Singapore Airlines First Class vs Business Class: Which should you redeem?

If you’ve been diligently earning those KrisFlyer miles, you might one day confront the ultimate first world problem: should you redeem First Class, or Business Class?

To give you the information needed to make a decision (and perhaps make the case to the other half), here’s a comprehensive rundown of the differences between the Singapore Airlines First and Business Class experience.

At a glance: First Class vs Business Class

If you don’t have the patience to read through an entire article (insert Greta “how dare you” gif), here’s the summary:

Do note that while Suites is technically a different product from First (the marketing tagline is “a class beyond First”, after all), I’ll be using First/Suites interchangeably in this post. 

Which routes have First Class?

Based on the schedules for the Northern Summer Season (which runs from 26 March to 28 October 2023), here’s a full listing of Singapore Airlines routes with First Class, together with the corresponding costs of redeeming First versus Business Class awards via KrisFlyer.

Some quick stats:

• First Saver costs 38% more miles on average compared to Business Saver
• First Saver costs 3% more miles on average compared to Business Advantage
• First Advantage costs 124% more miles on average compared to Business Saver
• First Advantage costs 68% more miles on average compared to Business Advantage

This data throws up one important insight: if First Saver and Business Advantage are both available, you’d be silly to pick Business! Business Advantage prices very close to First Saver, and can cost even more in certain cases.

Therefore, even if you do decide that Business Class is good enough for you, always make it a point to check for First Class availability too, just in case. Who knows, you might get lucky!

Check-in

First Class

When departing from Changi Airport, First Class passengers can make use of Singapore Airlines’ exclusive First Class check-in area at Terminal 3, located just before Door 1 on the departure level.

On arrival at the facility’s private driveway, porters will assist with your luggage and you’ll be ushered inside to check-in. 

The reception area has plenty of seating —not that you’ll be staying here very long — and your bags will be checked and boarding passes issued. There’s no refreshments, but you’re just minutes away from the lounge anyway. 

Upon completing the check-in formalities, you’ll exit the First Class reception and head straight to a dedicated immigration counter for First Class passengers, where I’ve never seen a queue. 

Business Class

In contrast, Business Class passengers will check-in at the Business Class check-in desks in the main terminal, before joining the general queues for immigration. Singapore Airlines operates enough desks at Changi that there’s usually not much of a queue, but during peak periods (e.g. Christmas) you might have a short wait. 

Unlike some airports, Changi does not offer expedited immigration for Business Class passengers (not that it’s really necessary anyway, given how efficient things are). 

Luggage

First Class

First Class passengers are entitled to check-in up to 50kg of luggage, or 2 pieces not exceeding 32kg each for flights to/from the USA and Canada. In practice, the ground staff tend to close one eye if you’re over the allowance (though for health and safety reasons a single bag can’t weigh more than 32kg)- you’re in First Class, after all!

Bags are given First Class tags, which means they should be the first off the plane. Again, the actual performance may vary depending on airport.

Business Class

Business Class passengers are entitled to check-in up to 40kg of luggage, or 2 pieces not exceeding 32kg each for flights to/from the USA and Canada. Notice how for flights to the USA and Canada, the luggage allowance is the same as First Class.

Bags are given Business Class tags, and generally come off the plane before Economy Class luggage. 

Lounge

First Class (SIN)

First Class passengers travelling on Singapore Airlines have access to three different lounges at Changi Airport (reviews in links):

• SilverKris First Class Lounge, Terminal 2
• SilverKris First Class Lounge, Terminal 3
• The Private Room, Terminal 3

All Singapore Airlines First Class flights depart from Terminal 3, except for flights to Jakarta. And even if you’re heading to Jakarta, you’ll want to do yourself a huge favour and visit the Terminal 3 lounges nonetheless. While Terminal 2 has its own First Class lounge, it’s horribly antiquated and can’t measure up to its Terminal 3 counterparts. 

Besides, Terminal 3 is where you get the “true” First Class experience, thanks to The Private Room. 

This 78-seater lounge is the exclusive domain of Singapore Airlines First Class passengers, and features a restaurant serving made-to-order items like Wagyu satay, lobster thermidor, or Kurobuta pork don, together with fine wines and champagne. 

There’s also private rooms (yes, private rooms inside The Private Room) with single beds and work desks, perfect for anyone who needs a rest or a quiet space to work. In theory you’re limited to a two-hour slot, but the staff can arrange a longer stay if it’s a quiet period.

