SINGAPORE- Singapore Airlines (SQ) will reveal its next-generation cabins and inflight experience on Friday, 6 November 2026.
The new First and Business Class seats will debut on refitted Airbus A350-900 aircraft, with ground upgrades for First Class at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN). The first refitted A350-900LH is due back in service in Q1 2027.
Major Redesign of Singapore Airlines’ Cabin Experience
In September, the airline invited selected Solitaire PPS Club and PPS Club members to see “the next chapter in the Singapore Airlines travel experience”. The invitation pointed to the long-delayed new cabin products and an upgraded soft product.
The airline has now locked in the date through a new YouTube video. Its description reads:
From the first sketch to the final detail, discover how the new Singapore Airlines travel experience comes together across every cabin class and every part of the journey. Unveiling on 6 November 2026.
The reveal takes place one day before the event for elite members. The Milelion reports that a media event will run on the day, with full details released after an embargo lifts in the afternoon. Images of the 2017 Suites leaked a couple of days before that launch.
The video also shows more of the First Class suite interior and the Business Class seat in bed mode.
The airline’s last major cabin launch came in November 2017, with new A380 Suites, Business Class and Economy Class seats. Premium Economy stayed largely unchanged because it had debuted only two years earlier.
The long-haul First and Business Class seats being replaced date to July 2013 on the Boeing 777-300ER. They are an incremental update of a 2006 design. The new cabins are therefore the first meaningful redesign of the airline’s long-haul First and Business Class in almost two decades.
Over that period, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways moved ahead. Business Class suites with doors are now common, and First Class has become a race to offer the most space and features.
In Economy, passengers on other airlines are used to Bluetooth audio, 4K screens and USB-C ports. Singapore Airlines Economy has none of these today, though Starlink internet has been announced.
When and Where New Seats Could Enter Service
Singapore Airlines usually keeps the gap between announcement and first flight short. The 2002 Spacebed on the Boeing 747-400 started flying to London on 31 May 2002. The table covers later launches.
| Cabin Product | Aircraft | Announced | Launch Date | Gap | First Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 First and Business Class | B777-300ER | 17 Oct 2006 | 5 Dec 2006 | 49 days | Paris |
| 2007 Suites | A380-800 | 15 Oct 2007 | 25 Oct 2007 | 10 days | Sydney |
| 2009 Regional Business Class | A330-300 | 21 Jan 2009 | 30 Mar 2009 | 68 days | Brisbane |
| 2013 First and Business Class | B777-300ER | 9 Jul 2013 | 27 Sep 2013 | 80 days | London |
| 2015 Premium Economy | B777-300ER | 21 May 2015 | 9 Aug 2015 | 80 days | Sydney |
| 2017 Suites and Business Class | A380-800 | 2 Nov 2017 | 18 Dec 2017 | 46 days | Sydney |
| 2018 Regional Business Class | B787-10 | 28 Mar 2018 | 3 Apr 2018 | 6 days | Bangkok |
| 2021 Regional Business Class | B737-8 MAX | 16 Nov 2021 | 23 Nov 2021 | 7 days | Phuket |
Two sets of launches work poorly as a guide. The regional Business Class seats in 2018 and 2021 flew with about a week’s notice. The 10 day gap for the first Suites coincided with the debut of the A380.
The other launches took between 46 and 80 days. The refit schedule lists Q1 2027 for the first A350-900LH to return to service.
The airline has not named a launch route. London and Sydney are the most likely candidates. Sydney received several earlier launches, including the 2007 Suites, the 2015 Premium Economy and the 2017 Suites and Business Class.
Sydney also suits a first deployment on practical grounds. One aircraft can cover the round trip, which would allow a daily service.
London is much farther, so the next day’s departure from Singapore would leave before the previous aircraft returned. A London launch would need more refitted aircraft before it could run daily.
The airline has followed that pattern before. In September 2013, it launched the 2013 First and Business Class seats to London on the Boeing 777-300ER three times a week. Flights went daily once more aircraft were available, and the new aircraft occasionally flew to Tokyo Narita in the meantime.
Regional routes such as Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok or Jakarta are another possibility for the first flights. They would let crew practise with the new cabins, although short flights cannot show the full long-haul experience. None of these routes is confirmed.
