Singapore Airlines shortens Book the Cook selection window to six weeks

One of Singapore Airlines’ most popular features is Book the Cook, which allows Suites, First, Business and Premium Economy Class passengers to pre-order their main course when flying from Singapore, or dozens of overseas destinations.

The Book the Cook menu features crowd favourites like lobster thermidor and beef yakiniku, together with local signatures like chicken rice and prawn noodles. There was even a limited-time collaboration with some of Singapore’s top hawkers, which I was a huge fan of.

If you’re planning to Book the Cook on your upcoming flight, however, you should know of a recent policy change that affects how far in advance you can make your selection.

Book the Cook window tightened to six weeks

Singapore Airlines has historically allowed eligible passengers to make their Book the Cook choices within four months of departure.

However, if your flight is departing from 1 December 2025 onwards, the Book the Cook selection window will be shortened to within six weeks of departure.

For passengers travelling from 1 December 2025, you will be able to pre-order from the in-flight and Book the Cook menu six weeks before flight departure, simply log on to Manage Booking with your booking reference to select your meal. 

-Singapore Airlines

I went to check the Wayback Machine, and this restriction looks to have been added sometime in July 2025.

As always, Book the Cook items must be selected at least 24 hours prior to departure. There used to be a 48-hour cut-off for certain outstations like Auckland and Newark, but those have since been removed.

To be clear, flights that depart on or before 30 November 2025 are not subject to this restriction. For example, I can select Book the Cook items for my flight to San Francisco that departs on 24 November 2025, even though that’s still 80+ days away. 

Why the change in policy?

If you’re wondering what’s behind the change in policy, the simple answer is logistics. 

A shorter pre-selection window gives Singapore Airlines more flexibility to adjust Book the Cook menus based on seasonal ingredients, supplier availability, or changes in catering operations. The existing four-month lead time is a tad on the long side, and may lead to substitution issues if items become unavailable.

Moreover, passenger plans often change, and a four-month lead time could result in ingredients being indented unnecessarily, driving up waste and costs. A six-week window aligns ordering closer to actual demand.

Keep in mind that Book the Cook is offered from dozens of airports worldwide, with many different catering partners involved. It’s already a challenge as it is, and shortening the window allows for better forecasting and coordination across stations.

Not the same as selecting from inflight menu

Singapore Airlines also allows Suites, First, Business and Premium Economy Class passengers to pre-select their preferred main course from the inflight menu. This ensures you will get your first choice option, and avoids the risk of it running out before the flight crew can take your order. 

When you have a confirmed booking in Suites and First Class, Business Class or Premium Economy Class, you may opt to pre-select your main course for all meal services. Pre-ordering from the in-flight menu is available 15 days before flight departure. 

-Singapore Airlines

Selections can be made through Manage Booking, within 15 days of departure. 

Passengers can also view the full menu for their upcoming flight, including appetisers and desserts, via the Inflight Menu feature, within eight days of departure.

Which routes are eligible for Book the Cook?

Book the Cook is available to passengers travelling in Suites, First, Business, and Premium Economy Class travelling on flights of 1 hour 30 minutes or more.

This would exclude flights to Kuala Lumpur, Medan and Penang, which in any case are too short for a full meal service (these are the only three Singapore Airlines routes to not load champagne, incidentally).

In addition to Singapore, Book the Cook is available from the following outstations. 

Notable long-haul destinations without Book the Cook include Barcelona, Brussels, Copenhagen and Istanbul.

The full list of Book the Cook menus can be found here.

Conclusion

Singapore Airlines has shortened the pre-selection window for Book the Cook from four months to six weeks, for flights departing from 1 December 2025.

This is probably down to the logistical challenges involved in promising customers their choice of main so far in advance, and should help the airline streamline its ordering and minimise waste, while improving the reliability of meal availability. 

For travellers, this means you’ll still have access to the full Book the Cook experience, just with a shorter planning window. If you’re the type who locks in every detail of your trip months in advance, this is one thing you’ll need to schedule closer to departure.