Business Class to New York on the world's longest flight

Singapore Airlines' non-stop service from Singapore to New York JFK is the longest scheduled flight operating anywhere in the world. For Australian travellers it is also something more useful than a curiosity: it is a way of reaching New York in a lie-flat international seat for the entire journey, rather than connecting onto a domestic transcontinental flight in the United States. Booked with KrisFlyer miles, the cash outlay for the whole trip is roughly the price of a domestic economy ticket.

The itinerary is a single award booking in two legs. First, Singapore Airlines Business Class from Australia to Singapore. Then the ultra-long-haul leg onwards to JFK. KrisFlyer prices the pair together at 145,500 miles one way at the Saver level, with taxes and carrier charges varying slightly by departure city — from Brisbane, the cash component came to $152.

Getting to Singapore

Singapore Airlines serves Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin and Cairns, so there are several ways to start the journey. The overnight departure is the one to aim for, because it lines up with the onward New York service and lets the first leg do double duty as a night's sleep.

The Business Class product on the Australia–Singapore run is the same seat you will meet again on the long leg: a wide pod with a bed made up by the crew on request, a stowage nook for a phone and other small items, and an amenity kit with slippers. Centre pairs suit people travelling together. Meals can be pre-ordered, which on an overnight sector means being woken only when breakfast is ready rather than for a general service. Breakfast in bed is offered, which is exactly as pleasant as it sounds.

The transit at Changi

Six hours in Singapore sounds like a long layover, and it is — but on a journey of this length it is welcome rather than wasted. It gives time for a shower, a proper meal and a reset before nineteen hours in the air.

Singapore Airlines has spent around SG$50 million refurbishing its lounge precinct at Changi Terminal 3, and the SilverKris Business Class Lounge is the direct beneficiary. It is lighter and more open than the space it replaced, with a barista counter, a self-service buffet and a noodle bar cooking to order. Window seating makes the most of the natural light. Passengers holding Solitaire PPS Club status — Singapore Airlines' most senior tier, broadly comparable to Qantas Platinum One — can also use the adjoining SilverKris First Class Lounge.

Nineteen hours to JFK

The New York flight is operated by the Airbus A350-900ULR, a variant configured specifically for this kind of range. There is no Economy Class cabin on the aircraft at all. A small Premium Economy section sits forward, and the remainder is Business Class — an unusual layout that makes the whole aircraft feel quieter and less pressured than a conventional widebody.

The great-circle distance from Singapore to JFK is 15,348 km. The flight itself does not fly that line: on this occasion the aircraft covered 17,717 km, routing north over the pole and around the weather and winds. Gate to gate, it runs to almost nineteen hours.

That is long enough for a full night's sleep, a working day and a film, with time left over. Wi-Fi is provided at no charge in Business Class, which changes the character of a flight this long considerably. The crew make up the bed with a choice of three pillow types, and a 'do not disturb' indicator lets you sleep through a service rather than be woken for it.

Three separate meals are served across the flight, and the timing is yours rather than the airline's. Book the Cook, Singapore Airlines' pre-order service, opens up dishes that are not on the standard menu — lobster thermidor among them. Later in the flight there is breakfast, a barista-made latte, and the airline's signature satay as an early dinner before landing. Being able to eat when you want, rather than when the trolley arrives, is arguably the single biggest comfort advantage of this cabin over a shorter premium flight.

Arrival is at JFK's Terminal 4. US immigration queues at other gateways can run to an hour or two; here, on an evening arrival with a single wide-body's worth of passengers, clearance can be near-instant. Landing in the evening also means going straight to a hotel and sleeping on local time, which is the most effective jet lag strategy available on this routing.

Why this beats the usual route

The conventional way from Australia to New York is via Los Angeles or another US west coast port, then onwards on a domestic flight. That final leg is typically a narrowbody domestic product, and it comes after clearing US immigration at the first point of entry. The Singapore routing keeps you in an international Business Class cabin the whole way and puts you through US immigration at JFK, with your bags following you there.

Earning the miles

KrisFlyer is unusually well connected to Australian credit card programmes, which means the miles are within reach of most people who already collect points. Velocity Points transfer across, as do points from most major bank rewards programmes, and pay.com.au's PayRewards for business owners.

Minimum transfer quantities apply and differ between programmes.

The sequencing matters more than the arithmetic. KrisFlyer miles expire three years after they land in your account. Most of the bank programmes above have no fixed expiry so long as the account stays open and in good standing — ANZ Rewards is the notable exception, with points generally needing to be used or transferred within three years. The practical rule is to leave points where they are until you have confirmed a specific reward seat is bookable, then transfer. Transfers are one-way and cannot be reversed.

Finding the seat

Singapore Airlines lets you search and book award seats on its own website and app, so you can check availability before committing any points to a transfer. A few things improve the odds.

Search from multiple Australian cities rather than only your home port. Search both New York JFK and Newark, since Singapore Airlines flies non-stop to both — the Newark service is, as it happens, the world's second-longest flight. Availability tends to be better outside the business-travel peaks on the Singapore–New York sector, so holiday periods can work in your favour. A single seat is far easier to find than four together. If no Saver seat appears, an Advantage award seat may be available at 190,000 miles, and on some dates you can waitlist for a Saver seat in the hope one is released.

If you hold a large Velocity balance, the same itinerary may also be bookable directly through Velocity Frequent Flyer, which is worth comparing before converting anything.

Frequently asked questions

How many KrisFlyer miles does the trip cost? 145,500 miles one way at the Saver level, covering both the Australia–Singapore leg and the onward Singapore–New York JFK flight, plus taxes and charges that vary by departure city.

What aircraft operates the Singapore–New York flight? The Airbus A350-900ULR, a long-range variant with no Economy Class cabin. It carries a small Premium Economy section and Business Class throughout the rest of the aircraft.

How long is the flight? Close to nineteen hours gate to gate. The direct distance is 15,348 km, but the actual track flown can be considerably longer — 17,717 km on the journey described here.

Is there Wi-Fi on board? Yes, and it is provided at no extra cost to Business Class passengers, which makes the length of the flight far easier to manage.

Should I transfer points to KrisFlyer before I find a seat? No. Check availability on the Singapore Airlines website or app first, then transfer. Transfers cannot be undone, and KrisFlyer miles expire three years after they are credited.

What if no Saver award seat is available? You can book an Advantage award seat at 190,000 miles, or waitlist for a Saver seat on your preferred dates. Searching alternative departure cities and considering Newark instead of JFK also widens the field.

This information is general in nature. It does not take your personal circumstances into account.