Getting a week alone with my wife is basically a scheduling miracle. We have four kids under 10, and finding someone willing to watch all of them while we disappear to a beach in Thailand is… not easy.

Enter: my saintly parents, who fly out to Switzerland, take one look at the chaos, and somehow say “yes, we’ve got this.” And just like that, my wife and I are on our way to seven days in Phuket at The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. The hotel is beautiful. But if I am being honest, from the moment we book this trip, I am just as excited about the flight as I am about the destination.

I am booked on Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class, and I have been looking forward to this one for a while. Singapore Airlines consistently ranks as one of the best Business Class products in the sky, both by Skytrax and by just about every traveler who has ever had the chicken satay at 35,000 feet.

But here is the thing about highly-rated products: the higher the reputation, the harder it is to actually live up to it. So does Singapore Airlines Business Class deserve all the hype? Or is it one of those products that looks incredible on paper but leaves you with a few “huh, really?” moments once you are actually on board?

Short answer: it is genuinely impressive, but there are a few quirks worth knowing before you burn a pile of points on this flight.

In this review, I will walk you through everything: check-in, the lounge, the seat, the food (yes, including the satay), the service, and whether this product is really worth the points.

Booking Singapore Airlines Business Class (9/10)

Here is a confession: this flight almost does not happen.

A week before the trip, I am already booked on a perfectly fine Air France Business Class itinerary through Paris. The route is Zurich (ZRH) to Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Phuket (HKT), booked through Air France-KLM Flying Blue for 88,000 points plus about $300 in taxes and fees. Not bad. Totally reasonable.

And then, about a week before departure, the heavens open up. I am doing my usual “just one more check” browse through award space (you are not crazy for doing this, by the way, it genuinely pays to keep checking even after you already have a booking), and there it is: open Singapore Airlines Business Class award space on my dates. I cancel my Air France booking without a second thought and rebook.

The new itinerary looks like this: ZRH (Zurich) to BRU (Brussels) to SIN (Singapore), the long haul portion on Singapore Airlines Business Class, then a separate short hop from Singapore (SIN) to Phuket (HKT) on a Singapore Airlines 737 MAX 8.

Yes, I add a connection. Yes, I add an 8-hour layover in Singapore. Do I feel bad about this? Absolutely not. Changi Airport is consistently rated one of the best airports in the world, and honestly, 8 hours there feels less like a layover and more like a bonus destination. I am already planning which lounges to hit, and Changi offers free city tours for transit passengers, so there is a chance I do not even spend the whole time inside the terminal.

Now here is where it gets interesting. There are two ways to book Singapore Airlines Business Class on this route with points:

• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: 108,500 miles plus about $50 in taxes and fees.
• Air Canada Aeroplan: 80,000 points plus about $75 in taxes and fees.

I go with the Air Canada Aeroplan option. Fewer points, same exact flight. Not a hard decision. And here is the part that still makes me smile: I actually pay fewer points to fly a better product than my original Air France Business Class booking. That is the kind of math I can get behind.

For context, the cash price for this Singapore Airlines Business Class flight ranges anywhere from $4,000 to $7,000 depending on when you book. Using Aeroplan points instead makes this one of the better redemptions you can pull off in Business Class.

Route And Flight Details

Here is the exact itinerary I book:

• Flight Number: SQ 303
• Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
• Route: Brussels, Belgium (BRU) to Singapore, Singapore (SIN)
• Departing: 11:20
• Arriving: 06:55 (+1 day)
• Duration: 12 hours 35 minutes
• Departure Date: January 26th, 2026

Travel Nerd Tip: If you are leaving from Zurich Airport (ZRH), consider staying at an airport hotel the night before. My favorite option is the Hyatt Regency Zurich Airport, which is directly connected to the terminal. It is only a five-minute walk to check-in, the rooms are modern and comfortable, and Hyatt treats elite members very well.

