Singapore Airlines is all set to regain the crown of the world longest flight operator, five years after they gave it away by shutting down the Singapore – Newark and Singapore – Los Angeles operations (the world’s longest and second longest flights). They shut down the route given the route economics did not work for them anymore with a gas-guzzling A340-500 on the route. So they gave them back to Airbus, who instead set out to work on the A350-900ULR for them.

Now, Singapore Airlines will launch the world’s longest commercial flights in October 2018, with non-stop services between Singapore and New York using the new Airbus A350-900ULR (ultra-long-range).

Flights are to be launched on 11 October 2018, to Newark Liberty International Airport. The route will initially be served three times a week, departing Singapore on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Daily operations will commence from 18 October after an additional A350-900ULR aircraft enters service. The first A350-900ULR is due for delivery in September, with all seven due for delivery by the end of the year.

Now, Singapore Airlines has announced the recommencement of operations to Los Angeles with their Ultra Long Range aircraft as well. Singapore Airlines will start the nonstop flights between Singapore and Los Angeles from November 2. Initially, flights will operate on Friday, Sunday and the Wednesday after, before becoming daily service from November 9. The schedule for the service will be as follows:

SQ038 SIN2045 – 1955LAX 359 D
SQ037 LAX2225 – 0815+2SIN 359 D

From December 7, 2018, Singapore Airlines will add another three flights per week using the A350-900ULR:

SQ036 SIN0820 – 0730LAX 359 357
SQ035 LAX0915 – 1905+1SIN 359 357

As a result of this reshuffle, Singapore Airlines will discontinue the Seoul – Los Angeles leg of their currently operating Singapore – Seoul – Los Angeles flight from December 1, 2018.

Singapore Airlines is also adding the ULR to Singapore San Francisco operations from November 28, 2018. They already operate a daily flight on this route with a regular A350-900. The new flight schedule, hence, would be:

SQ032 SIN0920 – 0750SFO 359 D
SQ034 SIN1520 – 1350SFO 359 357

SQ031 SFO0930 – 1905+1SIN 359 D
SQ033 SFO2010 – 0540+2SIN 359 357

Singapore Airlines has 7 of these planes on order. At some point of time they had maintained a comment that they wanted to offer daily services on 3 destinations in the USA with this plane and keep one on standby as a spare. This unveiling of plans clearly shows how 6 aircraft will be deployed (2 to Newark, 3 to Los Angeles, 1 to San Francisco).

It may very well be the case that the extra frequencies to SFO and LAX may be placeholder at the moment while a solid third destination is figured out for them.

Are you excited about Singapore Airlines’ nonstop flights between Singapore and the USA? I mean its just 17 to 19 hours in a metal tube…