It's sad to return home after an amazing trip, but if you're in the Singapore Airlines A380 Suites double bed, it's even worse.
I flew Singapore Airlines A380 Suites from Australia to Singapore in the early part of last year. I flew alone, so we could try the double bed on the flight. I was curious to see how the product was holding up four years later.
This flight was simply amazing. This is probably the best first class product in the world if you are traveling with someone. Singapore Airlines is a detail-oriented airline, and that shows in the experience.
Singapore Airlines has a fifth freedom flight between New York and Germany. The only Singapore Airlines route to the United States to be operated by the A380 was upgraded from a Boeing 777 to it in March of 2022.
Singapore Airlines A380s only have six seats in Suites and award seats are hard to come by. Singapore Airlines opened the doors to Suites award availability in late December of 2021, and many flights had multiple award seats available on this route.
I was able to get a flight in Suites for two people for 86,000 Singapore KrisFlyer miles plus 116.45 Euro per person in taxes and fees.
The flight from Frankfurt to New York arrives at 11:10AM.
I'm sad that I won't be able to duplicate this, since the airline almost never releases two Suites seats, but I suppose we'll see a similar opportunity again in the future.
Singapore KrisFlyer miles are easy to come by, as the program partners with all major points currencies.
We were told that our flight from Frankfurt to New York would be delayed by 90 minutes and that we would have to change our departure time from 8:35AM to 10:00AM. The plane was late from Singapore.
We were able to get to the airport later than planned. We were staying at the Marriott Frankfurt Airport, which is connected to the terminal, so we headed to the airport at around 8:30AM. The check-in process took a couple of minutes, and both passport control and security were quick as well.
The lounge situation in Singapore Airlines Suites is disappointing. Suites passengers are invited to use the Lufthansa Senator Lounge, which pales in comparison to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal that you can use on the same route.
The departure gate was B46. It was great to see a Singapore Airlines A380 for the first time in over two years.
30 minutes before the departure time, boarding was scheduled. The passengers were invited to take a seat in a roped off area so that they could board first. The boarding started as scheduled.
Even though I have flown the A380 dozens of times, I still get giddy when I go up the jet bridge and board directly to the second level. The A380 Suites are located at the front of the upper deck. The footprint dedicated to this space is unbelievable.
There are six Suites on the A380, spread across three rows. This also means that there is a single aisle.
The suites are roughly 50 square feet, which is very small for a first class seat. Fourteen first class seats are in the same space, as a point of comparison. The Suites product on the A380 was unconventional. Each Suite has a seat and a separate bed that folds out from the wall.
The seat is padded so that you can face whichever direction you want. The seat doesn't go fully flat, but it reclines a bit.
The entertainment controller and seat controllers can be found under the seat armrest.
The counter with a flower is on the side of the seat. If you want to eat, you will be facing toward the door.
Each suite has a door that closes so there is a lot of privacy. There is a pattern on the door with cutouts so that the crew can peek in, but for the most part you have privacy. The TV on the wall can be enjoyed from the seat or bed.
There are several small storage compartments to the side of the seat. The compartments could be used to store a phone, wallet, glasses, etc.
The privacy, window, and lighting controls are located on a panel at the far end of the seat. The window blinds in Singapore Suites are automated, so you just push a button and they will lower or raise.
There is a panel with a cover that has power outlets, an HDMI plug, a payment system, and headphones.
You have plenty of charging opportunities because there is a second AC and USB outlet underneath the main table.
There is a storage area at the very front corner of the seat. This is a good place to put things when the bed isn't being used.
There is a large closet near the door. This is large enough to hold a carry-on bag, and you can hang clothes here.
When you turn the Suite into a double Suite, it's even cooler. If you are traveling with someone else, seats 1A and 2A can turn into double Suites. The crew just has to lower a partition. The beds in the middle are folded up so you can easily walk between the two Suites. The seat in the forward can be turned 180 degrees and you are facing each other. Awesome.
