Singapore Airlines Reveals Start Date for the New Longest Flight in the World
We've known for several years now that Singapore Airlines was going to restart nonstop flights between the New York area and Singapore (SIN), but we just didn't know when that was going to happen. Now, however, we have a date that we can circle in our calendars — the airline said on Wednesday morning that it'll resume its nonstop flights between SIN and Newark (EWR) on October 11, 2018, with the inaugural EWR-SIN leg the next day, October 12.
The flights will operate on a thrice-weekly basis initially, and then will move to daily service about a week later (October 19) once another Airbus A350-900ULR enters service for the airline. The carrier also has plans to launch nonstop service between SIN and Los Angeles (LAX) with this new aircraft, but it hasn't released any details of that route yet.
Speaking of the -900ULR, Singapore is the launch customer of the aircraft, and it's (thankfully) chosen a special, no-economy cabin configuration for the seven examples it has on order with Airbus. It'll have just 161 seats in total — 67 of them in business class and 94 in premium economy. Before Singapore suspended this route in 2013, it flew it with specially configured Airbus A340-500s that featured only 100 business-class seats.
Unfortunately, the business-class product on Singapore's A350 is strange ... to say the least. It's certainly not as good as the carrier's all-new biz product on its Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, and it may not be the most comfortable for an almost 19-hour flight, especially considering that there's no option to recline the seat all the way into bed mode yourself — a flight attendant is required to convert the seat into a bed for you when you want to take a snooze.
When it relaunches, the flight will become the longest in the world, covering a distance of just over 9,500 miles — that means just under 19 hours of flying time. Tickets are set to go on sale tomorrow (May 31), and the flight will operate according to the following schedule:
- between October 11 and October 27, 2018:
- SQ22 Singapore (SIN) 11:35pm Departure ⇒ Newark (EWR) 6:00am (+1) Arrival
- SQ21 Newark (EWR) 10:45am Departure ⇒ Singapore (SIN) 5:30pm (+1) Arrival
- between October 28, 2018 and March 30, 2019:
- SQ22 Singapore (SIN) 12:40am Departure ⇒ Newark (EWR) 5:30am Arrival
- SQ21 Newark (EWR) 9:45am Departure ⇒ Singapore (SIN) 5:15pm (+1) Arrival
Cash prices for the new world's longest flight won't likely come cheap, but luckily you'll be able to book with Singapore's KrisFlyer program. The mileage rates should mirror what you'd pay on the airline's flights between SIN and New York (JFK) that operate via Frankfurt (FRA):
- Premium economy: 70,000 miles one-way
- Business class (saver): 92,000 miles one-way
- Business class (standard): 135,000 miles one-way
Those rates aren't exactly cheap, and saver availability will likely be very hard to come by — but if you do happen to find one, you can transfer miles from major currencies like American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou and Starwood Preferred Guest.
In addition to the upcoming nonstop SIN-EWR flight, the airline will maintain its daily SIN-JFK via FRA service, which it operates with its A380 aircraft.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express 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.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees