Singapore Airlines pulls Airbus A380 — and its famous Suites — from JFK
U.S. travelers are about to lose access to one of the most luxurious products in the sky.
Singapore Airlines plans to pull its Airbus A380 from its fifth-freedom flight between New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) and Frankfurt (FRA), the airline said Tuesday.
It will operate the JFK flight with a Boeing 777-300ER instead. The airline said it had changed the equipment in order to add more A380 service between Singapore and Australia.
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While the equipment change means a reduction in capacity — Singapore's 777-300ER seats 264 passengers, compared to 471 seats on the A380, it also means that Singapore's flagship Suites product will no longer fly on any U.S. routes.
Singapore's Suites product is a unique cabin above first class and is only available on the A380. The suite creates a private, individual cabin for each passenger, complete with a sliding door, a chair, and a separate standalone bed. The dividing wall between suites can also be lowered, turning the bed into a double for couples traveling together.
Singapore also offers a "regular" first class cabin on some of its aircraft, including the 777-300ER that will start flying to JFK. While those seats are extra-wide and offer some privacy in the form of a partition that partially blocks the seat from the aisle, there's no closing door. Non-Suites first class passengers still enjoy the same service and the rest of the soft product, including Singapore’s “Book the Cook” option that allows passengers in premium cabins to pre-order their meals.
The airline typically uses the A380 on key routes from Singapore to destinations in Australia, Asia and Europe. However, Singapore has also used the double-decker on its JFK-Frankfurt service, which continues on from Frankfurt to Singapore (SIN).
Although award availability on JFK-FRA can be intermittently sparse, it was sometimes possible to fly the Suites for just 86,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles and roughly $130 in taxes and fees.
The change is scheduled to go into effect on May 15, 2023, so there's still time to try Singapore's ultimate first class product out of the U.S.
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Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees