On most international airline rankings, a couple of elite airways reign supreme. In recent times, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airways have duked it out for the highest spot. That pair of long-haul carriers are on high of their recreation, particularly in premium cabins the place they will dial the expertise as much as the max.
I’ve loved writing occasional airline comparability tales like Air France vs KLM (2020) and a battle royale between 5 Star Alliance carriers (2018). This previous 12 months I used to be lucky to fly lengthy haul itineraries on each Qatar and Singapore. And to comply with up the person tales on every expertise (Singapore JFK-SIN, Qatar JFK-DOH) it felt proper to pit these two heavyweights towards one another.
On this story I evaluate Singapore and Qatar on the premise of seats, service, meals, drink, leisure, facilities, and the bottom expertise at their respective hubs. And on the finish, I do my greatest to crown a champion. That final process was powerful, as a result of it ended up being a VERY shut battle.
Whether or not you’re a seasoned street warrior, an aspirational fancy flyer, otherwise you identical to photos of fairly planes, you’ll get pleasure from this story. So click on / scroll under and skim on!
Guidelines for a good battle
Earlier than launching into the center of the story, a couple of floor guidelines and disclaimers. First, I’m not pretending to be a super-frequent flyer on these airways. (Aspect observe: if you understand how I can develop into that sort of individual, please let me know). However I did fly a number of long-haul routes on every airline — sufficient to make a significant comparability.
For the sake of a good comparability, wherever doable I centered on the longest-haul flight I took on every airline. In Qatar’s case it was a 777-300ER Qsuite flight from New York to Doha, clocking in at 12 hours. And for Singapore, it was truly the world’s longest flight: 19 hours on an A350-900ULR from New York JFK to Changi Worldwide.
One other caveat: these are two huge airways that every supply a wide range of onboard merchandise, airplane varieties, and locations. What I skilled on my flights could not apply to your expertise flying the identical airways. And it goes with out saying that this form of comparability is extremely subjective. I’d truthfully love to listen to all of the methods you might disagree with me (the feedback part awaits!).
Lastly, I acknowledge that tales nitpicking and judging premium cabin flying can appear obnoxious. Be happy to roll your eyes and skip this story if it’s not your form of factor. That mentioned, I believe we AvGeeks are further appreciative of the unimaginable experiences airways handle to ship throughout the confines of a pressurized tube miles above the bottom. Flying in such fashion is like watching a seasoned orchestra carry out. It by no means ceases to amaze.
Okay, with out additional ado, it’s time for the battle to start!
The seat
Qatar’s status leans closely on its long-haul Qsuite enterprise class design. As a completely enclosed seat with a door, the product provides loads of room and privateness.
The cabin finishes are tastefully performed, with numerous subdued browns/greys and burgundy accents. Even eight years after its preliminary rollout, this seat design nonetheless holds its personal towards the most effective of ’em.
The seat goes totally flat and is comfy as a mattress.
Qsuite boasts the power for sure clusters of 4 seats to open up and develop into a shared “quad.” I’m unsure how typically individuals benefit from that, however it no less than represents some inventive design pondering.
There are only a few Qsuite downsides. Due to excessive partitions, the doorways, and Qatar’s choice to maintain overhead bins within the middle part, Qsuite could strike you as extra confined. Additionally, half of the cabin’s seats face rearward. There’s a novelty think about dealing with the tail whereas flying, however as soon as the novelty wears off you might discover that you simply’re not a fan.
In our different nook, Singapore Airways hasn’t (but) adopted suite-style seats, however it’s product is roomy, luxurious, and has a confirmed monitor file.
Singapore provides the same fashion of seat throughout a lot of its long-haul fleet — typically in a 1-2-1-across configuration. The product regarded particularly good on the A350-900ULR I flew on.
The seatback itself measures a powerful 28 inches huge — considerably wider than Qsuite’s.
One odd factor concerning the seat is that you may’t convert it to fully-flat mode your self. The complete seat flips ahead to open up the mattress, a course of that requires a flight attendant’s involvement. That design permits the airline to optimize the seat surfaces for every section of flight, with a tender mattress floor and firmer upright seat floor. However that profit comes on the expense of your means to independently change between the 2 modes.
