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When it comes to flying lengthy non-stop services, Star Alliance member Singapore Airlines is perhaps one of the most experienced carriers. Over the past two decades, this airline has been operating the world’s longest service on and off for a cumulative period of approximately 13 years. Indeed, it has given up the title twice due to service suspensions and cancelations. With North America as one of its focus regions, we examine the longest flights operated by Singapore Airlines in July 2023.
As noted previously, this list is based on straight-line distances. Thus, real-world routings as a result of airspace restrictions and meteorological factors are likely to result in different distances and may actually alter rankings.
Brought to you by the A350-900
Just like Delta, Singapore Airlines relies on the Airbus A350-900 for all of its longest services. Indeed, the airline often credits the Airbus widebody for making such distant city pairs profitable.
Photo: Singapore Airlines
Unlike Delta, however, Singapore Airlines operates the Airbus A350-900ULR. This specially-modified A350-900 can carry more fuel due to a modified fuel system. This technical ability, combined with a premium-cabin-only configuration, allows the airline to operate its two longest services more profitably. The A350-900ULR has a published range of 17,964 km (11,163 miles), a couple thousand miles further than Singapore Airlines’ longest service.
#5. Singapore – Seattle (SQ27/28)
- Direct distance: 13,583 km (8,068 miles)
- Average duration outbound: 14 hours and 01 minute
- Average flight duration inbound: 15 hours and 30 minutes
- Aircraft type currently used: Airbus A350-900
Photo: FlightRadar24.com
Singapore Airlines’ service to Seattle is relatively new. The airline conducted its first flight to the Emerald City in September 2019. According to the Seattle Times, a spokesperson for the airline said at the time that the route was a “fantastic balance of strong corporate traffic [and] strong leisure traffic.”
Before the launch of its Seattle service, the airline used to serve Vancouver, Canada, with a stop at Seoul Incheon. However, this service was dropped in 2009 due to government restrictions limiting the service to three times per week. As noted previously, the airline gives credit to the A350 for making the route viable. An airline spokesperson told The Seattle Times:
“We were just waiting for an aircraft technology that could do it nonstop and that could do it with a cost of operation that would make the route viable…We knew that Seattle was an up-and-coming destination. We knew that it was an up-and-coming business center, but we weren’t quite sure it was ready until recently. Now everything’s really come together — the constraint of Vancouver, the right technology aircraft, the readiness of Seattle as a business center.”
Singapore Airlines tried to make Vancouver work again with a seasonal service in late 2021. This second time around, service to the Canadian city was part of a multi-stop itinerary with Seattle. Profitable or not, the airline has since decided to shift its resources to serve other destinations, axing the Vancouver service once again. Indeed, it will pull the plug on this short-lived route in October 2023.
#4. Singapore – San Francisco (SQ31/32 & SQ33/34)
- Direct distance: 13,583 km (8,440 miles)
- Average duration outbound: 14 hours and 36 minutes
- Average flight duration inbound: 15 hours and 42 minutes
- Aircraft type currently used: Airbus A350-900
Photo: FlightRadar24.com
This non-stop service was launched in October 2016. At the time, the airline was already serving San Francisco. This other flight, however, was operating via a stop in Hong Kong.
These days, the carrier flies to San Francisco non-stop twice daily. Outbound, the first A350 (SQ32) departs Singapore for San Francisco at 09:25 local time, while the other (SQ34) takes at the other end of the day, at 19:50.
#3. Singapore – Los Angeles (SQ35/36 & SQ37/38)
- Direct distance: 14,095 km (8,758 miles)
- Average duration outbound: 15 hours and 08 minutes
- Average flight duration inbound: 16 hours
- Aircraft type currently used: Airbus A350-900
Photo: FlightRadar24.com
This city pair, as a non-stop offering, commenced in November 2018, with the route initially served three times per week.
Surpassing San Francisco in terms of overall frequency, Singapore Airlines serves Los Angeles with more than double-daily service. Indeed, the airline will see 10 flights per week in July. Beyond these non-stop flights, the carrier operates a Singapore-Tokyo-Los Angeles service. This single-stop route uses the Boeing 777-300ER with flight numbers SQ11/12. The Tokyo-Los Angeles portion is bookable on its own, making it a fifth freedom service.
At the time of the route’s launch Singapore Airlines CEO, Mr Goh Choon Phong, stated:
“Our US services have always been popular with our customers and we are pleased to be able to provide even more travel options with the launch of non-stop flights between Singapore and Los Angeles.”
