Singapore Airlines Review — Seats, Amenities, Customer Service, Baggage Fees, and More

There’s a real emphasis on customer service in Singaporean culture, and this certainly rings true of the country’s flag carrier – Singapore Airlines.

This 5-star airline is renowned for its impeccable service – both in the air and on the ground – along with the comfort and quality of its cabins.

This detailed article covers everything you need to know when flying with Singapore Airlines, including inflight amenities, baggage allowances, customer satisfaction rankings, and more.

Basic Info

Airline: Singapore Airlines

Category: International airline, flag carrier for Singapore

Frequent Flyer Program: KrisFlyer

Tagline: “A great way to fly”

Number of passengers annually: Over 36 million (including Scoot regional airline)

Fleet: 121

Main Hub: Changi Airport Singapore (SIN)

Destinations: 32 countries worldwide

Frequent Flyer Programs

KrisFlyer

KrisFlyer is a frequent flyer program offering passengers rewards for flying with Singapore Airlines and its partner airlines.

Members can earn points on the ground as well as in the air through booking selected hotels, car rental, or even by shopping online.

Points earned from flights go toward KrisFlyer elite status, with standard, silver, and gold statuses available offering passenger perks such as free seat selection and priority boarding.

Hot Tip: Learn the best ways to earn lots of Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles and you’ll be booking an award flight in no time!

PPS Club

PPS Club is an extension to KrisFlyer and is an exclusive membership for frequent flyers that accumulate 25,000 PPS points flying business, first, or Suites class within 12 consecutive months. PPS members receive enhanced rewards for their KrisFlyer account such as double KrisFlyer award earnings and discounts off upgrade redemptions.

There are 2 tiers in the PPS Club — standard and Solitaire PPS Club (50,000 PPS points flying business, first, or Suites class within 12 consecutive months).

Ticketing Options

Singapore Airlines has 3 fare types available for economy, premium economy, and business class. These give passengers different options for baggage allowance, cancellation terms, KrisFlyer miles earning potential, and more.

*Baggage allowance does not apply to piece concept destinations.

First Class Fare Type

There is only 1 standard fare type for first class that comes with the following conditions:

• Check-in baggage: 110 pounds (50 kg)
• Advance seat selection: Free
• Earn KrisFlyer points: 200%
• Cancellations: Chargeable
• Changes: Free
• No shows: Chargeable

Hot Tip: When searching for a flight on Singapore Airlines’ website, you can choose to secure the fare for up to 72 hours while you shop around or confirm details for your trip.

The cost to secure your fare depends on the destination, but starts from $4. To use “Secure My Fare,” flights must be fully operated by Singapore Airlines for economy or premium economy cabins and must be at least 30 days in advance.

mySQupgrade

mySQupgrade allows passengers to bid for upgrades to premium cabins. On eligible flights, an email invitation is sent to passengers 7 days before the flight offering the opportunity to bid. Bids can be withdrawn up to 50 hours before departure; otherwise, confirmation of whether the bid has been successful will be sent 48 hours before the flight.

Singapore Airlines Baggage and Other Fees/Add-Ons

Singapore Airlines applies a weight concept to the majority of its destinations, meaning that passengers receive a set weight allowance for checked baggage that they can split across multiple pieces if they choose to.

Flights to/from the United States work on a piece concept, where passengers are permitted to bring 2 pieces of checked luggage with the weight dependent on the cabin.

Baggage Fees

Singapore Airlines Carry-On Allowance

• 1 personal item (maximum size 40 x 30 x 10 cm)
• Standard carry-on bags (115 cm max linear dimensions:)
  • Economy and Premium Economy: 1 free (up to 15 pounds (7 kg))
  • Business and First Class: 2 free (up to 15 pounds (7 kg))

Singapore Airlines Checked Allowance

Weight Concept (All flights except to/from U.S.)

Additional and excess baggage fees are route dependent.

Charges for flights to/from the U.S. are:

• Additional bag: $120-$180 (prepaid) or $150-$350 (at the airport)
• Overweight bag: $80-$180 (prepaid) or $100-$225 (at the airport)
• Oversized bag: $80-$180 (prepaid) or $100-$225 (at the airport)

Charges for all other flights (excluding the U.S.) are:

• Additional weight: $3-$42 per kilogram (prepaid) or $4-$56 per kilogram (at the airport)

Hot Tip: Read more about Singapore Airlines’ baggage policy in our dedicated baggage article.

Other Fees and Add-Ons

Fee for Booking with a Reservation Agent — Phone or In-Person 

• U.S. office: $50
• South Africa office: $37-206
• Switzerland office: CHF 150 (adult) CHF 75 (child)
• Any other country: $25-75

Change/Cancellation/No Show Fees — Cash tickets

Cancellation:

• Economy: $100-$200
• Premium Economy: $200
• Business: $200-$250
• First: $100

Changes:

• Economy: $50-$300
• Premium Economy: $50
• Business: $150-250
• First: No change fee

The difference in fare would also be applicable.

