Experience luxury like never before: Singapore Airlines’ A380 business class from Frankfurt to New York

Fifth-freedom routes offer a unique experience, letting travelers fly on international airlines without ever stepping foot in the airline's home country. For those based in North America, this typically means the chance to fly on state-of-the-art aircraft with exceptional service, often at a more affordable price compared to local carriers.

One of the standout fifth-freedom flights from the U.S. connects New York’s JFK Airport with Frankfurt Airport in Germany, operated by Singapore Airlines. This route became even more appealing earlier this year when it upgraded to an Airbus A380, featuring the airline's latest first-class Suites and refreshed business-class seats.

After a recent trip to Germany, I was eager to return home to New York as quickly as possible (nonstop flights were a must) and in business class. Singapore Airlines was the obvious choice. Lufthansa's current business class is configured in a 2-2-2 layout, Delta doesn’t offer its premium Delta One Suites on this route, and I’ve already flown United Polaris numerous times. So, I booked Singapore Airlines for my journey and looked forward to the experience. Here’s what it was like.

Booking Details

We paid $1,875 for a one-way business class ticket and a return trip in premium economy, which turned out to be more affordable than booking a one-way business class ticket alone.

The ticket was booked through American Express Travel, and we paid using the Centurion Business Card from American Express to earn 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar — totaling 9,375 points, valued at $188 based on TPG’s assessments. If you don’t have the Centurion Card, you can still earn the same rewards with The Platinum Card® from American Express (on up to $500,000 per year). Additionally, I earned 7,712 Alaska miles, valued at $139, by crediting the flight to the Mileage Plan.

The details for the Centurion Card and Centurion Business Card from American Express have been gathered independently by Dinogo. The card information on this page has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Alternatively, booking this flight with points is an easy option. Saver-level business-class awards on this route cost 72,000 miles each way through Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer program (this will increase to 81,000 miles starting July 5, following recent KrisFlyer program changes). Points can be transferred to KrisFlyer from various transferable points programs, including American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Rewards, Citi ThankYou, and Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Ground Experience

Singapore Airlines departs from Terminal 1, Area C, at Frankfurt Airport.

There were two dedicated check-in counters for business class passengers, and the line was quite short when I arrived a few hours before my flight. Star Alliance Gold members also have access to these counters.

Business class passengers of Singapore Airlines are welcome to use the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, located on the upper level near gate B43. The lounge operates daily from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The lounge was sleek, modern, and well-maintained, and it was relatively quiet during my morning visit. It offered a variety of seating options, including tables, couches, and chairs, many equipped with nearby power outlets. There were also semi-private relaxation areas with daybeds and TVs. For those with long layovers, there’s a shower room available, although I didn’t use it.

The food selection was fairly basic for an international business-class lounge, but still sufficient. It included scrambled eggs, cherry tomato confit, frikadellen (German meat patties), cold cuts, fresh fruit, pastries, and yogurt. Drinks were self-serve at the walk-up bar, offering water, juice, coffee, tea, sodas, beer, and various wines.

While not as luxurious as a United Polaris or American Flagship Lounge, I found it to be better than the Lufthansa business lounges, which I also had access to with my ticket and tend to be more crowded.

After a brief wait, it was time to head downstairs to the gate and board my flight. Boarding was scheduled to start 60 minutes before departure, but unfortunately, there was a one-hour delay.

Boarding an A380 can be quite a challenge, but the gate agents did a great job managing the process. They kept the boarding area orderly and quiet. There were distinct lines for each class — Suites, business class, premium economy, and economy. Passengers in Suites and business class boarded directly to the upper deck, while economy and premium economy passengers were directed to two separate boarding bridges on the main level.

Our flight was operated by a four-and-a-half-year-old Airbus A380, registered as 9V-SKU.

Cabin and Seat

The business class section spanned most of the A380's upper deck, with the first-class Suites located in the very front. Business class seats were arranged in a 1-2-1 layout, offering 50 seats in the main cabin and an additional 28 seats in a smaller cabin at the rear.

The cabin was stunning, featuring purple Poltrona Frau leather seats with orange piping, ambient mood lighting, and an elegant design that included the absence of overhead bins above the center seats.

The seats lacked doors but still offered a sense of privacy, thanks to the side wings surrounding the shells.

Seats in the center section are perfect for couples, as they can be transformed into a sort of double bed. However, a center partition can be raised to provide privacy if you're seated next to a stranger.

I was seated in 11K, a window seat on the right-hand side of the aircraft in the first row of business class. While the seat was essentially identical to others in the cabin, it became a bit noisy since it was located right behind the galley.

The seats were 25 inches wide, notably narrower than the older A380 business class seats on Singapore Airlines. However, I found these seats more comfortable, as the previous ones were almost too wide and, in my opinion, lacked adequate support.

Unlike the older seats, these could be easily reclined into a fully flat bed without needing assistance from a flight attendant to adjust the seat. When fully flat, the bed length was 78 inches (6 feet, 6 inches).

The footwell was positioned at an angle and was somewhat compact, but I still managed to sleep comfortably. However, taller passengers might prefer the center seats in the bulkhead row, as those come with more spacious footrests.

Although there were no overhead bins above the center seats, storage wasn't an issue. You can easily fit a carry-on bag under the footwell. Additionally, a small compartment beside the seat provides space for reading materials, a water bottle, and a laptop. Non-bulkhead seats also offer storage beside the seatback screen.

The seat controls were positioned on the right side and were straightforward to use, with preset modes for upright, relaxing with the leg rest raised, and fully flat. There was also a 'Do Not Disturb' light that could be turned on when I wanted to rest.

