This SQ A380 business class seat is more like mini-first class
These 12 spacious superjumbo seats are the prize pick of the upper deck cabin – here’s why…
By David Flynn, October 6 2022
Just about every business class seat on Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A380 is a good one, but when it’s time to select a seat for your next Singapore Airlines’ A380 flight, try to nab a spot in row 11, 91 or 96.
While functionally the same as all 78 business class seats on the superjumbo’s upper deck, those prized pews come with so much extra legroom that if Singapore Airlines added a door they could almost be a compact mini-first class suite, in the shape of a ‘business class plus’ offering.
Singapore Airlines' A380 business class.
That’s my take, after a recent Singapore Airlines flight ensconced in seat 91D.
Seat 91D in Singapore Airlines' A380 business class.
Best Singapore Airlines A380 business class seats
To be specific, here are the 12 seats across those three specific rows to put on your hit-list:
- 11A, 11D, 11F and 11K
- 91A, 91D, 91F and 91K
- 96A, 96D, 96F and 96K
Singapore Airlines' front row A380 business class seats offer extra space for the traveller.
If you’re flying solo, any of those seats will suffice – but if you’re travelling with your partner, try to book these paired middle seats, which Singapore Airlines says “can be turned into a doubled bed” (although to be more accurate, it’s a bit more like two single beds pushed close together):
- 11D and 11F
- 91D and 91F
- 96D and 96F
Three pairs of Singapore Airlines' A380 business class seats convert into a double bed, although in reality it's more like two single beds side-by-side.
But don’t worry about being a single flyer in these middle ‘double bed’ seats – with the raised privacy screen in place you won’t even see your seatmate.
Flying solo in a middle seat? Just slide up the divider.
Note that while you can reserve any seat in row 11 as soon as you make your booking, 91D and 91F along with 96A and 96K typically can’t be selected until online check-in opens 48 hour before the flight.
That’s because these seats have bassinet-mounting points, so they’re typically set aside for parents travelling with an infant – if there are not babies board, they’re made available for any business class flyer, albeit at the risk that you could be relocated if a parent needs a bassinet seat).
Here are the three extra-room rows in Singapore Airlines' A380 business class.
So why do rows 11, 91 and 96 stand out from the rest of Singapore Airlines’ A380 business class?
Rows 11 and 91 are situated just behind a cabin wall or bulkhead, while row 96 faces onto an exit area – and in all three cases, this unlocks extra space in front of the seats themselves.
Rows 11, 91 and 96 on Singapore Airlines' A380 business class all come with much more legroom.
Additionally, instead of a relatively small angled space to tuck your feet into once the seat goes into flatbed mode, each of these three rows is fronted by an extra-wide footwell built into the wall (or a freestanding ‘monument’, in the case of row 96).
Rows 11, 91 and 96 on Singapore Airlines' A380 business class all come with much more legroom.
This in turn makes it easy to sleep stretched out straight instead of lying on an angle in any of the other business class seats, with your toes tucked into the cubby in front.
There’s also plenty of room below this shelf to stow your carry-on bag, so that any items you need – such as your laptop, cables and what-not – are always close at hand.
We love this handy under-seat storage in Singapore Airlines' A380 business class.
(What’s not so close at hand is the AC power socket: this is concealed behind a panel next to the video screen mounted in the wall, so your laptop’s cable will be stretched out between you and the socket if you need to recharge the battery while working en route.)
Combine that with the other creature comforts of Singapore Airlines’ A380 business class – ranging from the well-appointed seat itself to quality inflight meals and WiFi – and you can appreciate why a sliding privacy door could almost transform this into a cosy first class cocoon.
Choose one of a dozen special seats for added legroom and sleeping comfort in Singapore Airlines' A380 business class.
Let’s say you have seats in all three rows at your disposal – is there any reason to shoot for one over another?
Row 11 is behind the main kitchen galley shared by first and business class, while just in front of row 91 are two toilets.
While conventional wisdom says proximity to the galley makes for a more noise as cabin crew work and chat during the flight, I’d rather be near the galley than the lavs – especially on a daytime flight, where gallery movement and noise won’t interrupt your sleep.
At the very back of the A380’s upper deck, row 96 doesn’t seem to be noticeably chilly despite being flanked by two exit doors – but it’s definitely noisier than seats in the middle or front of the upper deck, and I imagine that on overnight flights the clatter and chatter from the galley just behind row 97 could be disturbing.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1209
Whilst Row 11 is not a bassinet row, is it likely that SQ may block it and only make it available to J pax with a premium Krisflyer status until a couple of days before the flight?
20 Sep 2012
Total posts 77
Yes, they do block for elites only.
