! The Air India Maharaja Lounge is a dump…as is the Prime Class Lounge which is very slightly better…

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