The A380 Suites cabin is amazing. This product has the largest footprint of any first class product in the world, as it devotes the most space to each passenger.
This is an excellent product to start with, but it is even better when you are traveling with someone and can turn the space into a larger combined area.
While Singapore Airlines does not have shower suites on its A380s, it does have nice bathrooms for Suites passengers. There is a staircase leading to the main deck and a bathroom on each side of the cabin.
The larger bathroom has a sink, a mirror, and a large toilet, and it is on the right side of the plane. This is the most luxurious bathroom in the sky, with the exception of the A380 shower suite.
The bathroom on Singapore Airlines is stocked with a variety of amenities, from shaving kits to dental kits.
The bathroom on the left side of the aircraft is larger than the one on the other side. There is a toilet, a long bench, and a nice sink area in this one.
It is similar to Christmas when you board Singapore Suites, based on the amount of gifts you receive. We were given pre-departure drinks of our choice, and we requested some champagne. Dom Perignon was on offer. It was good.
A pair of noise canceling headphones were waiting at each seat.
Lalique amenity kits were also offered. Most of the basic things you might need are located in the lavatories, so Singapore Airlines takes an unconventional approach to providing amenities. These kits mostly have things you can use at home, such as a scented candle, soap, body lotion, and lip balm. It's a great gift for someone back home.
Lalique pajamas and slippers were of high quality and comfortable.
Eyeshades and earplugs were given out.
There was a care kit with a mask and wipes.
The back of the kit had codes for the inflight menu. Menus were only available through your personal device on this flight. Since it requires connecting to inflight wi-fi, it was a bit impractical. If you enter your flight number, class of service, and date of travel, you can easily see the menu for any Singapore Airlines flight at this link.
The blankets were offered separately from the bedding at turndown service, so that we could relax in our seats.
The boarding was done in 20 minutes. The upper deck five of the six Suites were occupied, while business class was less than half full.
The captain on the PA apologized for the delayed departure, but he said that we should make up some time on the flight. The safety video was screened at that time as well as the pushback. Singapore Airlines has a destination-themed safety video.
The captain was on the PA when we taxied for 10 minutes. He apologized profusely, and explained that there was a problem with the number three engine, and that maintenance would have to look at it. We had to take a taxi to a remote stand because we couldn't return to our gate.
We parked near a Thai Airways plane at a remote stand.
I was very impressed by the work of the entire team. The captain gave several updates about the progress of the fix, and the tone in his announcement was just refreshing, as it was clear he took pride in the company and took responsibility for the situation and the impact it would have on passengers. The station manager apologized for the delay on the plane.
I didn't mind the delay since 7hr40min isn't enough time to enjoy this product. We were given a few more glasses of Dom Perignon. A snack basket was also brought around, so I put my Dom with a snack of his choice.
Chicken satay was supposed to be part of the lunch service. We were told we could enjoy more after takeoff if we wanted to.
The captain told us that the problem had been fixed and that some paperwork needed to be completed. We began our pushback 10 minutes later. After the safety video was screened, we had a 25 minute taxi to the runway. We were allowed to take off from runway 25R at 12:20PM.
I connected to the internet after takeoff. The KrisWorld entertainment system from Singapore Airlines has an endless selection of movies and TV shows and is very easy to use.
KrisWorld has complete seasons of many TV shows. When you find a new show that you love on a flight, but the entertainment system only has a few episodes, it's a bit frustrating. It's not just that there are complete seasons, but they're mostly new shows.
The moving map is my favorite entertainment when flying, so I always had it on for most of the flight.
The A380s of Singapore Airlines have wi-fi.
On this flight, Singapore Airlines had pricing for wi-fi.
Premium passengers can get free wi-fi by entering their last name and seat number.
We got free wi-fi on the entire flight since we were in Suites. We were on one of Singapore's older A380s, which had the old On Air system. The speeds were slow.
Singapore's new A380s have a faster wi-fi system, so it's luck of the draw.
I was surprised that I was served my first drink less than 15 minutes after takeoff. Lunch and a snack were served on this flight.
