Hello everyone, and happy 2024! I kicked off the travel year with a week long work trip to New York City on 12 January. On this trip, I finally got to fly SQ's new Airbus A350-900 ULR (Ultra Long Range) aircraft there and back, on the world's longest scheduled commercial flights. I flew there in Premium Economy, then flew home in Business Class.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53477768910_3232cf6d9a_b.jpg)
Nonstop flights from Singapore to New York started with SQ in 2004, with the 4-engined Airbus A340-500 doing SIN-EWR-SIN, a great circle distance of 9529 miles (Over 15,000km), the world's longest scheduled commercial flight. Then, when SQ started flying nonstop to JFK, SQ24/23 SIN-JFK-SIN pipped SQ22/21 SIN-EWR-SIN by just a few km to be crowned the new world's longest. What's the difference? From a Krisflyer mileage perspective, SIN-JFK gets you 9533 miles, whereas SIN-EWR gets you 9529 miles.
The last time I flew nonstop from SIN to EWR was in 2006, on SQ's Airbus A345, in what was then called Exec Economy. Those were the days before I began writing TRs, but I did share a brief video of the flight on Youtube here:
These days the flights are flown on modern twin-engined Airbus A350-900 ULRs, which have a 2 class configuration: 67 Business Class seats and 94 Premium Economy seats.
On my outbound SIN-JFK sector in PEY, I snagged one of the sought after solo seats, located in the rear of the aircraft. There are only 6 of these solo seats, 3 on either side. These seats are special because while the PEY cabin is laid out 2-4-2, these solo seats are standalone (As the name implies), with storage cabinet next to the seat. My opinion of the solo seat coming up later in this TR.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53477356561_9cca59bf68_b.jpg)
For my first night in NY after arriving at JFK, rather than head into the city, I checked into the TWA Hotel. This hotel was the iconic former Idlewild Terminal at JFK, designed by architect Eero Saarinen.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53477356551_d3c8cc4684_b.jpg)
This stunning terminal building, with its soaring curves and public spaces, has been lovingly restored, and is now a hotel, complete with Lockheed Constellation converted into a cocktail bar.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53477768900_2a4b7db80d_b.jpg)
I spent the rest of the week in Manhattan for work. This was my first post-pandemic visit to NY, and I was glad to see the city as lively and buzzing as ever.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53477672439_d7aa8fc20d_b.jpg)
I flew home on SQ21 EWR-SIN a week later. This was my first time checking out SQ's 2013 J seat in its Airbus A359 version.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53476453927_0470b21d28_b.jpg)
How would this long haul seat fare on such a long 17+ hour sector? Read on to find out!
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53477768910_3232cf6d9a_b.jpg)
Nonstop flights from Singapore to New York started with SQ in 2004, with the 4-engined Airbus A340-500 doing SIN-EWR-SIN, a great circle distance of 9529 miles (Over 15,000km), the world's longest scheduled commercial flight. Then, when SQ started flying nonstop to JFK, SQ24/23 SIN-JFK-SIN pipped SQ22/21 SIN-EWR-SIN by just a few km to be crowned the new world's longest. What's the difference? From a Krisflyer mileage perspective, SIN-JFK gets you 9533 miles, whereas SIN-EWR gets you 9529 miles.
The last time I flew nonstop from SIN to EWR was in 2006, on SQ's Airbus A345, in what was then called Exec Economy. Those were the days before I began writing TRs, but I did share a brief video of the flight on Youtube here:
These days the flights are flown on modern twin-engined Airbus A350-900 ULRs, which have a 2 class configuration: 67 Business Class seats and 94 Premium Economy seats.
On my outbound SIN-JFK sector in PEY, I snagged one of the sought after solo seats, located in the rear of the aircraft. There are only 6 of these solo seats, 3 on either side. These seats are special because while the PEY cabin is laid out 2-4-2, these solo seats are standalone (As the name implies), with storage cabinet next to the seat. My opinion of the solo seat coming up later in this TR.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53477356561_9cca59bf68_b.jpg)
For my first night in NY after arriving at JFK, rather than head into the city, I checked into the TWA Hotel. This hotel was the iconic former Idlewild Terminal at JFK, designed by architect Eero Saarinen.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53477356551_d3c8cc4684_b.jpg)
This stunning terminal building, with its soaring curves and public spaces, has been lovingly restored, and is now a hotel, complete with Lockheed Constellation converted into a cocktail bar.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53477768900_2a4b7db80d_b.jpg)
I spent the rest of the week in Manhattan for work. This was my first post-pandemic visit to NY, and I was glad to see the city as lively and buzzing as ever.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53477672439_d7aa8fc20d_b.jpg)
I flew home on SQ21 EWR-SIN a week later. This was my first time checking out SQ's 2013 J seat in its Airbus A359 version.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53476453927_0470b21d28_b.jpg)
How would this long haul seat fare on such a long 17+ hour sector? Read on to find out!
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