Singapore has the world's best first class: where to fly and how to detach your ticket with points
There are many cabins that are on the wish list of every serial accumulator of points and miles, but the holy [...]
There are many booths that are in the wish list of every serial accumulator of points and miles, but the holy grail is represented by very few tickets that provide access to products that are unique and, unattainable in terms of cost for the vast majority of travelers. Here is Singapore Airlines' Suite on the A380 is one of them.
In this article:
After having explained all about Emirates' Gamechanger Here's everything you need to know to have a unique experience aboard the best first class cabin in the world
Not all Singapore's first classes are the same
The first thing to know is that Singapore Airlines has a fleet consisting of many planes and with different cabins. First class can be found aboard A380s and 777/300s, awaiting the delivery of future 777/9s.
The difference between the two products of first, at the cabin level, is like comparing a Lancia Ypsilon to a Mercedes Maybach. While at the service level absolutely nothing changes and it is right to remember that.
Where Singapore Airlines' A380s fly in Europe
Unfortunately, there is no sign that Singapore's A380 may return to the New York route, via Frankfurt. This is the flight I made and who for the first (and to date only) time allowed me to fly in this cabin.
From Europe, SQ flies A380s from London Heathrow, daily, twice daily to Singapore. SQ317 and SQ317 flights are operated with this model, while one rotation is operated with the 777/3oo.
Once a day, one of the 10 A380s in the fleet takes off from Frankfurt am Main towards Asia, it is flight SQ325.
These three flights are the only ones in all of Europe where Singapore Airlines' A380 lands; all other routes are operated with A350/900s outfitted in three cabins and without first class.
Singapore Airlines' other A380 routes.
With the machine change of flight SQ26 from Frankfurt to New York, the Asian airline's A380s have disappeared from the United States and the American continent in general. The routes served could be taken connecting from Italy At a competitive price compared to a nonstop flight.
SQ planned for the winter of 2025., The one that is triggered at the end of October and ends at the end of March, flights only to Asia and Oceania, although it has greatly reduced flights to Australia. The A380 will fly only to Sydney twice a day, every day.
Otherwise, Singapore's choice is to use its largest aircraft in the fleet on short/medium haul routes, but Where it can maximize the capacity to carry 471 passengers at once: 6 in first, 78 in business, 44 in premium economy and 343 in tourist class.
Every day a rotation toward Mumbai and New Deli in India is carried out with this plane, as is Shanghai and Hong Kong in China.
It is precisely the flight to the former British protectorate that is the shortest flight to the A380 from Singapore until next summer.
Why Singapore's is the best first class in the world
What Singapore offers is not offered by anyone in the world; Ethiada with its (few) A380s does not get there, let alone Emirates, which has a vastly inferior product.
A private space of 5sqm, with an armchair that looks nothing like a hotel room.
Each passenger can close his or her door and isolate himself or herself copletely from what is happening outside.
When it is time for bedtime, it is not the chair that becomes a bed, but a real bed of more than 2m appears almost magically.
Then if you are traveling as a couple things become even more unique with a proper double bed.
Of course there is no shower, but the bathroom is still just as nice as those in Emirates.
On top of that you have to add all the maximum at the service level, but this as said is the same even if you fly on the 777.
Book this cabin with Krisflyer points
I'll say it now, it's not easy with Sinagpore's loyalty program points, but it is virtually impossible with those of other Star Alliance airlines. In addition to this the First Class is never included in the monthly Spontaneous Escapes And unlike the routes where he flies the 777, those with the A380 are more expensive and often on the wait list.
Unfortunately, since I booked this ticket. The cost has also increased. I had managed to redeem a Frankfurt/New York using only 86k miles and less than 120€ in taxes.
The cheapest ticket is definitely the one to Hong Kong, but the flight lasts very little: less than 3 actual hours. Not enough to appreciate this product at 100%.
My advice is to focus on Shanghai since it's about a 5-hour flight o New Deli which lasts a handful of minutes longer and has a cost starting at 58,500 points (saver) or 98k (advantage). In many cases, however, you must try their luck with the Waiting List.
Although the longest route, but one that costs less than European flights, is definitely the route to Sydney which takes just under 7 hours and costs 93,500 in saver and 155k in advantage. In this case, however, be careful because on these destinations SQ often "mixes" the machines, so Check well with which aircraft the route is planned.
Of course, maximum enjoyment is on the long haul, such as Frankfurt. Impossible, or almost impossible, however, to find saver seats and thus A minimum of 225,500 KF points are needed to detach a ticket. Note, however, that there is no difference in cost in case the flight is made by A380 or 777, so be careful how you use the points.
Saver tickets, on the other hand, are found "often" On the SQ25 flight, the one that is flown on the 777, however. It saves almost 85,000 miles, but the experience is not comparable.
In conclusion
Difficult, but not impossible. Expensive, but not very expensive, because you also have to consider that so many points are asked for, but so few fees. Emirates by comparison, but also ANA or Lufthansa go as far as asking for even more than 1,000€ in surcharges.
Whereas every year with American Express' introduce a friend offer, you can earn 300 thousand points is a feasible goal in less than 365 days and without spending a single euro. Once Membership Rewards bonus points are earned, they can be transferred to the Krisflyer account for free.