Airport Transit In Brussels (7/10)

My trip starts in Zurich Airport (ZRH), where I check in and clear security before the short hop to Brussels (BRU). Brussels is where the real journey begins, and where I connect onto the long Singapore Airlines flight to Singapore.

Brussels Airport (BRU) has a quirk worth knowing about before you arrive. The terminal is essentially split into two sides: Side A, which handles Schengen flights, and Side B, which handles non-Schengen flights. Moving between the two means going through passport control, and that can either take five minutes or forty-five, depending on the day.

Singapore Airlines flies out of Side B, so coming in from a Schengen flight means going through passport control to get there. The airline officially recommends allowing 30 minutes for the crossing. On this trip, I sail through in under five minutes. Last time I was here, every single self-service machine was broken and it took me close to 45 minutes with a Swiss passport. If you are traveling on a non-EU or non-Swiss passport, it can take even longer. Plan accordingly.

This detail really matters if you are thinking about lounge hopping between the two main Business Class lounges at Brussels. THE LOFT is on Side A, and The View is on Side B. Both are worth visiting if you have the time, but I would only recommend making the crossing if you have a long layover. Sprinting through passport control with carry-on bags to catch a second lounge is not exactly the vibe.

Airport Lounge: The View Lounge (8/10)

Since my Zurich flight lands on Side A, I have my eye on THE LOFT, the flagship Brussels Airlines lounge built in partnership with Lexus. By all accounts it is a seriously cool space, and I am genuinely excited to check it out.

It is closed… of course.

As of late January 2026, THE LOFT is shut down with no reopening date in sight. There is a pop-up lounge running in its place, which sounds about as exciting as it is. I shed a small tear and head through passport control to Side B.

And then The View Lounge completely catches me off guard.

Located across from gate B01 (take the elevator up and follow the long hallway), The View Lounge is one of the better airport lounges I have been in recently. It is chic, modern, and much larger than I expect. The space is broken up into different zones: comfortable sitting areas, proper dining tables, quiet corners for anyone who needs to get some work done, shower suites, and even nap suites.

There is a bar right in the center of the lounge, though it is not operating when I arrive in the morning. No complaints, it is 09:00.

The breakfast spread is genuinely impressive. Fresh pastries, pancakes, bacon, sausage, cereals, fresh juices, a coffee machine, and a made-to-order egg station. Oh, and Belgian waffles. I am in Belgium. Obviously I have one… or maybe two-to-three!

The lounge is technically the only one in the B concourse, so every Business Class passenger on every non-Schengen flight funnels through here. It sounds like a recipe for overcrowding, but the space is big enough that it never really feels that way. There are partial tarmac views on each side, plenty of seating no matter what you are in the mood for, and (my personal favorite surprise) a pool table sitting in the corner like it belongs there.

I do not eat much beyond the waffles. I want to save myself for the food on Singapore Airlines, but that turns out to be a questionable decision.

Singapore Airlines A350-900 Aircraft Cabin And Layout (9/10)

The Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class cabin is split into two separate sections. The larger section sits at the front of the plane and runs for 7.5 rows (yes, there is genuinely a half row, and yes, it is as quirky as it sounds). The smaller section sits behind the main galley and has 4 rows. Both sections are laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration (Seat Map), meaning every single seat has direct aisle access.

Now here is where the layout gets a little different from most Business Class products out there.

A lot of Business Class cabins use a herringbone layout, or alternate which direction seats face, or play around with where the armrests and footwells land. Singapore Airlines does none of that. Every window seat has the armrest closer to the window and the actual seat closer to the aisle. Every middle seat has the armrests toward the center and the seat toward the aisle. It is consistent, clean, and easy to understand.

The tradeoff is that the middle seats are not exactly couple-friendly. If you are traveling with a partner and want to sit together, you can, but you will not have the same side-by-side privacy that something like a Qatar Airways QSuite offers. Couples and families should keep this in mind when choosing seats.

