After 16 years, Singapore Airlines will exit Houston and end its unusual Texas-UK route
Houston, we have a problem.
And for Singapore Airlines, that's seemingly insufficient demand to make its unique fifth-freedom flights from Houston work. The Singaporean flag carrier announced Monday that it would cut its service from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Manchester Airport (MAN) in England. This one-stop service has historically continued on from Manchester to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).
Even without the Houston link, the carrier will continue serving Manchester with five-times-weekly flights to Singapore. However, the airline will pull out of Houston effective April 1, 2025.
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Singapore said in a press release that this move is being made "In line with its capacity adjustments," and it added that "Singapore Airlines regularly reviews our network and routes to align our capacity with demand."
The airline didn't share whether this cut was permanent, but it also didn't mention if, or when, the route might resume in the future.
Singapore Airlines has served Houston since March 2008, Cirium Diio schedules show. The airline originally flew from Houston to Moscow's Domodedovo Mikhail Lomonosov Airport (DME) before continuing to Singapore.
This service, operated as a fifth-freedom flight, allowed Singapore to carry local passengers between Houston and Moscow and passengers continuing onward from Houston to Singapore. The airline switched the Moscow stop for a stop in Manchester in October 2016, and aside from a pandemic suspension in the early 2020s, the route has been operating consistently since then.
Singapore is no stranger to fifth-freedom flights. While the airline operates the world's longest nonstop route from New York to Singapore, it also has a daily service from New York to Frankfurt that continues to Singapore. On the West Coast, Singapore flies from Los Angeles to Tokyo to Singapore.
It seems, however, that of the airline's three U.S. fifth-freedom flights, the carrier's Houston-to-Manchester route is the weakest link. Back in the day, connecting Houston with Moscow seemed to have made sense, given the oil industry's connection between the two cities. However, as Moscow's economy suffered, so did this route. That's when the airline decided to fly to Manchester instead, which at the time seemed a bit random for the Star Alliance carrier.
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While the airline could tap into United Airlines' short-haul network from its Houston hub for additional connectivity, travelers flying to Singapore from points near Houston could just as easily connect in Los Angeles or San Francisco to get to Singapore — often with shorter total travel times than connecting in Houston and Manchester.
Of course, this cut also spells bad news for those who were looking for a unique way to redeem miles on one of the world's top airlines on a special flight from the U.S. to Europe.
Though Singapore is scaling back its U.S. network, the airline did have lots of exciting news to share for its routes across the world. This includes increased frequencies and upgauges to bigger planes across Europe, more flights to Johannesburg, and a few other interesting expansions announced Monday.
Note that Singapore didn't add any new routes or cut other existing ones except for the Houston-to-Manchester leg.
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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)Pros
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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.