Singapore Airlines’ long-awaited new-generation upgrade is finally here, including redesigned First and Business Class seats that will eventually feature on some aircraft serving Australia.
The airline is investing more than S$2 billion in new seats across all four cabins, with the products scheduled to enter service from the second half of 2027. They will be introduced on retrofitted Airbus A350-900 long-haul and ultra-long-range (ULR) aircraft, as well as the incoming Boeing 777-9s.
American Express Platinum Card
Offer ends: 12 Jan 2027
- Bonus points
- Earn 150,000 Bonus Membership Rewards® Points
- Annual fee
- $1,450 p.a.
- Earn
- Earn 2.25 Membership Rewards points per $1 on all eligible purchases, except for spend with government bodies, for which you will earn 1 point per $1 spent
American Express Platinum Card
Offer ends: 12 Jan 2027
- Bonus Points
- Earn 150,000 Bonus Membership Rewards® Points
- Annual Fee
- $1,450 p.a.
- Earn
- Earn 2.25 Membership Rewards points per $1 on all eligible purchases, except for spend with government bodies, for which you will earn 1 point per $1 spent
The American Express Platinum Card has 150,000 bonus Membership Rewards Points¹ for new American Express Card Members who apply by 12 January 2027, are approved, and spend $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months of approval. It also comes with up to $400 in Global Dining Credit¹⁰ per calendar year and a $450 annual Travel Credit⁵. A great card for those who want to earn Membership Rewards points⁴ on everyday spend and transferable to a wide range of major Airline Rewards Partner Programs⁷. T&Cs apply. Only available to new Card Members who have not held any American Express® Card within the last 18 months.
For Australian travellers, you’ll eventually find the new Business Class seats on Airbus A350 long-haul flights to Sydney and Melbourne. However, an executive at Singapore Airlines confirms that the Airbus A380 won’t be retrofitted. The remaining flights to Australia have ‘regional’ Business Class seats, which will also remain.
Point Hacks is in Singapore for the launch of the new product – here are all the details.
New Singapore Airlines Business Class
The new Business Class seat focuses on greater privacy, improved ergonomics and more flexibility for passengers working, dining or sleeping. It’s a major shift from the current fold-down lie-flat seats that debuted 13 years ago, although it’s not by any means a ‘revolutionary’ product compared to current Business Class offerings.
Mr Lee Lik Hsin, Singapore Airlines Chief Commercial Officer, says the improvements are aimed at making the travel experience more ‘flexible’ for customers’ needs.
“Singapore Airlines’ next-generation long-haul cabin products will ensure that our customers travel more comfortably than before, and have greater control over their in-flight experience, whether they are working, dining, relaxing, or resting,” Lee says.
Seat features
Each seat will feature a sliding privacy door and electronically adjustable centre dividers. Passengers can tailor their personal space or open it up when travelling with a companion. The full-flat bed measures around 2 metres (79″) long and up to 61 cm (24″) wide. Pleasingly, one of the main improvements is widening the footwell, giving passengers more room to move while sleeping.
The seat also includes adjustable lumbar and leg support, full-grain premium leather upholstery, multiple storage compartments and wireless charging. Much like on the Airbus A380, selected centre seats can be configured as ‘companion beds’ for passengers travelling together.
Entertainment will be delivered through 22″ 4K OLED touchscreens on the Airbus A350s, and a 20″ 4K touchscreen on the Boeing 777-9s (a bit of an oddity, given the seats are wider on the Boeing 777). All seats in Business Class will have spatial audio and Bluetooth headphone pairing. Smart cabin controls integrated with KrisWorld will also remember passengers’ preferred seat positions for future journeys.
Expect a full complement of charging options, including wireless phone charging and AC power. The Boeing 777-9 will have two USB-C and one USB-A port. The Airbus A350s will get two USB-C fast charging ports.
A new look for Singapore Airlines
While the seat ticks all the boxes with functionality, the sports car-inspired colour palette might raise a few eyebrows. It’s designed by Designworks and manufactured by Recaro. Whereas Singapore Airlines’ new First Class retains the warmth and batik patterns it’s known for, Business Class seats feature a lime-green accent on grey, which is a bold departure from the brand identity.
When asked about this directly, Tsin defends the choice to experiment with the seat aesthetics.
“Our customer experience for Singapore Airlines goes far beyond colour… and even far beyond the cabin. It is the end-to-end experience that we provide. From that perspective, we do not feel that a different colour palette creates any kind of inconsistency.”
The new Business Class will be fitted across the Boeing 777-9 and 41 of its A350 long-haul and A350 ULR aircraft, starting from mid-2027 onwards. Point Hacks understands the full rollout may take up to 2030 to complete. There will be 54 Business Class seats on the 777-9, 42 on the A350 long-haul and 70 on the A350 ULR.
