Singapore is Launching Nonstop Service Between SIN and SFO Later This Year
Presumably, Singapore Airlines had been feeling some pressure since United Airlines recently launched its nonstop route between Singapore (SIN) and San Francisco (SFO), as the carrier didn't yet have a nonstop flight to the US from its namesake country. Now, Singapore Airlines is officially announcing plans to launch nonstop service between SFO and SIN starting October 23, 2016.
The new route will be serviced by an Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which has 253 seats in three classes — 42 in business, 24 in premium economy and 187 in economy. Business-class seats will be arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. It currently operates from SFO with twice-daily service, with one flight connecting in Hong Kong (HKG) and the other in Seoul (ICN).
As a result of the new route, the carrier will be rerouting its SFO-ICN-SIN flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles, servicing LAX-ICN-SIN beginning October 23. The flight between SFO and HKG, with continuing service to SIN, will continue as well.
The new route will take between 14 hours and 35 minutes and 17 hours and 45 minutes, depending on the direction you're flying and time of year. In all, the flight will cover 8,451 miles, making it the longest in Singapore Airlines' network and among one of the longest flights in the world.
Singapore Airlines also said it's suspending service to Sao Paulo (GRU) via Barcelona (BCN) because of weak performance, with the last flight operating on October 20, 2016.
The carrier's new service from LAX-ICN-SIN will be operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and will feature an updated interior — a total of 264 seats in first class, business class, premium economy and economy cabins. In addition, the carrier plans to launch nonstop flights from New York to Singapore and from Los Angeles to Singapore in 2018.
This announcement comes not long after United Airlines launched its nonstop service between SFO and SIN earlier this month. TPG Editor-in-Chief Zach Honig flew United's Dreamliner on the inaugural flight and documented his 16-hour trip. As of this writing, it doesn't appear these flights are bookable, but keep checking if you have your sights set on the inaugural flight.
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