Review: Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Class

At last, my long-awaited trip on Singapore Airlines onboard the A380 in Suites Class had arrived. My expectations were dangerously high. Could this flight live up to those expectations?

Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Class Review

Singapore Airlines ran its flagship Airbus A380-800 service on flights between New York (JFK) and Singapore (SIN) via Frankfurt (FRA) till mid 2023. This review recounts the first leg from JFK to FRA. This was a very deliberate booking to experience the A380 on a true longhaul flight. These days, the A380 operates on routes between Singapore and:

• Auckland (AKL)
• Delhi (DEL)
  
• Hong Kong (HKG)
  
• London Heathrow (LHR)
  
• Melbourne (MEL)
• Mumbai (BOM)
• Sydney (SYD)
  
• Tokyo Narita (NRT)

Singapore Airlines offers its flights as both “saver” and “advantage” awards. The advantage award is also capacity restricted, but often available when saver space is not.  A one-way paid ticket would have been over $11,000 but cost 243K KrisFlyer miles (a saver award would have been 148.5K miles). Singapore KrisFlyer points can be transferred in from American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt, Capital One Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi Thank You…there are many ways to obtain KrisFlyer miles.

Check-In + Ground Service

Singapore Airlines operates out of Terminal 4 at JFK. I arrived about two hours before departure and found the check-in line oddly deserted.

My boarding passes (all the way to Bali) were issued and I was invited to use the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse (review here) prior to the flight.

One area where Singapore Airlines is weak is its ground product. While you can expect escorts and car service on Air France, Lufthansa, and SWISS, Singapore did not even provide an exert to security or from the lounge to the aircraft.

Boarding

Boarding began about 45 minutes prior to departure, with guests in Suites Class invited to board first.

Singapore 025
New York (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA)
Saturday, March 4
Depart: 8:15 PM
Arrive: 9:50 AM+1
Duration: 7hr, 35min
Aircraft: Airbus A380
Distance: 3,856 miles
Seat: 3A (Suites Class)

Onboard, I was warmly greeted at the door by a flight attendant and escorted to my suite, 3A.

Suites

The first class cabin, located on the upper deck, features six suites designed by Zodiac in a 1-1 configuration. Suites 1A and 2A as well as 1F and 2F have a partition between seats that can be lowered for couples traveling together, creating a double bed and plenty of space to move around.

Each suite is includes a separate full-flat bed with adjustable recline and plush leather chair, enabling guests to lounge or rest without the need to convert the bed.

Seats are upholstered in Poltrona Frau leather and feel like a comfortable dentist chair (much like the Emirates 777-300ER first class seat). Seats can swivel between 135º and 270º and even recline 45º.

There’s also a closet and a large handbag stowage compartment.

A door can be closed to maximize privacy.

Seat controls adjust the seat, window shades, and lights.

There are also two power ports and two high-speed USB chargers.

The bed flips down…flight attendants prepared the bed for sleeping (mattress pad, duvet, and two pillows) after dinner. Quite candidly, I found the bed too hard and I generally prefer a firm mattress. The mattress pad was too thin. I still slept, but did not find this the most comfortable bed.

Here’s what the middle suite looks like (2A). You can see the partition that flips down to create a spacious shared suite.

Amenity Kit

Singapore partners with Lalique to offer an attractive leather amenity kit filled with Lalique products (body lotion, lip balm, soap, and room spray).

Separately, flight attendants offered more traditional things you find in an amenity kit, like slippers, socks, and eyeshades.

Pajamas

Pajamas are also Lalique and quite soft, with S, M, L, and XL sizes available. I chose medium and it was a good fit. Most important for me, the trousers had pockets. However, I ended up not even changing on this flight…I don’t like changing into pajamas on flights less than 10 hours…but I’ll model them for you on the next portion of this flight review.

Food + Drinks

You won’t go hungry on this flight…but the meal service also had a couple disappointing elements.

An elaborate menu was waiting inside the suite (opened to the dinner page and placed on a side table next to orchids).

Before we took off, Champagne was offered (a choice of Krug or Tattinger). I sampled both and preferred Tattinger.

Service began with a choice of beverage and a selection of mixed nuts. I loved how passengers were able to select thier own nuts amongst several choices. I had macadamia nuts and cashews along with a glass of Tattinger.

