Wow. What an experience and what a terrific way to fly between New York and Frankfurt. I had high expectations going into this flight and Singapore Airlines First Class Suites still managed to exceed them. At 143,500 points one way, I wouldn’t consider it one of the best low point flight awards out there but I would do it again without hesitation. Let’s jump right into what made this such an amazing flight.
Flight Info
- Flight Number: SQ25
- Seat: Suite 2F
- Aircraft: Airbus A380-800
- Departure Time: 05-08-2023 8:53 PM
- Arrival Time: 05-09-2023 10:15 AM
- Flight Time: 7 hours 22 minutes
- How I booked: 143,500 Kris Flyer Miles transferred from MR and UR + $5.60 in tax
Check In and Arrival Process
Upon arrival at JFK, there is a dedicated check in counter line for Suites customers. Right from the get go you feel the prestige as you are able to skip all the other long lines for business and economy. Having this specialized line made the check in process extremely quick and convenient. After printing the boarding pass, something I appreciated was how the agent mentioned that as a Suites customer, I was eligible to enter the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, which normal Singapore Airlines customers don’t get access to. This is a benefit that some people aren’t aware of when flying business or first so it’s a nice reminder.
Lounge
I won’t delve into too much detail here as the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse will get its own review. The lounge was nice and not overly crowded. I ordered a drink and quick bite from the A La carte menu then went to freshen up with a shower. A really cool thing is that I actually saw the Singapore Airlines A380 from the lounge and was amazed at how small it made the Delta plane look!
Boarding
Right at the gate, there is another dedicated line just for First Class Suites customers. This one felt even more exclusive as it’s right next to the gate entry and right in between business and economy lines. We boarded right on time and I was the second person out of all 500+ passengers to board the aircraft! The First Class Suites and business class cabins are located on the upper deck of the A380, so the boarding tunnel I took actually connects right to the entrance of the second deck without a need to climb any stairs. For economy and premium economy passengers, there is a staircase halfway through the jet bridge which leads them down into the lower deck.
Right at the entrance of the aircraft, I was immediately greeted by name by the friendly cabin crew who checked my boarding pass and then guided me to the long awaited Suites!
Seats
This is where my jaw dropped. The Suites themselves are so luxurious and over the top. There are 6 suites in total with 3 rows in a 1-1 configuration. The WOW factor was completely off the charts.
The hard product is simply superb. Right in the middle of the suite is a large recliner which is able to swivel 180 degrees to either face the window or the entrance of the suite. The seat itself is large and made of soft leather and was very comfortable to sit in. There was so much room in the suite that even when I stretched my legs out completely, I still was not able to reach the wall of the suite with my feet!
On the armrest of the chair lies the control panel which controls the chair recline position and swivel position. The chair was able to recline the leg rest and the back rest independently which was nice. The control panel also controls the swivel position of the TV, so you can adjust how much you want it to come out and face the center of the suite. Also on that same armrest is the remote control, which is attached via a retractable cord.
The TV is massive at 32 inches and can swivel in and out when pressing buttons on the left armrest or the buttons near the windows. In its original position, the TV is flush against the suite wall but fully swiveled out, it will face the center of the suite. You can then swivel the recliner so that you can face the TV directly. The TV itself looks modern and I thought that the color quality was crisp and vibrant. It was just a very enjoyable experience being able to lean back and watch Top Gun: Maverick on my own personal, giant HDTV (great movie btw, highly recommend).
Along the windows are a whole array of cubbies, buttons, and charging ports. It’s still pretty wild to me that one of the cubbies included an LED light lit vanity mirror. The whole suite feels high tech as the buttons along the side can control the window shades, lighting of the suite, TV position, and being able to call a flight attendant.
Located along the windows is even a mini tablet which is so crazy to me. This tablet is basically an extension of the TV and allows you to control the entertainment system, call for an attendant, or just view flight progress.
Next to the recliner is a bed side table which holds the menu and a little flower vase. The flower vase is simple yet really adds to the elegance and the luxury vibe of the suite. The bed side table actually contains the dining table that will be pulled out later during meal time.
Right at the entrance of the suite is the storage closet. That’s right a CLOSET. How many times have you been able to stow away your luggage in a dedicated closet?? The closet was very spacious with enough room for me to fit my carry on, bag, shoes and clothes. There are even hangers in the closet for you to hang your jackets on!