It might not be the best First Class lounge in the world, but experiencing The Private Room is still a good reason to come early to the airport.

One more thing: a little-known perk is that Suites and First Class passengers arriving in Singapore can access both The Private Room and First Class Lounge (regardless of whether they’re connecting in Singapore or ending their journey here). 

Simply show your arriving boarding pass to gain access. 

Business Class (SIN)

Business Class passengers travelling on Singapore Airlines have access to two different lounges at Changi Airport (reviews in links):

• SilverKris Business Class Lounge, Terminal 2 
• SilverKris Business Class Lounge, Terminal 3

Again, the smart money says to go to Terminal 3 whenever possible, because the facilities are way superior (the Business Class lounge in Terminal 2 doesn’t even have private shower rooms!).

Compared to First Class, the Business Class lounge is of course less glitzy. A la carte dining is replaced by a buffet line, vintage champagne is replaced by non-vintage champagne, and the wines are best described as “table stakes”. There’s a communal sleeping area instead of private rooms, although fortunately there are still self-contained shower suites. 

Overseas Lounges

While Singapore Airlines First Class passengers can almost always access a different lounge from Business Class, the difference in quality can either be marginal, or night and day. 

For example, in Frankfurt and Zurich the Senator and Business Lounges are largely the same, and because of the Lufthansa Group’s odd access rules, an Economy Class passenger with Star Gold status could be jostling for the same mediocre buffet food as a Singapore Airlines Suites customer. 

On the other hand, the ANA Suite Lounge is a step up from the Business Lounge, especially if you visit the restaurant section where a la carte dining is served. I’ve had some excellent meals at the Haneda Suite Lounge, including wagyu beef steak. 

Singapore Airlines has separate First and Business Class sections in its SilverKris Lounges in Hong Kong, London, Melbourne and Sydney. The First Class section will generally offer a better quality champagne, as well as a la carte dining. 

For an idea of what this is like, check out my review of the First and Business Class sections at the SilverKris Lounge Sydney.

Review: Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge Sydney

Boarding

First Class

Passengers requiring wheelchair assistance and parents with infants/toddlers are always the first to board, but First Class passengers are the first “regular” group to be called.

Business Class

After First Class boarding is complete, Business Class passengers and PPS Club members board at the same time.

Seat

Singapore Airlines currently has two types of First Class seats:

Seat	Aircraft	Review
2013 First Class	B777-300ER	Review
2017 Suites	A380-800	Review

• The 2013 First Class seat (2013F), found on the B777-300ER
• The 2017 Suites (2017R), found on the A380-800

During the pandemic, the B777-300s with the older 2006 First Class seat were retired, as were the A380-800s with the older 2007 Suites.

Here’s what seat you can expect on the various First Class routes. 

Singapore Airlines’ First Class cabins are either 4 (B777-300ER) or 6 (A380-800) strong, which means a much more intimate environment. 

The 2013F is 35″ wide, and converts into a full-flat bed that’s 82″ (2.08m) long. The cabin is configured in a 1-2-1 layout.

On the other hand, the 2017R features a separate 21″ wide seat and 76″ (1.93m) bed, with the possibility of a double bed if you book the suites in Rows 1/2. The cabin is configured in a 1-1 layout, and this is as close as you’ll get to a private hotel room in the sky.

Business Class

Singapore Airlines currently has five types of Business Class seats:

Seat	Aircraft	Review
2013 Business Class	A350-900LH A350-900ULR B777-300ER	Review
2014 Regional Business Class	B737-800	Coming Soon!
2017 Business Class	A380-800	Review
2018 Regional Business Class	A350-900MH B787-10	Review
2021  Regional Business Class	B737-8	Review

• The 2013 Business Class seat (2013J), found on the A350-900ULR, A350-900LH and B777-300ER
• The 2014 Regional Business Class seat (2014RJ), found on the B737-800
• The 2017 Business Class seat (2017J), found on the A380-800
• The 2018 Regional Business Class seat (2018RJ), found on the A350-900MH and B787-10
• The 2021 Regional Business Class seat (2021RJ), found on the B737-8

I’ve ranked all five of these in the post below. 

Ranked: My favourite Singapore Airlines Business Class seats

With the exception of the 2014RJ, all Business Class seats convert into full-flat beds, and with the exception of the 2014RJ and 2021RJ, all Business Class seats will have direct access to the aisle. 

If you ask me, comfort is pretty much guaranteed in Business Class. This then begs the question: how different is modern-day Business Class from First Class?