No Show:

• Economy: $100-$300
• Premium Economy: $200
• Business: $300
• First: $300

Hot Tip: Find out Singapore Airlines’ fees for award flight changes and cancellations in our complete guide. 

Advance Seat Selection

Band 1: Between Singapore and Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam; within Australia; between Australia and New Zealand; between Russia and Sweden.
Band 2: Between Singapore and Australia, Bangladesh, Hong Kong SAR-China, China, India. Japan, Korea, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan-China and U.A.E.
Band 3: Between Singapore and Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and United Kingdom; between United States and Germany, Hong Kong SAR-China, Japan, Korea, and United Kingdom 
Band 4: Between Singapore and United States

Other Fees

Unaccompanied minor: Price undisclosed on Singapore Airlines’ website, but they do offer the service.

Transporting a pet as checked: Passengers can transport their pet within their checked luggage allowance providing it does not exceed the maximum allowance for a single piece (70 pounds (32 kg)). Depending on the fare type, passengers may be required to pay excess baggage charges.

How to Avoid Paying Excess Fees and Travel Expenses

There are a number of rewards cards where charges on your statement can be paid for by using your points/miles balance. Capital One’s cards are great for this exact purpose and are used by savvy travelers who want to decrease their out-of-pocket expenses! Each card we recommend allows you to redeem your Capital One miles at 1 cent each for a statement credit for previous travel purchases (within 90 days).

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U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

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75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

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Annual Fee

$395

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19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

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Pros

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Cons

• $395 annual fee (rates & fees)
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Read Full Review

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• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
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Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome Offer

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons

Pros

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• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cons

• $95 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Limited elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Welcome Offer

Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.

20,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$360

Annual Fee

$0

APR

19.74% - 29.74% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

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But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?

Pros & Cons

Pros

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Cons

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• No luxury travel or elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.74% - 29.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Singapore Airlines Lounges

Singapore Airlines has lounges in the following airports:

SilverKris Lounge

• Singapore Changi Airport (SNG)
• Adelaide Airport (ADL)
• Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)
• Brisbane International Airport (BNE)
• Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
• Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)
• London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
• Manilla Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)
• Melbourne Airport (MLB)
• New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)
• Perth Airport (PER)
• Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN)
• Sydney Airport (SYD)
• Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE)

KrisFlyer Gold Lounge

• Singapore Changi Airport (SNG)

Inflight Inclusions, Amenities, and Seat Specs

Economy Class

Singapore Airlines has 3 different fits for economy class depending on the aircraft. One type can be found on their Airbus A380-800, Airbus A330-300, and the Boeing 777-300ER; the second type can be found on the A350 and retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER; and the newest fit can be found on the Airbus A350, A380, and Boeing 787-10.

The service and amenities are as standard across all fits — the difference is in the seating with the newest fit offering ergonomically designed seating with 6-way adjustable headrests.

Amenities include:

• Adjustable headrest
• Ergonomically designed seating and 6-way adjustable headrest (available on newly fitted Airbus A350, A380, and Boeing 787-10 aircraft.)
• 10.6-inch wide LCD screen with over 1,000 entertainment options and headphones
• Extra legroom and forward zone seats (available for a fee)
• Complimentary snacks, meals, and beverages, including alcohol (meals depend on flight duration)
• Amenity kit with toothbrush, toothpaste, and socks
• USB power charging (available on newly fitted Airbus A350, A380, and Boeing 787-10 aircraft.)
• Wi-Fi available to purchase

Premium Economy

Amenities include:

• Priority check-in and boarding
• Wider seats up to 19.5 inches, 8 inches recline, and 38-inch seat pitch
• 13.3-inch HD touchscreen screen with over 1,800 entertainment options and noise-canceling headphones
• “Book the Cook” — pre-order a meal from an extensive menu up to 24-hours before your flight
• Complimentary snacks and beverages, including alcohol
• Increased storage space for personal items
• Amenity kit with toothbrush, toothpaste, socks, and eye mask
• Wi-Fi available to purchase

Business Class

Business class fits vary across the Singapore Airlines fleet and whether you’re flying domestically or internationally. An older regional business class can be found on the A330, 777-300 and 777-200, while the newer regional business class is on the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787-10.

The seating is noticeably newer with upgraded touchscreens and a flat bed; whereas, the older seats do lie-flat but at a slight incline.

A slightly older fit of business class can be found on the Airbus A380-800, Boeing 777-300ER, and refitted Boeing 777-200ER, although some A380’s are fitted with Singapore’s new business class with sculpted wing seating and 18-inch touchscreens.

Finally, another fit can be found on the A350 and retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with a different style of seating (still lie-flat beds, of course) but with several seating options when in the upright position and featuring the 18-inch touchscreens.

