TravelSkills readers will soon soak in this view of the Marina Bay Sands whether flying United or Singapore Airlines (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Just two weeks after United Airlines started flying non-stop from San Francisco to Singapore, Singapore Airlines confirmed to TravelSkills that it will do the same beginning this fall – and that it will boost Los Angeles service as well.
While United is using a 787-9 Dreamliner for the route, Singapore said it will rely on a new Airbus A350-900. The airline plans to start flying the non-stop San Francisco route, a trip of about 16 hours, on October 23. Singapore said that in addition to the new non-stops, it will continue to offer daily one-stop service between SFO and Singapore via Hong Kong, using a 777-300ER.
The daily SFO non-stops will replace the airline’s existing daily San Francisco-Seoul-Singapore service; that will be relocated to Los Angeles on October 23, increasing Singapore’s schedule there from one daily flight (LAX-Tokyo-Singapore) to two, with the second one operating via Seoul.
The LAX flights will both use 777-300ERs with first class, business class, premium economy and economy seating. The carrier currently uses an Airbus A380 on the LAX route, which will be phased out. See our Trip Report covering business class on the new 777-300ER.
All Singapore’s west coast flights will feature its new business class. (Image: Singapore Airlines)
The company said the actual flying time for the San Francisco non-stops will range from 14 hours 35 minutes to 17 hours 45 minutes, depending on direction and time of year. It estimated the distance at 8,451 miles.
This new non-stop news is separate from Singapore’s announcement last fall that it will resume non-stop service to New York and Los Angeles in 2018 using a new, ultra-long-haul version of the A350 being developed by Airbus – designated the A350-900ULR — just for that purpose.
Related: Take a spin inside a brand new Airbus A350
Singapore’s long-range A350s will fly non-stop to SFO starting Oct 23 (Image: Airbus)
Singapore Airlines is a big believer in the A350: It started to take delivery of the next-generation wide-body this year, and has ordered more than 60 of them. The airline first put the plane into service on the Singapore-Amsterdam route a few months ago, and more recently started flying it between Singapore and South Africa.
Related: First class phase out picks up steam
The Singapore Airlines A350-900 is configured with 253 seats – 42 in business class in a 1-2-1 layout; 24 in premium economy; and 187 in regular economy (No first class). A company representative said the aircraft will be equipped with an enhanced in-flight entertainment system that offers more than 1,000 on-demand options, as well as “innovative technology designed to reduce jetlag via advancements in cabin climate, lighting and noise levels.”
About 16 hours each way between SFO and Singapore (TravelMath)
Which airline would you prefer for the new SFO-SIN 16-hour odyssey? Why? Please leave your comments below.
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I’d definitely prefer the A350 myself.
I’d to with United, as I’m a Boeing person through and through. Plus, I’m one of those flyers who really finds United great!
This will be an interesting competition given both are in Star Alliance but don’t codeshare this route. I wonder if they will fly essentially the same schedule or one will be a night departure / day arrival & vice versa? UA has a large loyal 1K and Global Services base in SF and their service and those folks will get a tone more bonus miles flying UA. Their food and seating products are improving fast. If the 787 has the New BusinessFirst they could start to be competitive with SQ. I believe FAs are starting to receive new training now.
I’ll stick with United for the miles and Elite status. It comes in quite handy flying domestically. I am a 1K on UA and have been for years (CO Elite before that) and frankly I find their service quite good! Occasionally there’s a grumpy F/A but overall I have found the UA crews to be very nice, the food delicious and the flights ontime. I have flown both FC and JC on SQ and they are very good but I find the crews to be disingenuous. They have to be nice and you can tell that’s the case.
Every SQ plane is much more comfortable than UA! 🙂 But ya, the SQ A350 looks especially nice! I think UA will cancel this route within 6 months of SQ starting (a year at most)
Singapore Air has 19 A380s. I assure you they don’t all fly to London! They fly to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney, Paris, Frankfurt, Shanghai, Beijing, Mumbai, New Dehli, and several more cities. In fact, they have 5 more A380s on order because there’s so much demand. I think they’ll be alright. 😉
According to the Austrailan Business Traveler report, SQ’s Airbus 350 that will operate the SFO-SIN will be equipped with only 170 seats. Sounds like it will be much more comfortable than UA’s 787-900.
I don’t see how anyone would chose UA over SQ assuming price is the same. Hands down it’s Singapore. I cringe every time I fly UA, with their disinterested and surly flight attendants. They could learn a thing or two from SQ flight attendants.
So where will they use the A380 they are replacing? There are only so many destinations that justify that kind of capacity, like London, and they already fly a A380 there.
Service-wise I don’t know anyone who would prefer United over SIA.
…but clearly, Singapore is trying to have its cake and eat it too by staying with Airbus while leading the charge for the TPP.