At the turn of the century, Business Class seats were essentially glorified recliners. If you wanted a flat bed, you had to fly First. But a flat bed has now become a hygiene factor in Business Class, and if that’s all you need, then you might not find all that much difference between First and Business Class.

Yes, First Class will have more comfortable pillows and sheets, yes, First Class will give you pyjamas, and yes First Class lets you sleep straight instead of diagonally (a pet peeve for many SIA Business Class passengers), but at the end of the day, how much flatter can a flat bed get? 

So here’s my take:

• On the B777-300ER, First Class isn’t dramatically different from Business Class, at least where the hard product is concerned
• On the A380-800, Suites is dramatically different from Business Class

That’s why if you only fly First Class once in your life, try to do it on the A380. While Suites may not be perfect, I’ll reckon it’ll be a whole lot more transformative than “mere” First Class. 

Inflight Entertainment

First Class

Inflight entertainment screens are 32″ wide on the 2017R, and 24″ wide on the 2013F. The screen is touch-sensitive for the former, but not the latter (though you’ll have a touch-sensitive remote to navigate in both cases). Also, because the 2013F is now pushing 10 years old, the quality of the image won’t be quite as sharp as the 2017R. 

Passengers receive noise-cancelling B&O H9i headphones. At one point Singapore Airlines was planning to introduce wireless headphones in First Class, but the idea has since fallen by the wayside.

The entertainment selection is exactly the same in all cabins, though First Class passengers have a special section called “Curated for First”. 

How exactly they decided what content is “First Class worthy” is beyond me, suffice to say I expected things like “How to drop a monocle in shock” and “Butler Fight 3000” (no, not Gerard Butler).

Business Class

The inflight entertainment screens in Business Class range from 16-18 inches, and are available on all aircraft except the B737-800 (where passengers receive iPads instead, due to the lack of pre-installed screens).

Singapore Airlines used to provide noise-cancelling Phitek headsets in Business Class, but these were later replaced by generic unbranded ones. They get the job done and are comfortable enough, though obviously no match for B&O.

Food & Beverage

First Class

First Class passengers enjoy a starter of chicken satay, then a six-course meal for lunch and dinner services:

• Caviar
• Salad
• Soup
• Main course
• Dessert
• Cheese

Because of the relatively short flight time to Jakarta, the entire meal will be served on a single tray.

For the main course, passengers can either take what’s offered onboard, or pre-order from 43 different Book the Cook items.

Some First Class-only Book the Cook items include:

• Smoked salmon eggs benedict (with caviar)
• Fish congee
• Roasted salmon

However, the differences between First Class and Business Class have narrowed compared to pre-COVID days, when First Class had almost 70 Book the Cook items including Kyo Kaiseki and Wagyu sirloin. 

Dine on demand is offered to First Class passengers, allowing them to eat whenever they wish- a particularly nice feature for red-eye flights when you just want to hit the hay as soon as the doors close. That said, I’ve never been rejected before when asking for this in Business Class either (though it’s not official policy, so YMMV).

As for drinks, you’ll only find Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee and Evian mineral water in First Class. Likewise, the quality of alcohol in First Class is superior to Business Class, with vintage champagnes, and upgraded spirits (e.g. Daiginjo Sake vs Ginjo Sake, Hennessy vs Courvoisier). 

With regards to champagne, Dom Perignon is no longer available, having sold his soul to Emirates for the foreseeable future. However, there’s still a choice of Krug Grand Cuvee or Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, and you’d have to be a complete brand snob to turn your nose up at either.

Business Class

Business Class passengers enjoy a four-course meal for lunch and dinner services, plus a starter of chicken satay.

• Starter
• Main course
• Dessert
• Cheese

This assumes that the flight is long enough for the full pageantry, of course. On shorter regional flights, the meal may be served on a single tray. 

Just like First Class, Business Class passengers also have a choice of 43 Book the Cook items.

Even though the headline number is the same, the items are not a complete overlap. Surprisingly enough, there are Book the Cook items that are only available in Business Class, such as Singapore style fried carrot cake and steamed cod fish Thai style (one of my favourites). 

I’ve mentioned the differences in the drinks lists in the previous section, but a special mention again for champagne: Singapore Airlines serves a mix of Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve and Henriot Brut Souverain across its cabins. These are obviously cheaper than the First Class champagnes (RRP< S$100, though airlines pay much less than RRP due to bulk), though they’re still great choices by any means. 