The lunch menu can be found below.
You can find the wine list at Singapore Airlines.
There are a couple of things to note.
Dom Perignon and Krug are usually served by Singapore Airlines in Suites. The replacement of Krug with Taittinger Comtes de Champagne was equally lovely. After takeoff, we switched to that.
Within 20 minutes of takeoff, my table was set.
While we were offered more chicken satay, we decided to just start with the traditional accompaniments.
Gourmet House imported the Oscietra caviar from Italy.
Even though I was having fish, I drank a glass of red wine with the main course. I ordered a glass of the Clos-De-Vougeot Grand Cru. Why? I will be honest. This was by far the most expensive of the reds I looked at. I haven't been into reds in the past, but I'm starting to like them now.
I think ordering a red with my fish allowed me to experience a great wine and I enjoyed it, even though wine enthusiasts will lambast me for ordering a red with my fish.
The crew was able to plate the roasted black cod fillet without bacon for the main course. The dish was delicious.
Ford had a stir-fried chicken with Chu Hou sauce, accompanied by vegetables and egg fried rice.
I thought we had to take one for the team. Ford had a cheese plate, while I had a chocolate and coffee tart.
It was a great meal, in terms of the quality of food, service, and personalization. You can always order a different main course in advance, as there are so many things to choose from.
Despite the early departure, the New York flight now offers lunch rather than breakfast, as this is so much better of a dining experience.
I wanted to point it out. You have to face the aisle while dining because of the table's position. I found this to be awkward when I flew Singapore Suites a few years ago, as you were facing the person in the seat across from you.
The crew closed the door when they served the meal, so you don't have to look at a stranger.
It was time for the double bed to be made. The entire turndown service took only five minutes, as both of the beds were folded down from the center section. This setup is awesome. I wondered if life is real when I saw the full double bed mode in this suite.
Some pictures of the Singapore Airlines A380 Suites double bed can be found below.
If you are traveling with someone, there is not a single better first class product in the world. There are a few thoughts beyond that.
I decided to order a Singapore Sling a few hours before landing. It was quite sweet.
I later ordered a cup of tea.
The snack was served 90 minutes before landing. The menu can be found here.
I was offered a mushroom soup to start, even though it wasn't on the menu.
One of the main course choices had pork, so I ordered the other. There was a tortilla wrap with vegetables and beef. It was a good snack after having so much food on the flight.
I don't think there is an airline in the world that offers more consistently good service than Singapore Airlines, and this flight was no exception. The two flight attendants were perfect. They were proud of their jobs, they were professional, and proactive, all without being over the top.
Service on Singapore Airlines isn't just amazing compared to US carriers, but also compared to other leading carriers in the world. Singapore Airlines crews almost go about their jobs as if they are performing, because it is just that perfect every time.
It's hard to land in the United States off a Singapore Airlines flight and then connect to a domestic airline.
The captain told us that we were 200 miles northeast of New York and would land around 2PM. The cabin was prepared for landing after 10 minutes after the seatbelt sign was turned on.
There was a low cloud ceiling and strong winds in New York. We arrived at JFK a couple of minutes after 2PM.
We had to wait several minutes to cross the runway.
We arrived at JFK Terminal 4 at 2:14PM, just over three hours after our scheduled arrival. It took another 10 minutes for the door to open. We ran to catch our connecting flight back to Florida after we bid farewell to the crew.
The double bed in the Singapore A380 Suites was a treat. I enjoyed this flight a lot. I haven't been to Southeast Asia in a while, so it was nice to get a taste of that when crossing the Atlantic.
Singapore Airlines' A380 Suites are especially good on this route. The double bed is unbelievably nice, the service was perfect, the food and drink selection was excellent, the entertainment was great, and the amenities were great.
I had a better impression of Singapore's A380 Suites than I did of my last flight. It was great then, but it was exceptional now. I think this is the best first class product in the world, since you can combine the Suites seats with someone else.
What do you think about the A380 Suites?
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