Review of Singapore Airlines First Class

Changi Airport is home to Singapore Airlines and is, in itself, a travel destination with iconic features, including; the world’s tallest indoor waterfall – the 40-metre HSBC Rain Vortex; a 12-metre indoor slide – also the tallest slide in an airport; indoor forest hikes; ten themed indoor and outdoor gardens; a cinema; rooftop swimming pool and over 500 retail and dining outlets. No wonder Changi is regarded as one of the world’s finest airports for its unrivalled passenger experiences.

Terminal 3 is the main terminal for Singapore Airlines. First Class and Suites passengers enjoy a dedicated First Class Check-in Reception away from the crowds. Located as a separate wing to the left of the main Departure Hall, the First Class Check-in Reception offers porter service, sit-down check-in and a private entrance to the dedicated SIA First Class immigration facility. While passengers are not escorted to the lounge, access is very easy as it is located just across from the private immigration. 

The SilverKris First Class Lounge and The Private Room are situated on level 3 of Terminal 3’s departure concourse, signposted by a magnificent showpiece glass installation featuring Singapore Airlines’ iconic batik motif and styled with 105 hand-crafted glass pieces. Passengers flying Singapore Airlines First Class or Suites have exclusive access to The Private Room, leaving the First Class Lounge primarily for other Star Alliance First Class passengers or Solitaire PPS members not flying First Class.

The Singapore Airlines lounges at Changi T3 have undergone a recent redesign and expansion. Though the lounges constitute a significant upgrade from their previous incarnation, there is sadly a lack of natural light and no spa facilities or runway views.   

The SilverKris First Class lounge exudes an impressive, modern, stylish feel with state-of-the-art amenities and timeless elegance. It is open around the clock and has a capacity of 134 guests. Guests first reach the striking open bar with 119 Lalique crystal Aquatic Ginger flowers – inspired by SAI’s batik emblem – a theme that runs throughout the lounge experience. Customers can grab a barista-made coffee in the mornings or a signature cocktail in the evenings. Champagne, wines and hot and cold beverages are available in the self-serve areas. There is a good choice of international hot and cold buffet-style cuisine and live cooking stations where customers can enjoy a selection of local favourites, including chee cheong fun, nasi lemak, bak chor mee, and breakfast egg options. There are four private day rooms – available on a first-come-first-served basis with a 2-hour limit, providing a high level of privacy and featuring a Tempur Zero Gravity bed or reclining seat and a small work desk with USB and charging points. Six separate marble-lined shower suites also have lavatories and luxury Lalique amenities. There is a children’s playroom and six comfortable productivity pods with marble-patterned table tops and complimentary Wi-Fi, USB sockets and charging points throughout the lounges.

The Private Room is the most exclusive lounge, opens between 5.30 a.m. and 2.30 a.m. daily, and is only available to Singapore Airlines Suites and First Class passengers. With a capacity of 78 passengers, there is a bright and airy à la carte restaurant with a good menu, including lamb shank, sauteed lobster with pasta, and dim sum. There are four private nap rooms and four shower suites. Seating is arranged in comfortable pods – from solo to pods with an armchair and sofa, and more open yet still personal seating areas for larger groups. 

Unlike some other leading airlines, Singapore Airlines does not escort its First Class or Suites passengers from the lounge to the departure gate. Officially it does not provide buggy services, but can be provided on request.

For Singapore Airlines flights that leave from Changi Airport Terminal 2, First Class porter service is available from Door 1 of the Departure Hall. A dedicated SilverKris First Class lounge is also available in Terminal 2, but it has not been renovated and does not meet the high standards of the Terminal 3 lounges. The terminals are well connected, you can check in and use the facilities in Terminal 3 even if your flight is departing from terminal 2. 

Singapore Airlines also offers its own SilverKris lounges in 10 other airports around the world, although dedicated First Class lounges are only available in London (temporarily closed for refurbishment), Sydney, Melbourne and Hong Kong. At airports where the airline does not operate its own lounges, First Class passengers enjoy access to other Star Alliance partner lounges or contracted third party lounges. 

As Singapore Airlines offers two very different First Class cabins on the Boeing 777-300ERs vs the Airbus A380s, it is recommended to check the aircraft type you are flying on. While the seats are different on the two aircraft types, all other elements of the First Class experience are the same.