Aircraft Being Refitted With the New Cabins
The airline will refit all 34 Airbus A350-900LH and all 7 Airbus A350-900ULR aircraft, 41 in total.
| Aircraft Type | Number Refitted | First Refit Entering Service |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A350-900LH | 34 of 34 | Q1 2027 |
| Airbus A350-900ULR | 7 of 7 | To be confirmed |
The A350-900LH keeps its Business Class and Premium Economy seat counts. Economy gains five seats.
| Airbus A350-900LH | Current | After Refit |
|---|---|---|
| First Class | None | None |
| Business Class | 42 | 42 |
| Premium Economy Class | 24 | 24 |
| Economy Class | 187 | 192 |
| Total | 253 | 258 |
The A350-900ULR changes far more. Premium Economy drops by 36 seats, about four to five rows. Business Class gains 3 seats, and 4 First Class seats are added. The aircraft ends up with 29 fewer seats overall.
| Airbus A350-900ULR | Current | After Refit |
|---|---|---|
| First Class | None | 4 |
| Business Class | 67 | 70 |
| Premium Economy Class | 94 | 58 |
| Economy Class | None | None |
| Total | 161 | 132 |
The change appears to address weak demand. Premium Economy on the ULR has reportedly been hard to fill on US flights, with fares often only slightly above Economy.
Moving seats into First and Business Class should lift yield and may also help the airline target other premium markets.
New York is the only destination that needs the ULR. Newer A350-900LH aircraft have a range of up to 8,100 nm, against 7,270 nm for earlier production models. That lets them serve Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle without payload restrictions.
What to Expect From New First Class
Earlier previews confirmed 3 windows, French doors, electrically operated blinds and an ottoman for companion dining. The concept returns after the first-generation Suites were retired during the pandemic.
Images of the interior show:
- A 32-inch 4K OLED screen.
- A dressed bed.
- A storage nook with a vanity mirror.
- Backlit seat buttons against wood grain panelling.
- Bang & Olufsen (B&O) wireless headphones, a first for the airline.
A patent filing leaked in late 2024 appears to show the First Class layout:
- Six suites, with four window seats and two centre seats.
- A privacy partition between the centre seats that retracts sideways, turning them into a double suite.
- A separate seat and bed in each suite. The seat must be stowed to make room for the bed, as in the first-generation Suites.
- An ottoman with a secondary seatbelt for couples dining.
- Fully enclosed suites with curved walls that add space.
The filing relates to a proposed Boeing 777-9 layout, not the four-seat cabin on the A350-900ULR. The two may share design features, but the airline has not confirmed this.
What to Expect From New Business Class
A render in the 2024/25 annual report shows a 1-2-1 staggered layout. Every seat faces forward, and each suite has an external sliding privacy door.
Single seats alternate between window-aligned and aisle-aligned positions. Window-aligned seats offer more privacy because the side console separates the passenger from the aisle. Aisle-aligned seats are easier to enter and leave but give up some privacy.
The middle pairs likely use a mix of “honeymoon” and “divorce” seats. Honeymoon seats sit side by side so 2 travellers can be close. Divorce seats have a console between them for more personal space.
A shot in the dining video shows the outline of a sliding partition beside a seated passenger, which points to a honeymoon seat.
The seat will recline straight into a flat bed. The current seat must be flipped over by hand, which means standing up first. The new design can be adjusted straight after take-off, so passengers can start sleeping sooner on overnight flights.
The staggered layout also puts the bed parallel to the aisle. The 2013 and 2017 Business Class seats place it at an angle. A shot of the new pyjamas on the bed shows the sleeping surface running parallel to the door.
Other details from the video:
- A tray table with a literature pocket and safety card behind it.
- A grey side console with a raised lip that stops loose items from sliding off.
- A BYREDO amenity kit on the console.
- A 22-inch 4K OLED screen, USB-C, wireless charging and Bluetooth audio connectivity.
Premium Economy and Economy Plans
The airline has confirmed that these cabins will only get a “refresh” on the retrofitted A350s. That likely means an updated KrisWorld system and new upholstery.
Passengers in these cabins will not get 4K screens, Bluetooth audio or USB-C ports on the A350. Those features will come with the Boeing 777-9, whose delivery date is still unconfirmed.
Other Announcements Ahead of Reveal
The airline has been releasing details of its new travel experience in stages. The announcements so far include:
- More than 100 new and refreshed dishes across all cabins, with new menus for First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class. New Christofle serviceware will appear in Suites, First Class and Business Class.
- Sisley amenity kits, in women’s and men’s versions, for Suites and First Class. BYREDO amenity kits for Business Class.
- Sleeper suits for Suites and First Class, and for Business Class passengers for the first time.
- A refreshed First Class ground experience at Singapore Changi Airport, with a personal concierge, buggy service, priority security screening and enhanced lounge dining. The First Class SilverKris Lounge now offers table service.
- A redesigned KrisWorld with spatial audio and more than 2,500 entertainment options, paired with Starlink low-earth orbit satellite connectivity.
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