But my absolute favorite thing about this cabin? There are no overhead bins above the middle section. None. It sounds like a small detail, but the effect is immediately noticeable when you step on board. The cabin feels enormous. Open and airy in a way that most Business Class cabins simply do not. It is one of those things you cannot unsee once you notice it, and it makes the whole experience feel a little more premium before you even sit down.

Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class Seat (9/10)

The first thing I notice when I sit down is the width. This seat is massive. We are talking roughly 1.00 to 1.25 meters wide (that is 3 to 4 feet for anyone still holding out on the metric system). It feels less like an airplane seat and more like a small studio apartment.

The second thing I notice is the storage. There are cubbies everywhere, and I mean that in the best possible way. There is an open storage cubbie near the window next to the power outlets, a small compartment for water and headphones under the remote, and another cubbie above the drink ledge. There is even a small mirror tucked next to the entertainment screen, which is a thoughtful little touch.

But my absolute favorite storage feature? There is a dedicated cubbie below the footwell specifically designed to hold your shoes. I know that sounds like a small thing. It is not a small thing. The amount of joy this brings me is genuinely disproportionate to what it is, but it is just so functional. Shoes off, shoes stowed, done.

On the left side of the seat you will find the TV remote, tray table, and electrical outlets. There is a small light above the outlets, which is handy. The one disappointment here is that there is no USB-C port among the outlets, and no wireless phone charger either. Wireless charging has become one of my favorite “new plane” features mostly because it means I do not have to dig around in my bag for a cable. Not having it is not a dealbreaker, but it is noticeable.

On the right side, you have the seat controls for when the seat is in chair mode. There are three to five different positions to choose from, including putting the footrest all the way up and settling into what Singapore Airlines calls the “Z position,” which is basically a reclined lounging position that I find perfect for watching movies. Converting to full bed mode is a separate process. There is also a “do not disturb” button on this side.

Also on the right side, built into the seat header, are three separate lights, each designed to complement a different seat position. Combined with the lights on the left side, the whole setup is genuinely well thought out.

And speaking of lighting, there is an ambient light option for when you want some light without blasting yourself (or everyone around you) with the full overhead beam. I use this constantly. Another feature I am disproportionately in love with.

One thing worth flagging: the footwell is narrow. Even before I lie down, I can already tell it is going to be a tight fit. More on that in the bed section, but just know going in that if you are tall or tend to move around in your sleep, this is something to be aware of.

There are no individual air nozzles, but the cabin temperature is kept comfortable throughout the flight, so it is not really a problem.

The seat is showing a little age overall, and Singapore Airlines does have plans to introduce a new Business Class product in the coming years. But even as it stands today, this is still a very strong seat. The width, the storage, the lighting design, the little shoe cubbie that I cannot stop thinking about. There is a reason Singapore Airlines is consistently rated as having one of the best Business Class products in the sky, and the seat is a big part of that story.

Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class Bed (7/10)

The bed on Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class is not a traditional bed, and I am genuinely not sure whether that is a good thing or a bad thing. Maybe both.

Let’s start with how it works, because it is more involved than most Business Class beds I have experienced. You cannot just hit a button and recline into a flat surface. The flight attendants actually have to put the seat into bed mode for you, which I suspect is to make sure nobody accidentally breaks something. 

The back of the chair folds down and then opens up to fill the gaps, creating the flat surface. The back panel is padded, which is a nice touch. Here is the part that surprises me: there is a completely separate seatbelt built into the back of the chair for bed mode. So you have one seatbelt for sitting and a different one for sleeping. Quirky, but it works.

The pillows are great and the blanket is genuinely warm and soft. The flight runs a little cool for a stretch, and I am very glad to have it. No complaints on the bedding at all.

Now, the downsides.

The footwell is small. I mention this in the seat section, and it becomes very real once I lie down. To sleep comfortably, I have to angle myself diagonally, which works fine but takes some adjusting. There is also a triangular partition that sticks up near the head of the bed, which takes up roughly half the headspace. I think this is designed so you can still watch the entertainment screen while lying flat, which is actually a nice idea, but it does make the sleeping position feel a little more confined than I expect.

