Singapore Airlines plans to spend $835 million over the next six years to significantly upgrade the passenger experience on the vast majority of its Airbus A350-900 aircraft – including the so-called ULR or Ultra Long Range variant, which operates the world’s longest flights from Singapore to New York JFK.
Chief executive Goh Choon Phong promised that the airline would “push the boundaries of comfort, luxury, and modernity” with new First and Business Class seats, as well as refreshed Premium Economy and Economy cabins, and an upgraded inflight entertainment system.
The centerpiece of the retrofit program – the airline’s eagerly anticipated new premium suites – was meant to debut on the next-generation Boeing 777X, of which Singapore Airlines has 31 on order, but with the first deliveries of much-delayed aircraft pushed back to 2026 at the earliest, Singapore Airlines has decided to roll out its new First and Business Class seats on its existing A350 fleet instead.
The retrofit program will not, however, take place overnight, and the first aircraft to go into the hangar for the new seats to be installed won’t reappear until the second quarter of 2026. The entire upgrade program is then anticipated to go all the way through to the end of 2030.
In total, 41 Airbus A350-900 aircraft will get an upgrade, with the remaining 23 jets remaining in a regional configuration.
Of the 41 aircraft that are due to be retrofitted, seven are ULR variants, which will get a single row of four First Class suites and 70 new Business Class suites. This will be the first time that the Singapore Airlines A350-900ULR has had a First Class cabin, and the additional room taken up by these seats means that the Premium Economy cabin will be reduced from 94 seats to just 58.
There is no Economy cabin on these jets because they are designed to operate some of the longest flights in the world, including the 9,537-mile non-stop flight between Singapore and New York JFK, which clocks in at nearly 19 hours.
The 34 Airbus 350-900 long-haul aircraft will be configured with 42 Business Class suites, 24 Premium Economy Class seats, and 192 Economy Class seats.
Details of the new suites remain scant, but a teaser video released by the airline shows enclosed suites with sliding doors. In a statement, Singapore Airlines said the suites would “incorporate thoughtful elements” which would allow “customers to relax or work effortlessly on board.”
“The introduction of these next-generation seats and KrisWorld system, together with the world-renowned warm and attentive service of our cabin crew, will set new standards in innovation, customer experience, and service excellence,” boasted Choon Phong following the announcement.
The retrofit program is expected to be completed inhouse by the SIA Engineering Company and further details of the new suites should hopefully follow at some point in 2025.