My table was set for dinner shortly after dinner, with a choice of bread offered (I chose garlic).

Next, I was invited to sample the trio of appetizers offered, including:

• Chilled Malossol Caviar
  • with blinis and condiments
• Poached Lobster and Aerofarms Salad
  • Aerofarms, medley of baby bak choy and watercress, beet pure and dressed with grainy mustard vinaigrette
• Double Boiled Chicken Soup
  • with abalone and morel mushroom

First, caviar. While not my favorite delicacy, I was not going to turn down this treat that I only ever get to eat in first class. The caviar was carefully arranged with blinis, eggs, onions, sour cream, lemon wedges, and a mother of pearl spoon.

The lobster salad was a great…the lobster was flavorful and the mustard dressing provided a nice accent of flavor.

Then chicken soup, which had an abalone in the middle of the bowl.

I had pre-ordered a beef filet and it was horrible…one of the worst steaks I have ever had on an airplane.

While nicely presented, the meat was not only cooked to shoe leather consistency, but the flavor and quality was poor (gristle). I pushed it aside and a flight attendant, horrified, apologized and offered to bring me something else.

I switched to the pork belly, which was delicious and also something you do not often see on an airplane.

Although I was stuffed at this point, the meal continued with a cheese course…

…then concluded with a sumptuous pecan pistachio tart with vanilla ice cream and berries (and a decaf cappuccino).

Before going to sleep, a flight attendant asked me if I would like to be awakened for breakfast. After a dinner of that size I could have gone for days without eating…but I said yes for purposes of this review.

Ridiculously, I was awakened for breakfast before we even hit Ireland: there were still over two hours left in the flight. I understand that business class passengers have to be awakened about 90 minutes prior to landing in order to complete the assembly-line service in time, but I felt hat waking up first class passengers two hours before landing was totally unnecessary, especially when it appeared that I was the only one of six passengers who was even eating.

Oddly, there was no western breakfast option. Instead, was a choice between pork and egg congee or a smoked turkey sandwich.

Although it was 4:00 am in New York and 10:00 am in Frankfurt, the sandwich included a side salad and potato chips.

The sandwich was not bad: the cheese was nicely melted and the pesto spread was nice. I just wasn’t hungry…

I did eat some berries and had a cappuccino…that was more than enough.

IFE + Wi-Fi

Each suite features a 32-inch HD monitor mounted to the wall that can swivel to optimize viewing weather you are in the bed or the chair.

Noise-cancelling headphones from Bang & Olufsen were provided.

Singapore’s KrisWorld entertainment system offers hundreds of movies and TV shows to choose from, along with games and an extensive audio library. Put simply, you won’t be bored with a selection this wide.

I’m not sure whether to be ashamed or proud to admit that after finishing a chilling movie on euthanasia called Plan 75, I spent hours and hours (on this flight and the connecting flight to Singapore) binge-watching White Lotus.

> Read More: I Spent My Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Flight…Binge-Watching White Lotus

I love Christmas music no matter the time of the year…

Complimentary wi-fi was available to first class passengers without data caps.

Lavatory

With first class located upstairs, Singapore offers two massive lavatories in the first class cabin to the left and right of the staircase. One even includes a sit-down vanity counter.

The smaller lavatory:

Service

In my experience, service on Singapore Airlines can be hit or miss…I’ve had a couple questionable flights over the years, so my expectations were somewhat guarded. However, the cabin crew were absolutely delightful on this sector. Not only were they attentive, but they were charming and professional.

I do think starting the breakfast two hours before arrival is ridiculous and I strongly recommend you skip breakfast on this flight…but other than that service flow issue, the service was top-notch.

One aspect that really distinguishes a top-tier first class product is whether glasses are kept full. Here, the Champagne flowed freely and flight attendants carefully monitored to ensure that drink glasses never remained empty for more than a few moments.

CONCLUSION

We landed in Frankfurt on-time. All passengers had to exit, even those connecting to Singapore on the same aircraft, so that the plane could be cleaned and for the crew change.

This flight was far too short, which made me very happy to be continuing to Singapore on a 12-hour flight…but while not perfect (horrible beef, hard bed, early wake-up), it was such a pleasure to fly. I would not rank this as my favorite first class product, but I was so happy to finally fly this product.

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