The world’s longest flight, operated by Singapore Airlines, will introduce ultra-comfortable first class seats for the nearly 19-hour journey.
The company recently announced plans to add new luxury seats to its Airbus A350-900 ULR. The aircraft is used on the airline’s longest routes, including a 9,585-mile trip from New York City to Singapore.
This will be the first time a first class seat will be available on this journey. The seats are expected to be available to passengers in 2027.
Ryan Fletcher/Getty Images
The airline has been tight-lipped about what these first class suites will look like, but rendered images show a bed spanning three windows. The airline also revealed that these suites will be equipped with in-flight entertainment.
Currently, the world’s longest flight has 67 business class seats and 94 premium economy seats. Travel magazine Afar reported that Singapore’s Airbus A350-900 ULR has four first class suites.
Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Fong said in a press release: “The new First and Business Class seat designs incorporate thoughtful elements that push the boundaries of comfort, luxury and modernity.
“Over the past six years, we have engaged extensively with customers and stakeholders to design the next generation of long-haul inflight products, anticipating evolving customer preferences and expectations down to the smallest detail.”
The airline also plans to introduce new business class seats on other long-haul aircraft. It also plans to add a first-class cabin to its future Boeing 777-9 aircraft, which are scheduled to take to the skies in 2026.
Singapore Airlines’ route from New York (JFK) to Singapore is the world’s longest, with a flight time of 18 hours and 50 minutes. The airline also operates the second longest flight in the world from Singapore to Newark, with a flight time of 18 hours and 45 minutes.
Singapore Airlines is one of the world’s most valuable airlines. As of May 2024, Singapore’s flagship airline had a market value of $14.99 billion.
It ranks behind Delta Air Lines, Ryanair Holdings, United Airlines Holdings and Southwest Airlines. Singapore Airlines flies to 130 destinations in Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa and North America.
Other airlines are introducing more luxurious seats to capitalize on the desire of high-spending passengers. British Airways recently announced new first class seats that offer a “modern luxury hotel feel”.
These new British Airways seats are expected to debut as early as 2026 and are part of an $8.9 billion overhaul of the airline’s passenger experience.
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