Singapore Airlines to launch world’s longest flight

A perfect opportunity to get stuck into that new box set

Singapore Airlines has announced plans to launch the world’s longest commercial flight from 11 October, a non-stop service from Singapore to just outside New York, which will take nearly 19 hours.

The proposed route from Singapore to Newark, New Jersey, will fly approximately 16,700km and overtake the world’s longest existing flight, Qatar Airlines' Doha to Auckland route, which covers 14,500km.

The service will only offer premium seating, with 67 business class and 94 premium economy class seats available for purchase. When the full service begins on 18 October, it will operate daily.

Singapore Airlines had previously offered this epic route between Singapore and Newark until 2013, when high fuel costs made the use of four-engine Airbus A340-500 jets unfeasible financially. Since then, the airline has flown to New York’s JFK airport via Frankfurt.

Singapore Airlines is Airbus’ first and only customer for the A350-900ULR jet – an ultra-long range version of the fuel-efficient twin-engine A350 model. This advanced aircraft includes higher ceilings, larger windows, an extra wide body and lighting designed to minimise jetlag.

Qantas is reported to be contemplating the purchase of this jet to offer a non-stop flight from Sydney to London from 2022. The proposed route surpasses Singapore Airlines new flight, at a whopping 17,000km.

Singapore Airlines also announced plans to introduce similar non-stop flights from Singapore to Los Angeles with the A350-900ULR at a later time.