New first, business class for the world’s longest flight

Every day, passengers boarding the world’s longest flight – which Singapore Airlines runs non-stop between Singapore and New York – settle into their seats ahead of a marathon 18-hour journey.

Thankfully, there are no economy seats on this special Airbus A350 jet.

But surprisingly, there’s also no first class cabin – just a two-class layout split between 67 business flatbeds and 94 premium economy recliners.

The lean 161-seat configuration reduces the aircraft’s overall weight and boosts fuel efficiency to make possible this globe-striding 15,350km range.

Singapore Airlines’ new A350 first class

That will change next year, when Singapore Airlines launches its latest first class suites on the route.

The overhaul will see four plush fully-private suites added to the A350, with a leaked design patent showing something akin to the original A380 Suites, where a wide, comfortable armchair converts to a long fully-flat bed.

The paired middle suites can be opened up to form a double suite and a double bed – although there’s a partition to keep them as two separate suites for solo flyers.

Part of Singapore Airlines' patent application for its new 777-9 first class cabin.

The same suites are destined for the long-delayed Boeing 777-9, which will have four individual suites by the windows and two suites in the middle.

A series of teaser images shared by the Star Alliance member show the new A350 first class will be a spacious suite long enough to take in three windows.

A teaser of Singapore Airlines' new A350 first class suite.

There are electronic blinds to filter out the light, which will come in handy when watching movies or TV shows and a large video screen.

Another teaser image hints at high-end finishes such as shutter doors finished in copper colouring and using horizontal slats in a nod to Singaporean and Peranakan design.

A teaser of Singapore Airlines' new A350 first class suite.

But it won’t only be first class flyers who can create a cosy cocoon above the clouds.

Singapore Airlines will replace the current business class seats, launched over a decade ago, with modern private suites.

A teaser of Singapore Airlines' new A350 business class suite.

These will address two shortcomings of today’s business class, which is based on a design from the early 2010s that debuted in 2013.

Firstly, that the seat must be manually flipped over to become a bed, rather than gradually reclining through several positions.

Secondly, passengers must sleep at an angle and tuck their feet into with a relatively small space.

Singapore Airlines' current A350 ultra-long range business class.

In development since 2018, Singapore Airlines says its new A350-900 first and business class took shape as the airline “extensively engaged (with) customers and stakeholders in the design of our next-generation long-haul cabin products.”

“The new first class and business class seat designs will incorporate thoughtful elements that push the boundaries of comfort, luxury, and modernity, allowing our customers to relax or work effortlessly on board,” Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong has promised.

It’s not yet known if Singapore Airlines will also take this opportunity to replace the A350’s premium economy seats, which remain in a first-gen iteration launched in 2015, or settle for the promised refresh.

Will Singapore Airlines also roll out a second-gen premium economy for the A350?

The first of the upgraded ultra-long range A350-900s is expected to take wing between Singapore and New York in the first half of 2027, following a similar business class makeover for the standard long-range A350-900s.

The medium-range A350s will retain their current business class, which is identical to that of SQ’s Boeing 787-10s.

Also read: The ultimate Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Gold status fast-track