The bigger issue is switching between bed mode and chair mode. It is not a quick process. If there is turbulence and I want to sit up, it is basically not happening in the moment. I have to wait for things to calm down and then go through the whole conversion back to chair mode. Same thing applies if I want to eat after lying down. It is a bit of an all-or-nothing situation, which feels like a design limitation worth knowing about before you fly.

That said, the bed itself is comfortable and feels very spacious through the middle. I sleep maybe one to two hours on this flight, but honestly that has nothing to do with the bed quality and everything to do with the flight timing.

Singapore Airlines In-Flight Entertainment And Wi-Fi (8/10)

The entertainment screen is a massive 18 inches, which looks great from the moment I sit down. The one catch: it is not a touchscreen. Everything is controlled through the remote, and I will be honest, this annoys me for about the first three minutes. I am so used to just tapping a screen that using a remote feels like a step backward. But after a few minutes I adjust completely. Turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks.

The noise canceling headphones are excellent. Comfortable, well-fitting, and they do a solid job blocking out the ambient cabin noise. No complaints there at all.

The system itself has all the usual features: flight path, movies, TV shows, games, and some genuinely useful extras like arrival information and connecting flight details. But my favorite feature is the ability to save favorites. I browse through the movie selection once, save everything I want to watch, and never have to go digging through menus again. It is a small thing, but after years of re-searching for the same movie three times on a long flight, I appreciate it more than I probably should.

The movie selection is good, though not great. There is a solid mix of Hollywood blockbusters, Singaporean cinema, Chinese films, Korean cinema, Bollywood, Japanese, and European titles, which makes sense given Singapore’s incredibly diverse population. Some of the newer titles include Tron: Ares, F1: The Movie, and The Smashing Machine. Classics like Batman, Superman, Lord of the Rings, the Marvel movies, Dune, and The Hobbit are all on there too.

But most importantly: they have Crazy Rich Asians. Did you really fly to Singapore without watching Crazy Rich Asians? No. No you did not.

My one critique of the selection is that it tries to cover every possible genre and cinema tradition, which means it never goes really deep in any one category. It is broad by design, which aligns perfectly with Singapore’s multicultural identity, but if you are hoping for an exhaustive collection of any one type of film, you might come up a little short.

Wi-Fi

Here is some genuinely good news: Wi-Fi is free for Business Class passengers, KrisFlyer members, and select credit card holders. Which basically means it is free for everyone. No hunting for a voucher code, no paying $30 mid-flight. Just connect and go.

The speed is a different story. I run a few Ookla speed tests during the flight and clock download speeds of around 14 to 17 Mbps for most of it. Not fast enough for anything serious, but perfectly fine for chatting with friends and family and doing some basic browsing. The caveat is that the speed is heavily dependent on where you are in the flight. At certain points, the connection either drops entirely or crawls along at 2 to 4 Mbps. So temper your expectations accordingly, but for a free service on a long haul flight, it gets the job done.

Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class Lavatory (8/10)

Business Class has three lavatories total. One sits at the front of the cabin near the cockpit, and two are positioned between the larger and smaller Business Class sections. They are all roughly the same size, with one practical difference worth noting: the mid-cabin lavatories have a baby changing table, the front one does not.

In terms of the space itself, these are pretty standard airplane lavatories. Nothing that is going to make you want to take photos, but nothing that disappoints either.

The products are a nice touch though. Singapore Airlines stocks the lavatories with luxury amenities by Payot, a Parisian beauty brand, including hand cream, facial mist, and perfume. There is also a dental kit (a reminder: do not use the tap water unless you enjoy being ill, stick to the bottled water), a shaving kit complete with shaving cream, and a brush and comb.

But my favorite detail in the whole lavatory? A single fresh orchid. Just sitting there. A small splash of color and nature at 35,000 feet that somehow makes the whole space feel a little more considered. It is a tiny thing, but it is very Singapore Airlines.