Amenities include:

• Priority check-in and boarding
• Wide seating that transforms into a lie-flat bed
• 2 seats can be transformed into a double bed on the new A380 Business Class
• “Book the Cook” — pre-order a meal from an extensive menu up to 24-hours before your flight
• Complimentary snacks and beverages, including alcohol
• 15.4-18-inch HD screens (touchscreen on newer fits) with 1,000-1,800 entertainment options
• Noise-canceling headphones
• Amenity kit including slippers on longer flights
• Penhaligon’s toiletries in Business Class lavatories
• Wi-Fi available to purchase

Hot Tip: Want to explore what it’s like to fly Singapore business? Read all about it in Cherag’s experience flying Singapore business class on the A380.

First Class

There are two fits for first class – the original concept which is available on the Boeing 777-300ER and refitted Boeing 777-300 aircraft – and the new first class, which is available progressively on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Amenities include:

• Priority check-in and boarding
• Partially enclosed 35-inch leather seat with mahogany trimmings that transforms into a lie-flat bad
• Mood lighting on new fits
• Ferragamo amenity kit
• 23-24-inch HD screens (touchscreen remote on newer fits) with over 1,000 entertainment options
• Noise-canceling headphones
• “Book the Cook” — pre-order a meal from an extensive menu up to 24-hours before your flight
• Complimentary snacks and beverages including alcohol
• Wi-Fi available to purchase

Hot Tip: Did you know you can book first class on points? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to book Singapore first class on points!

Suites

There are also two fits for suites class – the new A380 suites available on Singapore’s new Airbus A380 aircraft and the original suites class on their A380–800s, flying to London, Paris, Sydney, and more.

Amenities include:

• Enclosed suite with a sliding door and window blinds
• Removable center divider to create a double suite to share with a companion
• Large leather armchair in addition to a lie-flat bed
• Turndown service and sleeping essentials
• 23-inch screen in the original suites class and 32” touchscreen on the A380
• Noise-canceling headphones
• “Book the Cook” — pre-order a meal from an extensive menu up to 24-hours before your flight
• Complimentary snacks and beverages including alcohol
• Spacious lavatories on the A380 with a sit-down vanity counter
• Toiletries including facial mist from Lalique
• Wi-Fi available to purchase

Seat Specs

Singapore Airlines has a young fleet comprised of the aircraft below. Depending on your route, you may have a 2, 3, or 4 cabin aircraft with the following seat specification:

SCROLL FOR MORE

Boeing 787-10
Cabin	Seat Count	Seat Pitch	Seat Width
Business	36 flat bed seats	60″	30″
Economy	301	32″	17.5″

Singapore Airlines Customer Satisfaction

Considering social media is usually the go-to platform for customer complaints, it’s difficult to find the negatives amongst an abundance of positive comments for Singapore Airlines. Loyal passengers sing the praises of service, and the warm smiles received from the professional and friendly cabin crew.

Singapore’s focus on customer service is apparent on their Facebook page, with almost every comment being responded to — good and bad.

Of the small percentage of negative comments, lost or damaged luggage was the most prominent gripe, with customers dissatisfied by the lack of accountability and compensation from Singapore’s customer service teams.

Although everything is reasonably positive on social media, there is a real mixed bag of reviews on SkyTrax, with customers declaring that the 5-star airline’s standards are slipping.

It is assumed that cost-cutting is to blame with customer accounts, including limited meals being served on long-haul flights, fewer drink services, and quality of food deteriorating.

Most Common Complaints

No official statistics can be found on Singapore’s Aviation Authority website caas.gov.sg.

Consumer Rankings, Ratings, Etc

Skytrax Ranking: 5 Star Airline (out of 5)

Skytrax Customer Rating: 7/10

Tripadvisor Airline Review Rating: 4/5 (average from 20,663 reviews)

Kayak Customer Rating: 8.7/10 (average from 3,550 reviews)

AirHelp.com Overall Rating: 7.71/10 (quality of amenities, on-time arrivals, and how well an airline resolves flight delay compensation claims)

Safety and Performance

Singapore Airlines has a 7/7 safety record as awarded by AirlineRatings.com. This considers whether the airline has an IATA Operational Safety Audit Certification, combined with information from the World’s Aviation Governing Body, plus government and crash records.

Recent Awards

TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice 2019 Awards (U.S.): Best Airline in the World 

FlyerTalk Awards: 8^th Annual Best Rewards Program for KrisFlyer

Fortune Magazine (U.S.): Top 50 World’s Most Admired Companies (Ranked 18)

Business Traveler USA 2018: Best Overall Airline in the World

Global Traveler (U.S.): Best Overall Airline in the World 2018 (14th time, 4th consecutive year)

Condé Nast Traveler (U.S.) 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards: Best Airline in the World (29 out of 31 years)

Final Thoughts

The customer opinion of Singapore Airlines is generally very good, and it has upheld its 5-star status for a long time. As Singapore modernizes its cabins on newer aircraft, this is causing inconsistencies across the inflight experience on different routes.

There’s no doubt that Singapore Airlines charges a premium for its 5-star service, but with some routes offering enhanced seating and inflight entertainment systems, some customers feel they’re not getting value for their money every time they fly.

Overall, Singapore Airlines is one of the most respected and trusted airlines and is highly decorated with many worldwide awards.