Singapore Airlines is renowned for its exceptional service and luxurious travel experience across all cabin classes. However, its premium economy class has received recognition for its comfort and value, including a top-five ranking by the Skytrax World Airline Awards. Singapore Airlines premium economy offers spacious seating, elevated meal options, and priority service — it can be a cost-effective alternative to business class.
To help you decide whether this seat is worth it, here’s everything you need to know about flying Singapore Airlines premium economy:
What to know about flying Singapore Airlines premium economy
Singapore Airlines offers premium economy on select long-haul and regional routes. The seats offer eight inches of recline, a calf rest, more legroom, and better amenities than economy. Guests enjoy a premium meal service and amenity kits stocked with slippers, eyemask, and lip balm for a bit of comfort on longer flights.
While Singapore Airlines’ premium economy isn’t as luxurious as business class, it’s a definite improvement from economy class. On long-haul flights where business class can cost thousands of dollars, premium economy is a more affordable alternative to regular economy class.
Singapore Airlines offers premium economy class on the A350, A380, and Boeing 777 aircraft.
The best routes to fly in premium economy on Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines has an extensive network covering North America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. Premium economy is available on select long-haul and regional routes operated by the A350, A380 and Boeing 777. Singapore Airlines operates the world’s longest flight between New York-JFK and Singapore, making it a great contender for premium economy. If you want to experience premium economy cheap, the Delhii and Singapore route offers fares from under $600 roundtrip.
Here are some of the best Singapore Airlines routes for maximizing the premium economy experience:
- Delhi (DEL) – Singapore (SIN)
- Los Angeles (LAX) – Singapore (SIN)
- New York (JFK) or Newark (EWR) – Singapore (SIN)
- San Francisco (SFO) – Singapore (SIN)
- Seattle (SEA) – Singapore (SIN)
What to expect when flying Singapore Airlines premium economy
The seats offer extra recline and legroom, upgraded meal service, and an amenity kit.
Check-in and security clearance
Premium economy class passengers on Singapore Airlines have access to dedicated check-in, priority boarding, and baggage handling on most routes. These perks can speed up airport transit times, making the pre-flight experience much more enjoyable.
Luggage allowance
Singapore Airlines passengers flying premium economy receive a 35 kg (77 lb) luggage allowance, which is 5 kg (11 lb) higher than standard economy class. With priority luggage handling, your bag will arrive at the carousel faster, allowing a more seamless travel experience.
Lounge access
Singapore Airlines premium economy does not include lounge access, but passengers can purchase lounge access at Changi Airport or access the lounge via select credit cards or memberships, depending on the airport.
Seats
Singapore Airlines’ premium economy seats offer added comfort. The seats are 18.5-19.5 inches wide, depending on the aircraft, and have a seat pitch of 38 inches, offering 6 inches more legroom than economy seats. The seats look very similar to business class cabins on domestic U.S. carrier-operated flights – they are plush and offer much more space than economy class.
The seats are equipped with adjustable calf and footrests, a large IFE display, and two USB ports to keep electronics charged throughout the flight. Singapore’s premium economy cabin is also much smaller, with as few as 24 seats compared to nearly 200 in standard economy. With fewer people, it’s bound to provide a quieter experience.
Food and drink
Singapore Airlines offers an enhanced meal service to premium economy passengers, including a three-course meal and champagne. Passengers can even pre-order their meals via the “Book the Cook” feature to ensure their first choice is available on board.
Singapore Airlines’ meal service is curated by their International Culinary Panel, consisting of five chefs from around the world. As a result, premium economy passengers get to enjoy a variety of locally-inspired meals.
For example, on a Los Angeles (LAX) flight to Singapore (SIN), meal options include Gaeng Phed Kai (Thai-style red curry chicken with Asian vegetables and steamed rice), braised beef with red wine sauce, and stir-fried chicken with oyster sauce. Premium economy guests also get to order from an exclusive drink menu featuring premium wines and other alcoholic beverages.
Service, amenities, and in-flight entertainment
Passengers receive amenity kits with essentials like lip balm, slippers, and an eye mask. Noise-canceling headphones are also provided for a quieter in-flight experience. Most airlines provide noise-canceling headphones to business-class passengers, making this premium offering a nice addition to the other amenities offered in premium economy.
How much it costs to fly Singapore Airlines premium economy
Singapore Airlines premium economy fares typically range from $1,500 to $2,500 for roundtrip tickets from the U.S. to Singapore. These fares can go higher during peak travel season or lower if there’s a sale. One of the cheapest ways to experience premium economy on Singapore Airlines is on the Delhi to Singapore route, where a roundtrip ticket can be booked for under $600.
- When paying in cash: Roundtrip tickets from the U.S. to Singapore typically cost between $1,500 and $2,500.
- When paying via points in a credit card portal: Using credit card points through travel portals usually values points at 1-1.5 cents per point, depending on the program and credit card, meaning a $1,500-$2,500 fare will cost around 150,000-250,000 points.
- When booking using KrisFlyer miles: A one-way ticket from the U.S. to Singapore in premium economy typically requires 75,000-80,500 KrisFlyer miles, depending on your departure city.
- When booking via partner airlines: Singapore Airlines has partnerships with United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. However, the airline doesn’t release premium economy award space to partners.
