Voted the world’s second-best in 2025, we were thrilled to fly with Singapore Airlines (SQ). This was not our first time on SQ, but we had high expectations and were curious how on earth any flight experience could beat that of Qatar Airways, or even our recent flight on Turkish Airlines just 10 days prior.
Read our full Singapore Airlines economy class review to find out what it’s like to fly with the world’s second-best.
Sitting here now reflecting on the 16 hours and 3 three flights with SQ we have to say that economy class in Singapore Airlines was good – nothing more and nothing less.
For our Singapore Airlines economy class review, we wanted to tell you about flight attendants riding unicorns down the aisles, handing out Godiva chocolates in soft golden light, accompanied by angel song. Is that so much to ask for?
We really wanted to be ecstatic and rave about flying with the world’s best airline, but SQ fell a bit short and we’re a little disappointed, to be honest.
perhaps we had set our expectations too high.
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Disclaimer: Neither Singapore Airlines nor anyone else is paying us for this review of my flight experience. I paid the full fare and am not affiliated with SQ in any way. This Singapore Airlines economy class review reflects my personal experience and opinion.
Singapore Airlines in Economy:
Cape Town – Hong Kong
At over 16 hours, flying from Cape Town to Hong Kong is a proper long haul flight. I must say flying long haul on Singapore in economy has always been comfortable, and this flight was no exeption.
SQ 479 from Cape Town to Singapore (with a short stop in Johannesburg) was on the Airbus a350, while SQ 890 from Singapore to Hong Kong was on the Boeing 787.
| SQ479 Cape Town to Johannesburg (2 hours flight duration) |
| SQ479 Johannesburg to Singapore (10h 20m flight duration) |
| SQ890 Singapore to Hong Kong (4 hours flight duration) |
Baggage allowance: Passengers flying economy class on Singapore Airlines are allowed a total of 30 kg of luggage, as well as 7 kg of hand luggage.
We are off to a good start as we leave Cape Town, with a smooth take-off right on time, even if I’m a little sad to be leaving my beloved South Africa again. We are in seats 43 J and 43 H, which will be home for the next 12 hours. The A359 cabin is spotless, the crew looks sharp, and everyone is all smiles. I like the 3-3-3 seat layout as it makes the cabin look spacious.
Seats in Singapore Economy Class
The seats in Singapore Airlines economy class themselves are comfortable, but please don’t ask about how much legroom there is or about the recline angle since we didn’t pack our ruler or protractor for this review.
I am 1.86 m tall and sit comfortably without my knees pushing against the seat in front. That’s all we need, really. We’re easy like that, and it takes little to please us. Perhaps we imagine this, but the seats do feel a little narrow, or perhaps it’s the extra few pounds we had packed on since being on holiday…
Anyhoo.
As I said, I might imagine things, and it takes little to keep us happy.
We like the big space between the seats. You don’t get the feeling of sharing a seat with your neighbour and the need to have an arm-wrestling face-off before take-off to establish dominance and ultimate control over the armrest for the rest of the flight. This space is wide enough, though, so that the TV screens from the row ahead of you are visible, which is a little distracting. But we’d rather have that than arm wrestling with my neighbour, to be honest.
We particularly like the layout of the in-front seat pockets. Divided into three separate pockets, it’s easy to put your things there without having to dig through inflight magazines, tangled earphones cords and boarding passes to find what you are looking for (or is it just me who has a hard time locating my phone from the in front seat pocket?)
Inflight Entertainment on SQ
The IFE system is a pleasure to look at. It’s extremely user-friendly and responsive and can be operated by touch or the console. Large screen with tons of entertainment; you will not be bored.
I also didn’t count the channels, so please don’t ask how many, but there’s something wrong with you if you can’t find something to entertain you on the KrisWorld entertainment system.
Singapore Airlines economy class scores full marks in terms of entertainment in our review. Or perhaps we are just easy to please, and we are easy like that.
Singapore Airlines Amenity Kit
The amenity kit was underwhelming and very forgettable. It looks cheap and empty before we even unzip it. Inside we find a toothbrush, toothpaste and a pair of socks. No earplugs, no eye mask, nothing extra, nothing special.
We usually take our amenity kits home with us either as a keepsake or to use in class at school for role plays or just to give the kids to play with. This time we didn’t take the kit with us. The amenity kit failed to please us, and we are easy to please.