The pictures simply don’t do the suite justice as the suite itself is HUGE. It feels like a mini hotel room with plenty of space for me to walk around and stretch my legs out. When the door is closed, the whole experience just feels so private and surreal. You have this massive room all to yourself and can lounge in it however you see fit.
Amenity Kit and Pajamas
Both the amenity kit and pajamas are by Lalique, a luxury brand. You can tell that the pajamas are high quality as they’re very comfy and light. The slippers are also quite nice and offer added comfort when walking around the cabin. The amenity kit is on the smaller side and contains a room spray, lip balm, lotion, and a soap bar. Despite not containing a lot, the products in the amenity kit seem very well made.
Pre Departure
Once settled into the suite, the cabin crew was quick to come by and help me stow away my luggage in the closet. After that they personally introduced themselves. The cabin manager came first, followed by the primary flight attendant, then the secondary attendant. They were all very professional and polite, addressing me by name and saying how they’re here to take care of any need that I have.
It was during this time that the cabin manager also mentioned that we would be arriving earlier than schedule which was a bummer because I wanted more time to enjoy Suites! This was also the first time I ever wanted a flight to be longer haha. Right after introductions, I was shown where the pajamas were and then asked what my departure drink of choice was. Unfortunately due to New York law, alcohol couldn’t be served on departure so I opted for the pineapple juice which was fresh and had bits of pineapple at the bottom of the glass. During this whole process there is also calm departure music playing which I feel is a nice touch and adds to the ambience.
Not long after receiving my drink, was I offered assorted nuts by the flight attendant. This is where I first noticed SQ’s attention to detail because I was surprised to find out that these nuts were pre warmed and that made them taste even more delicious. It’s small things like this that just made me appreciate how meticulous SQ is in delivering top notch service.
The attendants came by a few more times to top up my drink and offer more nuts and before I knew it, the whole 45 min boarding process was complete and we were ready for takeoff. This was by far the fastest the boarding process has ever gone by for me. Being able to just sit and relax while being served light snacks and refreshments made the normally long and mundane boarding process go by exceptionally quick.
Bathroom
WOW! This bathroom is nicer than some actual hotel bathrooms. It’s huge and luxurious and just so over the top. I was beyond impressed at how elegant it was. I would have never dreamed a bathroom in an airplane could be this amazing. From the assortment of lotions and face sprays to the actual hand towels instead cheap paper towels, the whole bathroom just felt top tier and luxurious. For a moment I actually forgot that I was in an airplane and not on the ground.
Wifi
Wifi is free for all business and first class passengers, as well as KrisFlyer PPS members. Having free wifi is always appreciated and definitely a plus!
Dinner Service
About an hour after takeoff, the flight attendant came by asking me what I would like to drink and eat. I ordered a glass of Krug Champagne, the caviar appetizer, fillet of beef, and the chocolate cake to finish.
After ordering my dinner, another flight attendant came by with an assorted bread basket asking what I would like to have. I ended up choosing the garlic bread (which was delicious!) and a roll. He also asked if I would like balsamic or extra virgin olive oil. They then set my table with dining cloth and silverware and brought out the butter as well as salt and pepper. A really small nice touch I appreciated is that the butter came in a cute rose design.
The caviar came out and I was asked if I would like a shot of vodka as that is traditionally served with caviar (to which I happily obliged). The caviar itself was great and I could really taste that all of the ingredients from the crème fraîche to the blinis were all high quality and delicious.
The main course arrived and I was asked if I would like a glass of wine to pair with it. I ended up asking for a red wine recommendation to which my flight attendant gave me a glass of what she felt I would like. Apologies as I don’t remember the name of the wine. Upon arriving with the bottle, she allowed me to taste it which was a nice touch and made me feel like I was in a high class restaurant. The beef fillet and the potato galette were spectacular. The beef was not overdone and very flavorful and this left me feeling very full and satisfied.
To top off dinner, I received my chocolate cake which was absolutely decadent. The toffee ice cream was the pairing with it and the dessert just hit the spot after a delicious set of courses.
Not long after, the flight attendant came by asking if I would like some cheese and wine. I’m not much of a cheese person so I declined this but then he came around with a fruit basket full of different fruits like apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, etc. I was surprised to see dragonfruit in there so I ended up picking that along with an apple and some grapes.