The Boeing 777-300ER fleet offers an intimate First Class cabin with only four seats in a single row 1-2-1 configuration. The custom designed seats were developed by BMW Designworks, the design studio of car manufacturer BMW Group. Launched back in 2013, the seats remain some of the best First Class seats found on any airline. Finished in soft hand-stitched Poltrona Frau leather, these seats feature a large privacy screen for the centre seats, mood lighting and a 24-inch in-flight entertainment screen. The seats are wide and comfortable with a matching cushion and ottoman, beneath which is plenty of storage room, and alongside which is a small enclosed cupboard. Though this is not a concealed suite, the wrap-around design of the shell provides sufficient privacy from other customers. In addition, there is a large mirror with a door, power and HDMI sockets, USB ports and an iPod socket. With a seat pitch of 82 inches (208 centimetres) and width of 35 inches (89 centimetres), the seat transforms into a flat bed that is arguably more comfortable than the ones found on the A380s. The bed has a mattress pad and luxurious Lalique bedding. 

The First Class Suites on the A380s offer a more unique experience - consistently ranked as one of the best in the world. The current Suites are the second iteration of the concept, which was originally launched on the very first A380 in 2007. Back then, Suites was described as “a class beyond First”, and they came with a surcharge. Today, First Class fares are the same irrespective of aircraft type, but the Suites name has been retained to clearly show the difference. The original version came with 12 Suites located on the lower level of the A380s, but in 2017 Singapore Airlines unveiled a completely reimagined version. Suites moved to the front of the upper deck and the number was reduced to just six Suites, allowing for unprecedented size and luxury.

There are three suites on each side of the centre aisle, four of which turn into two expansive ‘Double Suites’. Located on the forward section of the upper deck, adjoining Suites are 1A & 2A and 1F & 2F. Passengers travelling with babies must select Suite 1F, which has wall hooks for a bassinet. Suites 1A and 1F are slightly larger than the other four suites.

Unlike the traditional First Class lie-flat seat, the sizeable Suites contain a foldaway bed – lowered from the side wall – and a swivelling and reclining Poltrona Frau leather armchair with a retractable footrest. The bed is 76 inches long (193 centimetres) and 27 inches wide (68 centimetres) with a firm mattress and finished with a luxurious Lalique duvet and fine linens. The chair is 21 inches (53 centimetres) wide and reclines to 135 degrees.

The Suite is equipped with a 32-inch HD IFE screen, and there are several storage spaces beside the window and a wardrobe for hanging clothes and storing small bags. There are two charging sockets, an HDMI socket, two USB charging ports, and unlimited Wi-Fi.

Privacy is achieved with a beautifully designed full-height sliding door. With two Suites combined, the beds join as an impressive ‘double Suite’.

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes images, videos and seat maps for most airlines and aircraft. Search results also include details such as seat pitch, width and recline. This way, you can see the seat and cabin configuration of the flight in which you are interested before making your choice.

Singapore Airlines is renowned for its in-flight catering and exceptional quality service. Menus have been crafted from a panel of seven world-renowned, award-winning chefs – including three Michelin-starred chefs – to form SIA’s International Culinary Panel.

‘Book the Cook’ is a concept offered in Suites, First Class and Business Class on flights over 1.5 hours flight time. Customers can order main courses from a varied and extensive selection of meals depending on the departure location up to 24 hours before their flight. The undisputed signature dish of Singapore Airlines Book the Cook is the Lobster Thermidor.

Multi-course Digital in-flight menus can be found on the SIA website and ordered through the Singapore Airlines Digital Menu System by entering flight details up to 8 days before departure. Special meals, including baby, child and infant, religious, vegetarian and dietary meals, are also ordered this way. In 2020, Singapore Airlines announced the end of printed paper menus as a sustainability initiative, but they returned to First Class and Business Class in 2022 following passenger feedback.

All dishes use the freshest seasonal produce and arrive exquisitely presented on Lalique, Wedgwood or Narumi tableware, hand delivered by the flight attendants and set upon crisp white linens. 

On many flights, lunch or dinner is preluded by drinks and satay service, a signature of the Singapore Airlines dining experience. The charcoal grilled-chicken and lamb skewers are presented with peanut sauce, cucumber and onion. Vegetarians will enjoy the Impossible Meat satay – specially created for the vegetarian meal. Adding to the authenticity of the service, the satay skewers are charcoal grilled in Singapore and loaded onboard the aircraft along with the peanut sauce even for flights returning from outstations back to Singapore.