As of 2025, I believe amenity kits now are often “upon request, so if you really need one, ask your flight attendant .
Singapore Airlines Identity
We find the brand identity seriously lacking on all our flights. No Singapore Airlines logo on the wingtip. The blanket is a generic grey, too-fluffy fleece that looks and feels cheap without any branding.
Other than the safety video no other branding or commercial is shown (not that we’ve seen). Trust us, we dislike spammy behaviour just as much as you, but we expected something from SQ to connect us to their brand, something emotional that will make us want to fly with them again, and that is usually achieved with strong visual branding or engaging commercials.
After getting home we have to look up their slogan.
It is: A great way to fly.
What’s the Food Like on Singapore Airlines
SQ is a full-service flight, as expected from one of the world’s best airlines. Personal menus are a nice touch and can be found in the seat pockets. The meals on all the flights are delicious, and we don’t go hungry.
I had the mushroom and leek frittata and Jin had the stir-fried pork with ginger and garlic sauce on the way to Johannesburg, both look appetizing and were delicious. A wide selection of drinks on the drinks trolley keeps us hydrated.
And yes, they do serve a nice, premixed Singapore Sling in case you were wondering. As we continue towards Singapore and Hong Kong the meals keep on coming, and as tasty as they are, nothing really stands out. Nothing special: no *ice cream for dessert, no after-dinner chocolate.
* read ice cream update below
On another note, the plates have a textured bottom, so you can hear spoons scraping the bottom as passengers finish the last morsels of their meals. I guess this must be quite satisfying for SQ to hear (proof that their food is indeed good) but quite annoying listening to your neighbour scraping the bottom of his plate, knowing that he must also have to put up with my scraping.
Is anyone an expert on economy class etiquette? Is it allowed to scrape once but it’s a definite no-no to do it twice? Please let us know if you have any insight.
Mid‑flight snacks or self-serve galley options are available if you get peckish between meals, which is a nice touch. However, I feel the snacks on Cathay is a lot better.
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Universal Travel Adapter (with USB-C ports) – Stay charged anywhere in the world. Get one here →
Collapsible Water Bottle – Fill it after security and avoid paying $10 for water or begging for plastic cups. Shop now →
Singapore Airlines Service
Check-in in Cape Town was fast and friendly. Unfortunately, no aisle seat is available even when checking in as soon as the counters open. During the flight, the attendants all look sharp in their distinct batik uniforms.
We fly with 3 different crews. Service throughout is attentive without being overbearing, friendly and professional. Jolly good and all that, but perhaps a little robotic and stuffy for my liking. The first crew from Cape Town to Johannesburg is great. We all have a great time.
We change crew but stay on the same plane for the Johannesburg to Singapore flight and the new crew continue the high standard set by the first crew. A good time is had by all.
The last flight from Singapore to Hong Kong is a different story though.
We arrive at Changi Airport in Singapore, the world’s best. First of all, we can’t connect to the Changi Airport wifi during our 1 hour 20 minutes layover. We sit and stare vacantly instead and are forced to actually try to make a conversation with each other like it is 2010.
Slow but Rushed
Upon boarding SQ890 to Hong Kong, we realise that we will not be sitting together. Our boarding passes which were issued in Cape Town 12 hours before have us sitting in 54K and 43J.
When asking a FA if she can help us sit together we are told to ask other passengers ourselves. No one wants to trade seats. We are usually easy to please, and it doesn’t take much to keep us happy. We are easy like that. But we expect to sit together on a flight when on the same booking and boarding passes had been issued 12 hours prior. We fly to Hong Kong with me sitting in row J and Jin in row K. A good time is had by neither of us.
Service on SQ890 to Hong Kong is slow and rushed at the same time if that makes sense. Perhaps due to weather conditions or who knows why breakfast service starts almost 2 hours after takeoff.
Two young male FAs are actually running up and down the aisles (still smiling – without ears the smiles would reach the back of their heads). It was painful to watch. The female FAs looked irked by this as well. I think it’s a case of the more haste the less speed. We only get our first cup of coffee waaaay after my breakfast, just before we start our descent towards Hong Kong International.
Ice Cream Update
Hong Kong to Bali on Singapore Airlines
We recently flew with SQ from Hong Kong to Bali return in economy.