One last thing worth mentioning: in over 12 hours of flying, I never once encounter a line for the lavatory, and the crew keeps all three immaculately clean throughout the entire flight. On a long haul flight, that is genuinely impressive and not something every airline manages to pull off.

Singapore Airlines Business Class Amenity Kit (7/10)

The amenity kit situation on Singapore Airlines is a little different from most airlines, in that it actually comes in four separate parts rather than one single pouch. You get slippers, socks, and a sleeping mask all individually, plus the main amenity kit itself.

The kit is a collaboration with Le Labo, the same luxury fragrance brand that Park Hyatt uses for their bathroom amenities. So on paper, this sounds like a premium pairing. Singapore Airlines plus Le Labo, two brands known for doing things at a high level. Inside you will find lip balm, hand lotion, and a face mist.

And honestly? For a collab between two luxury brands, the contents feel a little underwhelming. The sizes are small, the selection is basic, and it is the kind of kit that feels more like a nice gesture than a genuine premium offering.

That said, the kit itself is beautiful. The quality of the pouch is excellent, and the dual logo design with Le Labo on one side and Singapore Airlines on the other is genuinely cool. This one is coming home with me, no question.

A couple of small gripes: the slippers run a little small, so if you have larger feet, just know that going in.

And the big one: no pajamas. On a 12-hour overnight flight. I will be honest, this surprises me for a product at this level. Most competitors in the premium long haul space offer pajamas as standard, and their absence here is noticeable.

Singapore Airlines Business Class Food And Beverage (6/10)

Food is probably the thing I am most excited about on this flight, and also, as it turns out, the biggest letdown.

Here is the thing about Singapore Airlines and food: the reputation is enormous. And enormous reputations are hard to live up to. I also know from experience that airline catering is highly route-dependent, meaning the same airline can serve an incredible meal on one route and a forgettable one on another. I know all of this going in.

And yet, I still come away a little disappointed. The food is not bad. But on an airline with this much hype around its catering, “not bad” is its own kind of letdown.

Pre-Departure

The pre-departure drink options are orange juice and champagne. I take one of each, because why not. But here is the thing that genuinely surprises me: when I finish the orange juice, the flight attendant immediately offers me another one. I think this might be a first in my years of flying. It is a small gesture, but it sets a good tone right from the start.

A Quick Note On The Tray Table

Before I get into the food, there is one quirk worth flagging. The tray table sits slightly off-center. Not so far that I cannot reach my food (the seat is wide enough that it still works fine), but just enough to be noticeable throughout the meal. Given how much thought clearly goes into the rest of the seat design, this one feels like an odd oversight.

Lunch Meal Service

About 30 minutes after takeoff, the lunch service begins with drinks and the canape course. And the canape is the famous Singapore Airlines chicken satay.

Now, chicken satay is one of my favorite foods in the world, which makes me a tough critic on this particular dish. So take this with a grain of salt. But the satay is ever so slightly a letdown. I cannot put my finger on exactly why. It is good, just not the transcendent experience I am expecting based on everything I have heard.

The appetizer is a red fruit glazed duck liver terrine, served on a bed of scallops and breadcrumbs. I do not normally gravitate toward liver terrine, but this one is solid. Not something I would necessarily order again by choice, but well executed.

The main course is where things dip a little. I go with the Chinese style steamed chicken with scallion sauce, stir fried Asian vegetables, and egg fried rice. The presentation is fine. The flavor, unfortunately, is not really there. Almost nothing on the plate has much taste, and the most flavorful item of the whole dish turns out to be the rice, which is not exactly what you want from a Business Class main course on an airline with this reputation.

Dessert is a much better story. I go with the vanilla bourbon ice cream with chocolate flakes, and it is excellent. There is even a post-dessert dessert of chocolate, which I respect enormously as a life philosophy. I finish the meal with a Moroccan mint tea, which is a lovely, unexpected touch.