Lunch and dinner on most First Class flights are a seven-course dining extravaganza. After the satay, passengers are offered a choice of appetisers, often including Kaluga Osetra malossol caviar with the traditional garnishes as an option. This is followed by a choice of two different soups and a salad dish with a choice of dressings. The main course is then served. Following the main event, First Class passengers have a choice of desserts, usually one hot and one cold option. While many airlines serve cheese before the dessert, Singapore Airlines follows the British tradition of offering cheese as the last course. The First Class cabin crew are however always happy to change the order if you prefer the cheese before dessert.

In the unlikely event of anyone feeling hungry mid-flight, Singapore Airlines offers an extensive Delectables menu of hearthy soup and noodle dishes, sandwiches and snacks such as potato chips, gourmet flavoured popcorn, cookies and sweets.

While breakfast is usually the least interesting meal during a flight, Singapore Airlines makes even this as interesting as possible. A selection of fresh fruit is served as a first dish, followed by cornflakes or Bircher Muesli with milk or yoghurt. There are four options for the main course, plus the entire Book the Cook menu which can be pre-ordered. First Class cabin crew are specially trained to prepare fresh eggs onboard, with a choice between baked, scrambled or boiled. Warm bread rolls and pastries are also offered.

The eminent panel of international chefs have created authentic menus specific to destinations. Flights between Singapore and China can receive Míng Jiā Zhēn Zhuàn-inspired meals. Traditional Kyo-Kaiseki service is provided on Japanese flights, and passengers flying to India can dine on Shahi Thali.

The airline has forged a collaboration with renowned chef and television personality Monica Galetti to craft a gourmet dining experience for its Suite and First Class passengers departing from the UK.

In her role as guest chef, Ms. Galetti, acclaimed for her appearances on television shows including Masterchef: The Professionals, will curate seasonal menus in partnership with the airline. Drawing from her South Pacific heritage, the collection will showcase several signature dishes from her London restaurant, Mere.

Over a thousand wines are tested yearly before a panel of three leading wine experts approve the final selection. Air Sommeliers ensure that the finest wines reach your glass to compliment your meal.

For many years, Singapore Airlines First Class passengers had the choice of “Dom or Krug?”, but this has now changed as the airline no longer serves Dom Pérignon. Today, the airline offers a choice of three premium Champagnes - 2012 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, Krug Grande Cuvée and Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru V P Extra Brut, Champagne. Egly-Ouriet may not be as famous as the two other brands, but is considered by many connoisseurs to represent the absolute pinnacle of grower champagne quality. 

Typically, passengers can choose between two or three white and reds and a Port offering, while a wide selection of cocktails and spirits are also on offer. Who could refuse a Singapore Sling? An insider tip is to request the SilverKris Sling. Concocted from orange juice, pineapple juice, gin, Grand Mariner and topped with Champagne, it serves as a more refreshing alternative. The SilverKris Sling is not always listed, but the cabin crew is happy to create it even if ordered off-menu. 

Non-alcoholic beverages include a featured mix, delicious mocktails, and a wide selection of mineral water, freshly squeezed fruit juices, carbonated soft drinks, milk, and chocolate beverages.

There is an excellent range of gourmet coffee by illy that includes 12 different choices, from single-origin Arabica to classic roasts and speciality coffees such as cappucino or Café Royal. Singapore Airlines offer an impressive selection of 16 different teas from around the globe, including nine from the TWG Tea Selection. All tea and coffee can be ordered hot or with ice.

The signature hot beverage in Singapore Airlines First Class is Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. Considered one of the finest and most expensive coffees in the world, Jamaican Blue Mountain is exclusively exported by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica. 

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on which Champagne is served in First Class and Business Class on many airlines. We do our best to keep track of any changes but feel free to let us know if there is something we missed.

Singapore Airlines’ service is legendary, and First Class and Suites passengers will enjoy the crème de la crème of airline experiences. The Singapore Girl is consistently featured in the airline's marketing and is one of the most recognisable brand ambassadors anywhere in the world. 

The level of attention and care is impeccable, and a warm and genuinely friendly welcome awaits onboard. Customers are greeted by name and escorted to their seat or Suite, where cabin crew introduce themselves and provide helpful information about the First Class product and flight details. Shortly after, a glass of Champagne, juice or mineral water is provided and will never run dry. Care and attentiveness are exceptional, even on the longest intercontinental flights.

The cabin crew present flawlessly in iconic and immediately recognisable uniforms. The female crew wear iconic sarong kebaya uniforms designed by Pierre Balmain in 1968. The colour of the uniforms represents their seniority. Blue for Flight Stewardess, green for Leading Stewardess, red signifies Chief Stewardess, and the Inflight Manager wears a purple uniform. The male crew wear elegant suits with colour-coded ties that represent their seniority in the same way.   