While we’ll likely only see these seats come to Sydney and Melbourne, you’ll eventually find them on most of Singapore Airlines flights to Europe, Africa and the USA.
First Class becomes a more private sanctuary
SIA’s new First Class cabin might just be the best non-Airbus A380 suite to take to the skies, and we’re sure the centre seats will be in high demand. Passengers travelling together can retract the divider to create a shared space for dining, with the seats able to transform into a two-seater sofa during the day, or a double bed at night.
“The togetherness element is a huge part of our product design, for both Business and First Class… you can hold hands across the seats!” he quips.
Designed by British firm PrietmanGoode and manufactured by Collins Aerospace, the seats can also move independently or in tandem to ensure an uninterrupted surface.
Dine and rest together
The combined double bed measures 80 inches long and 60 inches wide, which Singapore Airlines describes as the largest double bed in commercial aviation. Individual beds measure 80 inches long and 30 inches wide. Much of the seat can be customised to your liking, including the side wings, two lumbar support zones and the ottoman.
Unlike in the Airbus A380 Suites, dining with a companion is possible in all of the new First Class seats. The two centre seats can also combine to create a dining room for four. Hsin also suggests that it might be possible to dine with a friend from Business Class.
“The companion dining is far more enhanced… even if you are sitting in the single seater, you could invite a companion from Business Class to come dine with you.”
Other features include a large dining and work table, dedicated storage, wireless charging, USB-C ports and universal power outlets. There’s plenty of storage to boot, including a personal wardrobe, vanity drawer and storage for your carry-on under the ottoman.
Watch entertainment on a 32-inch 4K touchscreen, with spatial audio and Bang & Olufsen wireless headphones provided. The cabin’s smart controls will remember preferred seat and lighting settings.
The new First Class will be available on the Boeing 777-9 and A350-900ULR. There’ll be four seats on each A350 ULR and six on each 777-9. Hsin says Singapore Airlines expects the first new First Class seats to take off on the Boeing 777-9 in late 2027. This suggests the Airbus A350 ULR refurbishment won’t be until a bit later in the timeline.
Singapore Airlines’ Senior Vice President of Customer Experience, Mr Yeoh Phee Teik, confirms that a significant portion of Premium Economy will be removed on the A350ULR to accommodate the new First Class and larger Business Class cabins.
“Right now, our ULR has 67 Business Class and 94 Premium Economy seats. After this product transformation, we’re going to have 4 First Class, 70 Business Class and 58 Premium Economy seats,” he confirms.
How about Economy and Premium Economy?
The incoming Boeing 777-9 will feature all-new Economy and Premium Economy seats. Premium Economy will feature a boosted 40″ seat pitch (up from 38″), an extra inch of recline, adjustable leg and foot rests, and a 16″ 4K entertainment screen. Apart from the extra legspace, there’s not too much difference from the current seat.
Passengers will also have dedicated storage, a cocktail tray and a device holder for hands-free viewing.
Economy Class, meanwhile, focuses on improving comfort during long-haul flights. There’s ergonomic cushioning, a four-way adjustable headrest and a redesigned reclining mechanism that provides greater knee and shin clearance. The cabin will also feature up to 13″ 4K entertainment screens, Bluetooth audio pairing and USB-C charging.
Singapore Airlines confirms that Economy will transition to a 3-4-3 layout on the Boeing 777-9, owing to the slightly wider fuselage.
Both cabins will benefit from SIA’s next-generation KrisWorld entertainment system, with spatial audio and enhanced connectivity features. The new seats are scheduled to debut on the 777-9 from the second half of 2027.
However, these new seats will not be retrofitted onto the Airbus A350 long-haul and ULR variants. This means that passengers on those jets will not have some of the updated functionality, such as Bluetooth audio pairing, that will be present in Business and First Class on the same planes.
Summing up
Singapore Airlines’ new-generation cabin products represent a significant investment in its long-haul passenger experience. The new First Class looks particularly promising for couples travelling together, while the redesigned Business Class seats bring the privacy and personal space that premium travellers increasingly expect.
However, the rollout will be gradual, and Australians shouldn’t expect every Singapore Airlines flight to feature the new cabins. The Airbus A380 and medium-haul/regional Boeing 787s and Airbus A350s will retain their existing products. Meanwhile, the new Economy and Premium Economy seats are exclusive to the incoming Boeing 777-9.
Still, with updated dining menus, inflight entertainment, amenity kits and even the introduction of pyjamas on flights over six hours, there’s plenty to look forward to.
Disclaimer: The author travelled to Singapore as a guest of Singapore Airlines. All opinions are his own.
Stay up to date with the latest news, reviews and guides by subscribing to Point Hacks’ email newsletter.