Additional seat features included multiple universal power outlets, USB ports, and a lighted mirror compartment for convenience.

There were two overhead lights as well as a built-in reading light on the seat. While there were no individual air nozzles, the cabin was maintained at a comfortable temperature throughout the flight.

There were seven lavatories in the business-class section, and the crew kept them well-maintained, ensuring they were consistently clean. Each time I visited, the toilet paper was neatly folded.

Amenities and Inflight Entertainment

The entertainment screen was large and crisp, with an 18-inch diagonal display. It could be controlled either by the main touchscreen or the wired touchscreen remote. The selection of movies and TV shows was extensive, featuring many recent releases. However, the screen's lack of tilt made it slightly challenging to watch from a fully reclined position.

When I arrived at my seat during boarding, I found a pair of noise-canceling headphones waiting for me. While they were decent, they didn't quite match the quality of the Bang & Olufsen headphones found at the front of the plane. In addition, there was a 'care kit' containing a mask, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipe, along with a bottle of water, two pillows, a duvet, and a mattress pad. The mattress pad was a bit on the thin side, but the overall bedding setup was quite comfortable.

Amenity kits were handed out later in the flight, by which point most passengers were already resting. These kits, designed by the renowned British fragrance brand Penhaligon's, contained just lip balm, hand lotion, and facial mist. To minimize waste, other items like slippers, socks, earplugs, eyeshades, and hairbrushes were only available upon request.

In addition to the amenity kits, you could find extra toiletries such as dental kits, shaving kits, eau de toilette, hand lotion, and facial mist in the lavatories.

Panasonic provided Wi-Fi on board, offering a few different pricing plans. You could choose between data packages based on time or usage, but unfortunately, there was no all-inclusive option for the entire flight. The most reasonable deal was likely the three-hour unlimited plan for $15.99, though purchasing several of these packages on longer flights could become expensive.

As a business-class passenger, I received 100 MB of free Wi-Fi. The speeds were sufficient for basic tasks like emailing and texting, but the data limit was quite restrictive. However, I did like the option to pause my session if I needed to.

Food and Beverage

Even though it was a morning flight, lunch was still served. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there were no printed menus. Instead, digital menus were provided through a QR code. Meal orders were taken while still on the ground, but unfortunately, no pre-departure drinks were offered.

The lunch options included roasted chicken breast with black truffle jus, steamed halibut fillet, Thai-style beef curry (Panang Nuer), or braised pork cheek with caraway jus. There were also six additional ‘Book the Cook’ options available for pre-order, such as Bavarian-style pork belly and honey-glazed duckling. Later in the flight, a snack option was offered, with choices of braised egg noodles with prawns or ham and cheese toasties before arrival.

I decided to pre-order the halibut for lunch from the in-flight menu, and since I don't eat pork or shellfish, I requested an Asian vegetarian option for my refreshment. It was nice that the airline allowed me to mix and match meals, as it's not often you can request a special meal for just one course.

Lunch began with chicken satay served with a spicy peanut dipping sauce. Since I had requested an Asian vegetarian meal for the second course, Singapore Airlines offered me Asian vegetarian starters, which was a thoughtful and unexpected touch. My canape was a delicious combination of grilled vegetables served with hummus on toast.

The next course was a light lentil salad that felt fresh, although it lacked a bit of flavor. For comparison, the regular starter would have been marinated prawns with apple-celeriac remoulade. I also savored Singapore's iconic garlic bread and a pretzel roll from the bread basket, both of which were excellent.

The steamed halibut fillet was served with a soy ginger garlic sauce, accompanied by vegetables and steamed rice. Fish can be tricky to get right on a plane, but I found the dish to be flavorful and the fish was cooked to a perfectly tender, flaky texture.

Once the main course was finished, a dessert cart was rolled down the aisle. I couldn't resist trying three of the four dessert options — a rich black forest gateau, refreshing lemon-lime sorbet, and fresh fruit. I passed on the cheese plate, though it looked tempting. The entire meal experience took just under two hours.

After waking up from a nap, I pressed the call button to inquire about snacks and was offered a selection of Kit Kat bars, potato chips, instant noodles, and soft Japanese buns.

About 90 minutes before landing, the pre-arrival snack was served. My special meal featured quesadillas filled with eggplant, tomatoes, and a mix of other vegetables. Though I’m not particularly fond of eggplant, I thought it was perfectly fine, and I appreciated Singapore Airlines offering a warm snack before arrival.

I was pleasantly surprised by the vast drink selection, which included 2012 Piper-Heidsieck Brut Champagne, a variety of red and white wines, an array of cocktails and mocktails, premium spirits, and even hot chocolate. Additionally, the menu featured Illy coffees and TWG teas for a truly upscale experience.

Service

Despite the small size of the 78-seat business class cabin, the service was far from impersonal. From the moment I boarded, the crew warmly greeted each passenger and escorted them to their seats. I was addressed by my last name throughout the flight, and the crew made a genuine effort to ensure my comfort. My drink was always topped off, and the flight attendants promptly responded to my call button. While not typical for business class, it’s worth noting that turndown service was not provided on this flight.

Overall impression

Singapore Airlines is renowned for having one of the finest business-class offerings worldwide, and this flight certainly lived up to that reputation. While the seats lacked doors, I found them to be surprisingly private and offered great comfort for both resting and relaxing. The service was impeccable, and the food and drinks were exceptional. I would absolutely fly with this product again, especially on this route where the competition falls short.