The long-haul fleet of Boeing 777-300ER First Class seats features a 24-inch HD-enabled in-flight entertainment screen fixed to the end panel above the ottoman. Due to the distance from the seat, a hand controller is used to access the menu. Bang & Olufsen noise-cancelling headphones are of excellent quality.

The A380s have a large 32-inch touch-sensitive IFE screen that can be swivelled and adjusted at the touch of a button to suit viewing positions from the swivel seat or the bed. A smaller detachable hand-held screen controls everything, from dimming lights, calling cabin crew or simply watching your favourite movie in bed. The A380 also provides customers with superb Bang & Olufsen noise-cancelling headsets.

In-flight Wi-Fi is complimentary to First Class and Suites passengers on all flights. KrisWorld in-flight entertainment is carefully considered with over 1,400 entertainment options, including on-demand movies, TV shows, Box sets, music, web-based gaming, kids TV, and much more. With Hollywood blockbusters and the latest releases worldwide, there is something for everyone to enjoy, relax and unwind.  

The KrisWorld digital content portal allows passengers to access the inflight and amenities menu, KrisWorld magazines and more from a single webpage. Discover the movie or TV menu and create a personal playlist before stepping aboard. Those requiring retail therapy can even browse through a catalogue of curated best-sellers, purchase, and receive the goods directly to the next flight or delivered straight to the doorstep, anywhere in the world.

The luxury amenity kits from Lalique come as unisex, female and male sets, packaged in an attractive re-usable leather zip pouch. The contents include lip balm, body lotion, and face mist. The unisex kit has a charming Lalique scented candle and scented soap. In contrast, the female kit has additional face moisturiser, hand cream and a generous-sized L’Amour Lalique Eau de Parfum. The men’s kit also contains aftershave balm and a great-sized 30-ml bottle of Eau de Toilette, all from the Lalique Encre Noire range. 

Comfort items include a soft fabric eye mask, in-flight Lalique pyjamas with a drawstring waist and button neck and some of the best airline slippers available. Shaving and dental kits are available directly from the lavatories or upon request.

Singapore Airlines has a signature aroma Stefan Floridian Waters, created in the 1990s and blended from rose, lavender and citrus. The scent is gently transfused in the circulating air and blended into hot towels, passed around several times during the flight.  

The A380 has two forward bathrooms on the upper deck. Although they do not have shower facilities, the available space is excellent. Spotlessly clean and modern, further amenities can be found such as combs, cotton pads, razors, toothbrushes and paste and mouthwash, and Lalique Neroli body lotion, face mist and perfumes.

Although the two First Class bathrooms of the B777s are considerably smaller, they are also at the front of the cabin, meticulously cleaned and contain the same amenities as the newer aircraft.

Singapore Airlines has greatly reduced the number of short- and medium-haul destinations that offer First Class. The only short route left is Singapore-Jakarta, but even if the flight time is just 75 minutes, the First Class experience is exceptional and includes a meal service with a full selection of beverages. Medium-haul routes include Singapore to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Delhi and Mumbai. On these routes, passengers enjoy a full seven course meal service, amenity kits, slippers and pyjamas.

The Singapore Airlines Group, including its subsidiary airline Scoot, is committed to reducing the airline industry’s emissions and has set out to improve fuel efficiency with carbon-neutral growth from 2020 and achieve a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. This goal is helped by using a young fleet of the most eco-efficient aircraft on the market, combined with improved flight operation procedures that minimise fuel burn. The Asia and Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions (ASPIRE) programme is a prime example of this initiative, where select flights from Singapore and within the Oceania region operate daily under the ASPIRE programme to shorten flight times and reduce fuel burn and emissions. Singapore Airlines is heavily invested in developing sustainable fuels and is part of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group.

Waste management is controlled by reducing single-use plastics, paper and food waste by using alternative sustainable materials and making reading material digital – this also helps minimise take-off weight, reducing fuel consumption.  

On the ground, SIA office buildings across Singapore generate 18 per cent of the electricity demand through renewable energy by using more than 20,000 rooftop solar panels. Since 2010, SIA has been the exclusive airline partner of a vital conservation project to protect 100,000 hectares of rainforest Harapan Rainforest and its endangered species.

The flight search on Businessclass.com includes information on Co2 emissions for each flight. Our quality algorithms also give a higher score to flights operated by the most modern and environmentally friendly aircraft.