Finally to top off the whole dinner, I was asked if I would like coffee or tea. I was hesitant to order one given that I didn’t want caffeine before sleeping but felt I had to try whatever was recommended. He ended up bringing some sort of vanilla tea that ended up being quite good. After finishing this up I noticed that most of the other suites passengers had turn off their lights and begun to sleep. I dimmed my lights a little bit and then proceeded to finish up my movie before trying to sleep. At this point we were already 2 hours in! It barely felt like any time had passed at all.
Bed
I buzzed the flight attendant to come help me set up my bed and he came promptly and had it set up in a couple of minutes. Before leaving he asked if I would like to be woken up for the refreshment service to which I agreed. The bed and sleep experience were the only knocks I had on the whole experience. In line with other customer reviews, I did feel that the bed was a little narrow and a bit hard. It wasn’t super uncomfortable but did take a little bit of adjusting before finding a comfortable position. The pillows were soft and the blanket was thick and pretty comfy. It was a little noisy from the galley as I could hear them cleaning up but it wasn’t so loud that I couldn’t sleep. I still managed to get 2 hours of sleep and I woke up to us flying near Dublin.
Refreshment Service
After waking up I was asked if I would like any drinks like fresh orange juice as well as what menu item I would like. I ended up ordering a cappuccino to pair with the congee I ordered. My flight attendant once again set my dining table and set up silverware. This time I received chopsticks as well as a Chinese soup spoon. I was quite impressed with the extravagance as I even received a metal chopstick rest! The congee came out with 油条 (friend Chinese donut) and was extremely delicious. The food really did not disappoint.
After finishing this and cleaning up, I ordered the Singapore Sling cocktail which was mandatory in my opinion as that’s their signature cocktail. It was a bit too sweet for my liking but was still a pretty delicious drink.
Landing in Frankfurt
About 30 minutes out from landing, myself and the other passengers went to change out of our pajamas and into our regular clothes. The landing process was smooth and had no hiccups. While we were taxiing, the same departure music once again started playing and it was a really nice touch that the whole cabin crew once again came by to thank us for flying with them. The exit process was so fast that I was even able to line up outside the aircraft door and see how they open it, which I’ve never seen before!
Overall Service
I’ve read reviews saying that Singapore Airlines First Class may have the best soft product in the world and after this flight I find it hard to disagree. I was beyond impressed at how warm, welcoming, attentive, and professional all of the flight attendants were. The whole experience just felt so personalized as they all took the time to introduce themselves, chat a little bit, and then cater the service to me.
The attendants really mastered how to be be present but not overbearing. They came by often to check in on me and see if there was anything I needed. There was not a moment during the flight when my glass of water or alcoholic drink was not full. The flight attendants really went above and beyond expectations as they saw that I was taking a bunch of photos and even offered to take more for me at different times during the flight. What really blew me away was how the main flight attendant offered to take me on a tour of the whole aircraft so I could take more pictures and explore the suites. It was unreal being able to walk through the different cabins and have her explain what goes on behind the scenes.
She was even so accommodating when I asked if it was possible to get another set of pajamas and slippers for my mom. She not only grabbed those for me but also managed to get me an extra business class amenity kit without me asking. Unfortunately they aren’t allowed to give out extra first class amenity kits but getting a business class kit is still great! The level of detail SQ attendants pay to individual passengers and how cared for they make passengers feel are what really set SQ apart from others as a top tier airline.
Conclusion
Overall, this is as close to perfection as you can get. Not only does Singapore Airlines offer a world class hard product, they also have a world class soft product to go with it. The First Class Suite itself really delivered the WOW factor you expect from international first class and the personalized, professional service really enhanced the whole experience. The dining and alcohol selection were excellent and it was simply just a wonderful flight.
If you have the opportunity to fly Singapore Airlines First Class Suites, I would recommend it in a heartbeat. If you are able to get an ex-Singapore flight on Suites, I would recommend that as it seems to have better food and is a longer flight than the New York to Frankfurt route I just took.
This was the first time in my life that I wished a flight lasted longer. Give Singapore Airlines Suites a try and I’m sure you’ll have the same feeling as well!