In-Flight Snacks

Singapore Airlines calls their snack menu “Delectables,” which is a bold name. I go with the egg noodle soup with chicken and bok choy. The base is good, but it needs a little help in the flavor department. My tip: ask for the green chilis. They add just enough of a kick to make the whole bowl sing.

Pre-Landing Breakfast

About two hours before landing, breakfast arrives. It starts with a selection of fresh fruit, and unlike most airlines where the fruit comes out hard, cold, and sad, this is served at the perfect temperature. There is also a pain au chocolat on the side, plus orange juice and water.

For the main, I go with the Asian breakfast option: braised egg noodle with chicken. This turns out to be the best meal of the entire flight. Flavorful, comforting, and exactly what I want after a long overnight. I wish I could have ordered this twice.

Singapore Airlines Staff And Service (10/10)

I have been trying to think of how to describe the service on Singapore Airlines, and the honest answer is that you just have to experience it to fully understand. Words only get you so far.

Here is what happens when I board. Every single flight attendant in the Business Class cabin, around five or six of them, greets me by name. Not a generic “welcome aboard.” Not a nod and a smile. Each one makes eye contact, says “welcome onboard Mr. Zanes,” introduces themselves, and tells me they are looking forward to flying with me today. I am in genuine, open-mouthed shock. I have flown a lot of Business Class flights. This does not happen.

But the moment that really sums up the service comes during the pre-departure drink. I ask for a glass of champagne. The steward does not have one immediately available, so he steps away to get one. He is gone for maybe five, ten seconds at most. When he comes back, he hands me the glass and says “sorry to keep you waiting.”

Five to ten seconds. He apologizes for five to ten seconds. The only other time I have experienced service at this level is on Cathay Pacific. There might be a pattern emerging there.

Throughout the meal service, the cabin runs like a perfectly oiled machine. Different attendants move through the cabin continuously, topping up drinks, clearing plates at exactly the right moment, bringing the next course without you having to ask or wait. Nobody is hovering, but nobody is ever far away either.

And then there are the little things. By my second drink, they remember that I like lemon in my sparkling water and my Coke. I do not ask again for the rest of the flight. It is just there, every time, exactly the way I like it.

This is what separates Singapore Airlines from almost everyone else. The food might have its ups and downs depending on the route. The seat is aging. But the service? That part lives up to every word of the reputation.

Final Thoughts

Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class is not a perfect product. The footwell is narrow, the bed conversion is awkward, there are no pajamas on a 12-hour overnight flight, and the food does not always live up to the enormous reputation that precedes it.

But here is the thing: none of that really matters when the service is this good.

Being greeted by name by every flight attendant before the door closes, the five second champagne apology, the lemon in my drinks without having to ask twice. That is not a coincidence. That is a culture, and it elevates the entire experience in a way that is genuinely hard to put into words until you have felt it yourself.

This product is best suited for travelers who put service above everything else. If a perfectly private suite or a door that closes is your top priority, Qatar Airways QSuite wins that race. If sheer spectacle and wow factor is what you are after, Emirates has the edge. And on food consistency alone, Cathay Pacific is a tough competitor. 

But if you want to feel genuinely looked after from the moment you board to the moment you land, nobody does it quite like Singapore Airlines.

The recommendation is simple: fly it. Keep checking for award space even after you have already booked something else (it is how I ended up here in the first place), book through Aeroplan (if possible), and go in knowing the satay is good but maybe not quite the religious experience some people make it out to be.

I land in Singapore with 8 hours at Changi ahead of me and zero regrets. The Singapore Airlines Business Class lounge at Changi is one of the best in Asia, and I am planning to spend serious time there. Then there is Changi itself: the Jewel, the movie theater, the exhibits, and if time allows, a quick day trip into the city.

The service was extraordinary. The seat was impressive. And somehow, I still cannot stop thinking about that little shoe cubbie.

Kevin Zanes