Finally! Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class LAX-SIN

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I’ve been collecting miles for almost two decades and Singapore Airlines was one of the airlines I’ve most wanted to experience. I got a chance in 2019 when we flew from JFK-FRA on the A380. It was a great experience and by far the most comfortable trans-Atlantic flight I’ve ever taken.

However, I slept for most of the flight and didn’t get the full Singapore Airlines experience. When I was planning our big trip to Southeast Asia, the only thing Sharon asked was if we could visit Changi Airport. No problem!

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program has decent availability for its members and I found business class tickets from Los Angeles to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with a 4-hour stop in Singapore for 95,000 miles and $12.10. At the time, the same flight would have cost $3,592 which gives a value of 3.76 cents per point.

That’s an almost 18-hour flight, which beats our previous longest flight from LAX-SYD on Virgin Australia. I described that flight as getting settled, having dinner and watching a movie before going to sleep. When you wake up, you’re still 8 hours from your destination.

If I’m going to be on a plane for the better part of a day, it better be a comfy ride. Singapore Airlines provides that to their passengers. In fact, our A350-900 only has business class and premium economy seats.

For this trip, I selected two window seats as I figured Sharon and I would be sleeping for most of the flight.

After our time at the LAX Star Alliance Lounge. we headed to the gate as the plane started to board. The business class cabin was partially filled at the time but was full by the time of departure.

We settled into our seats for the next 18 hours.

This is Sharon’s “I can’t believe I’m going to be on a plane for this long” face. 🙂

We had a large screen with KrisWorld’s entertainment options.

Before takeoff, we were offered a glass of orange juice.

I took the time to become acquainted with the handheld controller for the TV. I had a love/hate relationship with this controller for the duration of our trip.

We were asked what beverage we’d like to have after departure. I chose the champagne, which I was told was the Charles Heidsieck. It was served with a plate of nuts.

Once at a comfortable altitude, the dinner service began with a Citrus Grilled Shrimps Salad. It was refreshing and the shrimp was firm (not soggy.) I hadn’t finished my 2nd glass of champagne but they offered me a glass of wine and I didn’t want to deny their hospitality.

We both used “Book the Cook” to reserve our meals. For dinner, Sharon ordered the smoked fennel duck confit.

I ordered the Grilled salmon with yuzu.

I liked my dinner more than Sharon did. However, we did both enjoy the ice cream dessert.

We both had our beds set up for sleeping. While some people complain about the angled footwell. I didn’t find it difficult to sleep.

Regardless of the comfort of the seat, I can’t sleep on a plane for more than a few hours. Six hours into the flight, I was awake. I watched a movie and had my chair set back into a seat. I also had a coffee.

I pulled out my MacBook and got some work done since Singapore Airlines offers free Wi-Fi to business class passengers. It wasn’t fast but since we were over the Pacific Ocean, I was impressed that I had an internet connection at all.

Eventually, the rest of the cabin started to wake up and our breakfast service began.

Both meals started with a fruit tray and yogurt. We both added coffee and orange juice.

I ordered the scrambled eggs with cheese which unknowingly was the English Breakfast with Boston baked beans and roasted potatoes.

Sharon ordered the Boursin cheese omelet, which was a more reasonable breakfast option.

Shortly thereafter, we changed back into our clothes from our pajamas and prepared for landing in Singapore.

Final Thoughts

I’m not sure what else you can say about an 18-hour flight. You can get better descriptions of the bedding and onboard product on other websites. We don’t specialize in flight reviews on YMMV.

All I can say is that it was comfortable enough to sleep for a few hours. The food was acceptable and the crew was willing to refill drinks when you asked. I liked my salmon more than Sharon liked her duck but we had just eaten in the lounge and weren’t very hungry.

The IFE was great. I watched Ralph Breaks The Internet, Free Guy and The Untouchables. When I was sleeping I listened to the Meditation audio channel on repeat and when I was working I put on Taylor Swift’s Folklore as background music.

Since I woke up before most of the cabin, the crew changed my bed back to a chair immediately. It took longer for those who slept longer to have their beds turned back to seats.

There’s no easy way to fly to the other side of the planet. If I’m going to be stuck in a plane for 18 hours, I can’t think of many better ways than on a Singapore Airlines flight.

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary