Singapore Airlines will enhance the travel experience for longest flights by introducing first class and updating cabins.

• Singapore Airlines intends to introduce a four-seat first class on its Airbus A350-900 ultra-long range aircraft, which are utilized on routes such as the over 18-hour flight from New York to Singapore.
• The airline intends to expand its business class cabin on those aircraft and retrofit other long-range Airbus A350s with new seats.
• Some airlines have replaced international first class with larger business-class seating areas.

Singapore Airlines is introducing a four-seat first class on its Airbus aircraft for long-haul flights exceeding 17 hours, in an effort to entice affluent travelers.

The airline will add new seats to seven Airbus A350-900 URLs, which are used for long-distance flights, including the longest between New York and Singapore. Additionally, the airline will update its long-haul Airbus cabins with new business class seats that may include a sliding door suite, a popular design that provides privacy onboard.

The new first- and business-class seats on Singapore Airlines will feature enhanced in-flight entertainment, but the airline has not revealed much information about the new cabins. According to CEO Goh Choon Phong, the airline aims to "redefine comfort, luxury, and modernity" with the new seats.

Airlines are investing billions of dollars to improve their premium cabins in order to attract travelers who are willing to pay for more space on board. These cabins range from those offered by international airlines like Singapore Airlines to those provided by smaller carriers like , whose long-range twin-aisle jets used for trips across the Atlantic feature suites with sliding doors.

Singapore's retrofit plans involve the addition of new cabins for 34 long-range Airbus A350s, which will be part of a S$1.1 billion (about US$835 million) overhaul it plans to start putting into service in mid-2026. The aircraft's configuration will be upgraded to 42 business-class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 192 in standard economy, an increase from the current 187 economy seats.

The airline has updated its ultra-long-range-airplanes to include only business class and premium economy cabins. After installing a new cabin design with first class, the total number of business class seats will increase from 67 to 70, while the number of premium economy seats will decrease from 94 to 58, according to the carrier's website.

Many U.S. airlines have eliminated long-haul first-class cabins and are instead focusing on larger business-class seating.

The airline is retrofitting some of its Boeing 777s with a 70-seat business class instead of separate first and business-class cabins, and will upgrade its business-class seats on 777s and Boeing 787 Dreamliners to sliding door designs. However, supply chain issues have slowed some retrofits due to the increased demand for premium seats post-pandemic throughout the industry.

While some carriers plan to eliminate first class, Lufthansa will introduce new first class "suites" on Nov. 9.