03 Jun 2019
Total posts 28
Have anyone tried if Star Alliance Gold status from a partner airline can unlock those seats for free upon check-in?
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 974
Any seat on a Singapore Airways flight is a good seat (That's my Thoughts).
The Double First Class Suite is a great place to be; Business Class with the two centre seats is also spot on and all a couple needs. The thing I find weird is the small size of the overhead lockers on the A380 in business.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 May 2017
Total posts 5
Just came back from Singapore on a night flight, I found the seat in bed mode was quite hard and uncomfortable and had a not so good sleep, great to lounge in though. The seat over in the regional configured a350 felt a lot softer and more comfortable despite being smaller.
07 Mar 2022
Total posts 63
I agree they are very hard, the A350 is softer but not soft enough.
07 Mar 2022
Total posts 63
I agree SQ Business is like a mini First Class Suite just an amazing product only trumped by the actual SQ First Class Suite upfront.
09 May 2020
Total posts 571
It was told they don’t do pre take off and landing warm facial towel anymore; no surprises due to Covid but hopefully they will bring them back.
It’s a SIA signature gesture I truly enjoy
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer P1
23 Aug 2014
Total posts 139
If you have PPS status they are available at the time of booking and rarely later
11 May 2016
Total posts 12
The old A380 bulkhead biz in turn is not a good deal at all. The seat was not designed for an extra space that could be added to the bulkhead seats, so there is a gap if you make the bed. I suffered from being afraid of my feet dropping to the ground while sleeping and did not have a good sleep that night. However, the bulkhead seats on A350 and 777 are good deals because there is no gap when transformed into the bed, and it is even better than the 777 first class because your feet are not required to be fitted into the small hole on the bulkhead business class but you need to do so on the 777 first class seats.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
12 Feb 2021
Total posts 22
I have sat in that rear section even on the old configuration on full and many empty flights in J to SYD /HKG etc and the crew were aways aware you were there and very quiet and polite unlike many other carriers. KE the same and have great empathy for the ir pax. Just a thought. Previously you could book that seat beforehand and never have seen too many youngsters in J bassinets.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
02 Nov 2017
Total posts 6
We flew last week LHR-SIN with our 2-month old baby and were very happy to be allocated 91D and F. To the person who says they don't see many youngsters in J class - there were 4 babies on this flight (but luckily none was especially noisy and ours slept like a trooper most of the way). Definitely great seats - it really is much better to have the full width shelf for your feet and not to have to sleep diagonally. The only downside is that the SQ product really is not what it was - although the food and drink was very good quality, there is now no choice of starter, no amenity kit (not even earplugs and eyeshades), no hot towel and really not quite the feeling of welcoming luxury that there once was. Not to mention that the new SIN lounge was very crowded and underwhelming despite the hype - 5 hours seated at a round small cafe-style table because no armchairs or sofas were free is less than ideal with a baby, especially when the reason you have a 5-hour layover is because SQ cancelled the flight that was supposed have given you a 1-hour one.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
02 Nov 2017
Total posts 6
We recently flew SQ LHR-SIN with our baby (one of four on the flight!) and were happy to be allocated 91D and F. Great seats, the wide shelf which allows sleeping straight rather than diagonally and give room to move your feet is a major add to comfort, as is the extra storage under the shelf.
However, the SQ business class product overall is not what it was. Food and drink still high quality, but no choice of starter, no amenity kit (not even earplugs and an eyeshade), no hot towels and generally just not the feeling of luxury it once had. Perhaps this is to differentiate further from First, which previously seemed an unnecessary indulgence.
Not to mention the underwhelming, crowded and over-hyped new SIN lounge. Having had to tolerate a 6-hour layover when the flight we originally booked with a 90-minute one was cancelled, having to sit around a small cafe-style table because there were no armchairs or sofas free made us wonder if we wouldn't have been better sitting in Starbucks other than for the free food that we didn't need because we got fed on both planes.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
27 Jul 2022
Total posts 1
I maybe wrong about this but it seems that the lie-flat a setting of the business class seats are skewed at an angle so that you don't really sleep parallel to the adjacent walls. Anyway that was my previous experience that I didn't find it comfortable at all.
20 Jan 2017
Total posts 6
Agree the seats are rock hard compared to a350 enough for me not to book the a380. First class is great tho the seat is a bit rickety and while dining, direct view into oppposite cabin unless door closed
01 Jul 2023
Total posts 1
I came back from Singapore to Melbourne last night and was shocked how hard the chair (and therefore the bed) was. It felt like I was missing a mattress. The bed is also quite narrow. In my opinion, no-where near as comfortable as the old style where the chair folded down and made the bed.
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