As always the food on SQ was amazing. The service friendly as ever, yet still no unicorns! We are glad to say that they do indeed serve ice cream now. Perhaps someone at SQ read how much we like ice cream when flying. We really liked the Cendol (Singapore/Malay dessert) flavoured ice cream. Well done SQ!
On the HK-Singapore leg, we flew on the dreaded Star Alliance plane. The hard product (plane, seating, entertainment system) was all generic Star Alliance. The soft product (entertainment, food, crew) of course was from SQ. The screens were so crap that we gave up trying to watch within the first 10 minutes. Never in my life had I been on such a cold plane either. I requested 2 extra blankets. Other passengers also complained about the temperature.
SQ is really stingy when it comes to giving exit-row seats. We requested exit row seats when checking in at the counter. Every time we were told that no exit row seats were available, yet when we get on the plane…tadaaaa…empty exit row seats. FA’s had no problem with us moving to the exit row seats after take-off.
Checking in online and requesting meals proved to be impossible, perhaps because we booked on Trip.com and not directly on SQ’s website.
Singapore Economy Class FAQ
What meal service can I expect in Economy on a long-haul flight?
Economy passengers typically receive two full meal services on long-haul routes (e.g. Cape Town–Singapore–Hong Kong). Mid‑flight snack service may include pretzels, chocolate, or packet snacks, sometimes self-serve in the galley. Special meals must be pre-booked, and amenity kits are only offered upon request.
Is Wi‑Fi free in Economy class?
Wi‑Fi is available across most long-haul A350, A380, and 777‑300ER aircraft. KrisFlyer members typically get access for free while Economy fare passengers can purchase access (approximately US $12 for 1 hour, US $17 for 3 hours or US $22 all day on U.S.–Singapore flights)
How comfortable are the seats in SQ Economy?
Newer aircraft feature updated seats approximately 48 cm wide with about 32″ legroom, adjustable headrests, and USB power. Some users report legroom remains tight for anyone over ~175 cm tall, and recommend investing in extra leg‑room zones. I’m 187 cm tall and sat comfortably. It doesn’t take much to please me.
Is there an amenity kit in Economy?
Economy amenity kits (containing socks, toothbrush and toothpaste) are no longer handed out routinely. You must request them onboard, and availability now varies by flight and route.
Can I choose or upgrade my seat in Economy?
Yes — advance seat selection is available (for a fee, depending on seating zone and fare band). Extra legroom seats and front‑zone seats are available at higher fees. Passengers often report that checking in at the airport or early can still result in non‑adjacent seating, especially on multi‑leg trips
Singapore Airlines Economy Class Review:
The Verdict
Singapore Airlines is a solid choice for travellers looking for great service and excellent safety record. The planes looked brand new and spotless, the flight attendants were helpful and attentive, the food was tasty, and the entertainment was fantastic. But, alas, no unicorns.
We are easy people. It doesn’t take much to please us. If there are flight attendants riding unicorns down the aisles they stable in Qatar somewhere else. We enjoyed our flights on Singapore Airlines. We’ve been on worse flights.
But we’ve also been on better flights. While it doesn’t take much to keep us happy, we expected a lot more from one of the world’s best airlines. Throughout SQ offered a good product, but nothing special. Perhaps we expected too much. Singapore Airlines economy class is comfortable with good food and good service, nothing more, nothing less.
When asked about SQ in the future we’ll reply:
A good way to fly
If you are easy to please like we are, then you’ll love Singapore Airlines.
Will we fly with them again? Yes.
Will Singapore Airlines be our first choice? No.
Which carrier is your first choice? Where do the unicorns stable? Let us know in the comments below.
Read More Economy Class Reviews:
Emirates Economy Class Review
Qatar Airways Economy Class Review
Turkish Airlines Economy Class Review
Cathay Pacific Economy Class Review
Ethiopian Airlines Economy Class Review
We are worried about carrying our minimum baggage which we brought from Dhaka to Sydney. Economy class baggage allowance is 30 kg which we brought from Dhaka. To our utter surprise, now we see our baggage allowances is only 25 kg while returning which is too less. Seek kind comments & advice from the most reputed airlines. Rgds
It’s best to call Singapore Airlines in Sydney to clarify. I know different tickets have different baggage allowances.
If it’s indeed 25 kg and your luggage is over the weight limit, I suggest you check in as soon as the counters open (3 hours before). Check-in staff is known to be more lenient soon after counters open. Being friendly and smiling might also help. Hope you and all your luggage make it home to Dhaka