The capstone of my Asia trip was my 14-hour journey from Singapore to London onboard the A380 in Suites Class, a rare treat in one of the superlative travel experiences of the entire commercial airline industry.
Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Class – A 14-Hour Journey In Ultimate Luxury
Yes, I used miles to book this. Singapore to London is one of the rare longhaul routes that you can score first class award space on. After landing in Singapore, I proceeded to the Private Room, where I enjoyed a flat white and fresh-pressed juice before being driven to my flight in a golf cart.
Typically, I like to be first to board, but my layover in Singapore was less than an hour and this time I decided to enjoy the lounge and be last onboard. Shortly after boarding, the doors closed behind me and we pushed back for the long journey to London.
I’ve reviewed the A380 in Suites Class before, but this would be my longest flight on this aircraft and what a treat it was. I was warmly greeted by the crew and escorted to my seat, then offered a glass of Champagne, which set the tone for a great journey.
Suites Class is located in the front of the upper deck and has six seats in a 1-1 configuration. Each suite is spacious with a dentist-like chair (very comfortable) and a bed that flips down. There’s tremendous privacy and the chair swivels almost 360º to allow for dining, watching movies on the huge screen, or even looking out the windows.
On my last journey, I mentioned that the bed felt a bit hard, but this flight I slept like a baby for eight hours…a rare feat for me on airplanes these days, even in premium cabins. The bedding is top-notch and the cabin was cool (though I deliberately took my socks off and slept with my feet sticking out).
Seated in 2A, I was hoping that seat 1A would remain unoccupied so that I could take advantage of a double suite and double bed, but there was a passenger there. I did check out the bed after the flight and it’s a bucket list item for me to take my wife on this plane one day and to share a double suite together.
Kenny and Natapa took care of me and were simply perfect in providing gracious, attentive, genuine service with a smile. The entire crew was lovely and that alone made this an incredible flight.
There were three Champagnes onboard (Bollinger La Grande Année 2015, Charles Heidsieck Blane des Millénaires 2007, and Krug Grande Cuvée), but I do admit I love Krug and I stuck to that, which, interestingly, was served in half-size bottles. The crew was somewhat sheepish about that, but I think it makes sense…less waste and also keeps it fresher since I had a glass early in the flight and more later in the flight.
Breakfast was served after takeoff, but I had pre-ordered my meals with Singapore’s “Book The Cook” program. Having just had breakfast on my Jakarta – Singapore flight, I ordered the most famous Singapore Airlines meal, the lobster thermidor. It was positively prefect, a decadent treat that left me longing for more.
To finish out the meal, I ordered coconut panackackes, which the menu said were high in protein. I’m not sure about that, but they were delicious.
The big feast began after I woke up from my slumber, about three hours out of London.
First, chicken satay, a staple on Singapore Airlines, served with cucumber, onion, and a spicy peanut sauce.
The bread basket included a wonderful selection of bread, including garlic bread, my favorite.
Then, a caviar course…a treat I would only indulge in on an airplane.
That was followed by poached lobster with celeriac remoulade, orange segments, quail eggs, and citrus dressing. I could have done without this course in terms of the vast amount of food set before me, but it was so delicious that I ate it all.
Next came a white bean and shellfish soup with prawns, which was rich and flavorful.
I had pre-ordered a roasted veal chop for the main course and what a treat it was (not as good as the rack of lamb, but still superb). I typically avoid sauces, but the morel mushroom sauce was a great accompaniment.
Then came cheese, followed by a warm apple-raisin strudel with vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis and a cappuccino with a special “Jamaican Blue Mountain” espresso blend…a fabulous end to a fabulous meal.
Food was served at the perfect pace at the perfect temperature with perfect presentation…as I reflect back on the flight, I recognize what a treat it was.
Finally, a note on the lavatories. With Suites Class on the upper deck, there are two lavatories for the six passengers and both are huge (these are the same size as the Emirates and Etihad lavatories, which have showers) and quite luxurious.
We landed 45 minutes early in London, and this was one of those flights that I did not want to end.
CONCLUSION
I have so much more to say about this flight, including info on the amenities, IFE, Wi-Fi, and a lot more info on the seat, service, food, and drinks onboard. Stay tuned for that, but the bottom line is that Singapore Suites on the A380 is one of the best travel experiences in the world, a product I rate in the top-three along with Air France and JAL.
I’m sharing about my whirlwind trip through Asia.
This is a great review, one of a series of the best, like the Timor Leste reviews! Singapore Airlines is one of the best, in any class of service.
Please tell more about how you booked with miles. I’m planning a flight from SFO to SING that is a bit over 16 hours. But to buy a First Class ticket outright is crazy expensive. And sadly, they don’t fly the 380 on that route, they use the 350 because of the distance.
Correction – flight time SFO to SIN is 17 hours 25 minutes. Just too long for economy class.
Fantastic review. I keep hoping for this to work into my normal schedule but it may just have to become a “If I find space at anytime just figure out how to make it work” scenario.