#2. Singapore – Newark Liberty (SQ21/22)
- Direct distance: 15,263 km (9,484 miles)
- Average duration outbound: 18 hours and 06 minutes
- Average flight duration inbound: 18 hours and 54 minutes
- Aircraft type currently used: Airbus A350-900
Photo: FlightRadar24.com
This airport pair has held the title of the world’s longest non-stop commercial flight for many years. Indeed, Mainly Miles highlights that Newark was Singapore Airlines’ original choice when it launched non-stop flights to New York in June 2004. From 2004 to 2013, the airline operated this route using Airbus A340-500s. Citing profitability challenges, the airline ended this offering in 2013.
The airline then re-launched its non-stop Newark service in October 2018, initially serving the New York metropolitan area three times a week. Commenting on the revival of flights to Newark, airline CEO, Mr Goh Choon Phon,g stated:
“Singapore Airlines has always taken pride in pushing the boundaries to provide the best possible travel convenience for our customers, and we are pleased to be leading the way with these new non-stop flights using the latest-technology, ultra-long-range Airbus A350-900ULR.”
Photo: FlightRadar24.com
While this route has been the world’s longest in terms of straight-line distance, more recent airspace bans have actually made it even longer. It’s because prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the airline used the polar route (Siberian corridor) to get between the two cities. This is demonstrated with the flight path image above. These days, however, Singapore Airlines truly flies ‘around the world’ for its New York services. Departing Singapore, an A350-900ULR takes a longer route over the Pacific Ocean. The return service, rather than backtracking, continues flying east, over the Atlantic and over the Eurasian continent.
#1. Singapore – New York JFK (SQ23/24)
- Direct distance: 15,268 km (9,487 miles)
- Average duration outbound: 18 hours and 17 minutes
- Average flight duration inbound: 18 hours and 41 minutes
- Aircraft type currently used: Airbus A350-900
Photo: FlightRadar24.com
The longest non-stop flight operated by Singapore Airlines, and indeed, the longest flight in the world is Singapore Airlines’ service to New York JFK. In terms of straight-line distance, you can see that this route beats out Singapore-Newark by a mere three miles (five kilometers). With the two airports being so close to one another, there shouldn’t be a significant difference in flight time. Rather, the amount of time you’ll spend on the aircraft for either flight will depend on airport congestion and air traffic patterns.
Non-stop flights to JFK were first launched in November 2020,in place of its Newark service. However, Singapore Airlines was no stranger to New York JFK. As highlighted by the website Mainly Miles, the airline “first launched flights to and from New York JFK Airport on 1st July 1992, with Boeing 747-400s operating six times weekly.” Three of these flights stopped in Frankfurt, and the other three in Brussels.
As noted by One Mile At A Time, the airline explained its reasons for switching from Newark to JFK, saying:
“Operating to JFK International Airport would allow Singapore Airlines to better accommodate a mix of passenger and cargo traffic on its services to New York in the current operating climate. SIA’s non-stop services to New York would also be supported by the growing number of transfer passengers who can now transit via Singapore’s Changi Airport.”
With surging travel demand post-pandemic, the airline’s service to Newark was restored on March 27th. This means that the airline serves the New York City area non-stop, with two flights per day.
Just like the services to and from Newark, SQ23/24 flies in an eastward direction for both the outbound and inbound flights due to the ongoing ban from Russian airspace. Since 18 hours and 41 minutes is just the inbound average, passengers will occasionally spend an even longer time on the aircraft. Indeed, according to FlightRadar24.com data, June 21st’s iteration of SQ23 lasted 19 hours and 15 minutes!
In addition to non-stop flights to JFK or Newark, there’s a third option. Singapore Airlines also deploys the 777-300ER to JFK via Frankfurt. While this was previously operated using the Airbus A380, the airline has downgraded SQ25/26 to the Boeing twinjet.
Examining our list, it’s clear that California and New York are the two regions for which Singapore Airlines has decided to focus its resources. Clearly, this has been profitable for the airline, considering the number of frequencies for each destination.
What do you think of Singapore Airlines’ longest route? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment!
Sources: Seattle Times, One Mile At A Time, Mainly Miles
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Singapore Airlines
- IATA/ICAO Code:
- SQ/SIA
- Airline Type:
- Full Service Carrier
- Hub(s):
- Singapore Changi Airport
- Year Founded:
- 1972
- Alliance:
- Star Alliance
- CEO:
- Goh Choon Phong
- Country:
- Singapore
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