How much it costs to upgrade to premium economy on Singapore Airlines
The cost of upgrading to premium economy on Singapore Airlines depends on the route, fare type, and upgrade method. Cash upgrades generally cost between $300 and $800 one-way. Point upgrades range from 33,500-55,500 miles one-way, based on the route and fare class. You can use the upgrade calculator to determine how many miles you’ll need for an upgrade.
- 33,500 miles from economy flex (Y, B, E)
- 55,500 miles from economy standard (M, W, H)
How to save on Singapore Airlines premium economy tickets
One way to save is by booking during promotional sales. Singapore Airlines has a promotions page listing out some of the best flight deas, broken down by cabin. Booking an economy ticket and bidding for an upgrade is another option. Finally, using points and miles can help reduce out-of-pocket costs.
You can pay for an upgrade to premium economy class by accessing the mySQupgrade platform 72 hours before your flight. Simply enter your booking reference and name. You’ll receive a quote and instructions on upgrading your seat for a discounted fee consisting of cash or miles.
Upgrading with miles isn’t the best option since the upgrade fee can be steep. For example, upgrading from regular economy to premium economy on an LAX-SIN flight will set you back an extra 33,500-50,500 Krisflyer miles.
- Economy Flexi (Y, B, E) = 33,500 miles
- Economy Standard (M, W, H) = 50,055 miles
The exact number depends on your route, and the type of economy fare you’re upgrading from. You can determine your mileage upgrade cost on this page.
Rather than paying for a ticket and then using miles for an upgrade, you may be better off booking Singapore premium economy tickets with miles. Singapore Airlines premium economy seats between the U.S. and Singapore cost between 75,000 to 80,500 miles each way for saver awards:
- West Coast to Singapore = 75,000 miles
- East Coast and Houston to Singapore = 80,500 miles
How to book Singapore Airlines premium economy with points
Here are two ways to book Singapore Airlines premium economy with points:
How to book Singapore Airlines premium economy using your credit card portal
Most transferable rewards currencies have their own travel portals, where you can redeem points for travel at a flat rate. Examples include Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One, Citi ThankYou, and American Express Travel. With Capital One, you can even redeem miles towards direct travel bookings.
In most cases, your points are worth one cent each towards travel redemptions. Chase Ultimate Rewards are worth 1.25 cents each with a Sapphire Preferred card and 1.5 cents with a Sapphire Reserve.
While you can book through a credit card travel portal, this usually results in poor value. For example, a $2,000 Singapore Airlines premium economy class ticket would require upwards of 200,000 points. This is significantly more than the 150,000-161,000 miles you’d need for a premium economy ticket using Krisflyer miles.
How to book Singapore Airlines premium economy using KrisFlyer points
The KrisFlyer program is probably your best option for booking Singapore Airlines premium economy class. Flights between the U.S. and Singapore cost between 150,000-161,000 miles roundtrip, depending on which city you’re departing from. West Coast departures cost 75,000 miles each way, while East Coast flights go for 80,500.
Since Singapore KrisFlyer miles are easy to earn via five different transfer partnerships, you can pool your miles easily for a premium economy award. Availability opens up 350 days in advance, and early booking is recommended.
Which credit card points transfer to KrisFlyer?
Several credit card programs transfer to KrisFlyer miles at a 1:1 ratio. Sometimes, these programs offer transfer bonuses, allowing you to redeem your next premium economy class award for less:
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Capital One miles
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Citi ThankYou Points
- Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 transfer, with 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points transferred)
What other loyalty programs can you use to book Singapore Airlines premium economy?
Singapore Airlines partners with United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. However, the airline doesn’t release premium economy award space to partners. So, if you want to redeem miles, you’ll have to do so through the Krisflyer program.
The best way to book Singapore Airlines premium economy with points
The best way to book Singapore Airlines premium economy with points is often through the Krisflyer program. That’s mainly because Singapore doesn’t release premium award space to partners, and redeeming through a credit card portal like Amex Travel often gets you limited value for your points.
Tips for finding premium economy award availability on Singapore Airlines
Searching as early as possible increases the chances of finding award availability in Singapore Airlines premium economy class. Singapore Krisflyer releases award space up to 355 days before departure. Checking for last-minute award seat releases can also help you score a seat on a desirable route. Being flexible with dates and routes is helpful for securing award seats.
Singapore Airlines premium economy vs business class
The difference between Singapore Airlines’ premium economy and business class lies in the seat, service, experience, and cost. For starters, the seats between the two cabins are very different. Premium economy features a recliner-style seat with extra legroom and seat pitch. It’s very similar to domestic business class and a definite upgrade from economy class.
Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines’ business class on the A350, A380, and Boeing 777 features pod-style seats that lie fully flat and offer more privacy than premium economy.
Singapore Airlines business class passengers also receive access to a more elaborate meal service, airport lounge access, and greater baggage allowance.
Should you book Singapore Airlines premium economy?
Singapore Airlines’ premium economy is ideal for long-haul travelers seeking extra comfort without the high cost of business class. While it lacks the luxurious touches of a business-class cabin, including lie-flat seats and lounge access, it’s a definite upgrade from flying in economy class. If you want a superior experience to economy class without the high business class price tag, Singapore Airlines premium economy is a great option.
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