In general, I’d say that while the focus of First Class is fine dining, Business Class is more akin to an mid-priced restaurant. There’s also differences in ingredients, e.g. using USDA Choice beef in Business Class vs USDA Prime in First Class, or a lobster tail in Business Class vs a full lobster in First Class.

Lavatory

First Class

First or Business Class, everybody poops. The question is, will you be pooping in style? 

Not on the B777-300ER, where the lavatories are practically the same as the other cabins, just with slightly fancier Lalique amenities. That’s not a dig at Singapore Airlines, mind you. There just isn’t a lot of space to work with. 

On the A380, everything’s different. Suites passengers have access to two oversized lavatories, with the one on the starboard side being comically huge. There’s room for a settee, a dressing table, and you can change clothes without engaging in yoga-like contortions. It almost makes you wish they installed a shower…

Perhaps just as important is the ratio of bathrooms to passengers. You’ll obviously have less of a wait time in First Class compared to Business Class!

• A380: 1 lavatory to 3 passengers
• B777-300ER: 1 lavatory to 2 passengers

Business Class

Business Class lavatories are all standard-sized, and the main difference compared to Economy Class is the presence of Penhaligon’s amenities from the Quercus range. 

Bathrooms here obviously need to service a much larger crowd, so you may face wait times during peak periods like just before landing.

• A350-900MH: 1 lavatory to 13 passengers
• A350-900LH: 1 lavatory to 14 passengers
• A350-900ULR: 1 lavatory to 17 passengers
• A380: 1 lavatory to 16 passengers
• B737-800: 1 lavatory to 12 passengers
• B737-8: 1 lavatory to 10 passengers
• B777-300ER: 1 lavatory to 16 passengers
• B787-10: 1 lavatory to 18 passengers

Amenities

First Class

First Class passengers on long-haul or overnight flights will receive Lalique sleeper suits and amenities kits.

First Class sleeper suit

The male version contains:

• Lalique Neroli Soap (50g)
• Lalique Neroli Room Spray (30ml)
• Lalique Neroli Body Lotion (30ml)
• Lalique Neroli Lip Balm (8ml)

The female version contains:

• Lalique L’Amour Eau De Parfum (30ml)
• Lalique L’Amour Hand Cream (25ml)
• Lalique L’Amour Facial Mist (20ml)
• Lalique L’Amour Lip Balm (6ml)

These are nice collector’s items, if nothing else. 

Business Class

After many years of flirting with the idea, Singapore Airlines finally introduced a Business Class amenities kit in 2020, stocked with Penhaligon’s skincare products. The rules over who get these kits seem a bit fuzzy- by right, they’re “on request only”, but in practice, some flights will have them waiting at the seats upon boarding. It’s always worth asking for one, if you don’t get it by default. 

These contain:

• Quercus Hand Lotion (30ml)
• Quercus Facial Mist (7ml)
• Quercus  Lip Balm (4g)

What Business Class does not have are sleeper suits. If you want to sleep in something more comfortable than your Sunday best (because people still dress up to fly, right?), then you’ll need to bring them along with you. 

Service

First Class

Service in First Class, as you might expect, is impeccable. Being addressed by name is a given, the crew answer the call button within seconds, and there’s an almost fawning level of attention and anticipation of needs.

Also, because there’s such a high ratio of crew to passengers, it’ll be a much more personable experience. The crew will have more time for small talk- which is either a bug or a feature, depending on whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. 

I’ll go so far as to say the “worst” First Class crew I’ve had on Singapore Airlines (and I’ll take pains to say they weren’t rude, just mechanical) is still better than the best crew I’ve had on any other airline.

Business Class

Because of the higher-density cabin, Business Class service will naturally be less personalised. However, addressing passengers by name is still the expected standard (more on long-haul flights than regional ones).

Conclusion

Here’s the thing: the comfort gap between Business and First Class has narrowed considerably over the past decade. Some of the key advantages of First Class (full-flat bed, all-aisle access) have been eroded away, and I’ll go so far as to say that if all you want is to arrive at your destination refreshed, Business Class is good enough.

Of course, First Class is more than just a comfortable seat. It’s a whole experience unto itself: dining at The Private Room, the pre-flight glass of Krug, the six-course meal, the comfortable pyjamas and luxury skin care amenities. It makes getting there the highlight of your trip. If you can earn the miles, I believe that everyone should try it at least once in their life (and preferably on the A380, though I know that Saver space is more or less illusionary at this point).

Any other meaningful differences between Singapore Airlines First and Business Class?