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Norwegian Air's flying an A380 with Singapore Suites again

Sept. 07, 2019
•
3 min read
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Norwegian Air's flying an A380 with Singapore Suites again
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We're always on the lookout for Hi Fly's A380. That's because that particular A380 aircraft was originally owned by Singapore Airlines, which means it's still equipped with Singapore Suites in first class. Hi Fly contracts out the plane on a "wet lease" basis — meaning both the plane and crew are from Hi Fly — so it can pop up pretty much anywhere in the world on behalf of almost any carrier.

But right now, you can catch a ride on this Airbus giant between New York (JFK) and Paris (CDG), as the plane is once again being leased for operations by Norwegian to service the route on certain days. It's already been seen flying between these city pairs a lot recently, according to FlightRadar24, and is currently slated to make the run several times over the next several days through Sept. 10.

However, the odds of your flight departing on time doesn't look great — the flight data shows routine delays of several hours, which is similar to how things went when Norwegian flew Hi Fly's A380 between JFK and London (LGW) last year. Ticket prices to catch a ride on this A380 aren't exactly what we would call a deal either, with basic economy for the next scheduled round trip starting around $800.

If you want a chance at sitting in an old Singapore Suite, you'll need to purchase a premium economy ticket. The cheapest option showing the A380 right now is the one-way starting in Paris on Sept. 10, which will only cost $813 to make it to New York.

The bad news is even if you book a premium economy ticket, you likely won't be guaranteed a suite. Norwegian normally randomly assigns 12 premium economy passengers to the 12 suites onboard, with the rest of the cabin going into the 60 lie flat business class seats.

Also, don't expect anywhere near the full Singapore Suites experience on this flight. TPG's Benji Stawski reviewed the Hi Fly A380 when it was operating on Norwegian's JFK-LGW route last year and reported that "the soft product isn't any different from normal Norwegian flights... The crew was a mixed bag, but the food was consistently bad."

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But if the Hi Fly A380 is on your bucket list, this could be a good time to catch a ride. Just don't plan on it being the ultimate in first class luxury.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.