The winner: Qatar
It’s a detailed name, however Qsuite is simply too good. Suites with doorways have develop into a mainstay of the enterprise class seat elite. And along with their doorways, Qatar’s seats excel throughout the board in structure, decor, and performance.
As nice as Singapore’s seats are, there’s no getting round the truth that they’re rather more uncovered.
Final 12 months Singapore hinted that it’s engaged on a next-gen enterprise class seat with doorways, so the seat design class goes to be much more aggressive sooner or later.
Eating
Switching over from exhausting product to tender product, meals is likely one of the most important methods an airline could make or break your premium cabin inflight expertise. And each of our competing airways do a stellar job with eating total. They each serve meals straight onto your desk, as a substitute of bringing over trays or serving off a cart.
Qatar provides a completely on-demand eating construction, that means you aren’t constrained by predetermined mealtimes. The pliability is nice, although in observe most individuals find yourself consuming an after-takeoff meal identical to you’d on different airways. You too can pre-select your most well-liked entree choice on-line prematurely.
Qatar’s meal service is formidable, when it comes to each the dine-on-demand mannequin and the menu of dishes on supply. In actuality, no less than based mostly on my private experiences, the execution might be hit-or-miss. For instance, the lobster I obtained after takeoff was plated superbly however was overcooked to the purpose of being exhausting as a rock.
However then my second meal later within the flight was absolute perfection, in each presentation and style.
Qatar made waves final 12 months when it began rolling out caviar service on a lot of its long-haul departures from Doha. It’s a powerful function for enterprise class, because you extra generally see caviar as a firstclass perk.
I’m not going to faux to be a caviar connoisseur, however it certain was enjoyable to strive.
On Singapore’s facet, they serve up some wonderful in-flight delicacies as properly. They’re well-known for his or her Ebook the Prepare dinner service that lets you pre-select entrees from an expanded checklist of choices. The choice is broadest should you’re on a flight departing Singapore, however departures from many different locations have entry to some further Ebook the Prepare dinner meal choices as properly.
Even premium financial system passengers can ebook the prepare dinner — I pre-reserved the very tasty meal under on a long-haul premium financial system flight.
However again to biz class: Singapore runs cool catering partnerships like this salad provided by the modern indoor vertical farming firm AeroFarms.
After which later within the flight I attempted Moroccan grilled lamb chops that had been a collaboration with California’s Golden Door spa and wellness retreat.
The airline serves up fairly nice cheese and dessert choices too.
Singapore doesn’t supply a completely on-demand eating mannequin, although there may be some flexibility. At our flight’s midway level, the crew turned on the cabin lights for a second meal. However for anybody who stored sleeping, there have been nonetheless hearty meals choices accessible all through the second half of the flight.
One unusual menu design selection on our 19-hour Singapore flight was the dearth of an actual breakfast dish.
Winner: It’s a tie
I actually needed to keep away from ties on this story, however this class felt prefer it needed to be a draw.
Qatar’s totally on-demand meal service and caviar service are unimaginable. However the occasional misfires on execution dragged the expertise down a bit.
Singapore didn’t have as a lot wow issue with any particular person dish, and its service fashion isn’t as versatile as Qatar’s dine-on-demand mannequin. However Singapore’s execution was extra constant, and Ebook the Prepare dinner offers a powerful number of decisions.
Even drawing in knowledge factors from my different flights with each airways, I actually couldn’t pretty identify a winner both approach. We’ll name it a tasty tie, and transfer on to the subsequent class.
Drinks
Why do drinks get their very own class? For one, a wine checklist is a concrete approach to quantify an airline’s funding in its onboard expertise. Additionally, many airways get inventive with their beverage choices, showcasing distinctive flavors from their dwelling nations.
Historically champagne is the highest-profile status merchandise on the menu. Singapore was serving 2018 Piper-Heidsieck once I flew them. That’s a powerful selection even in contrast with what’s supplied on the world’s different greatest enterprise lessons.
The cocktail checklist contains a hometown favourite, the Singapore Sling. The airline’s model is on the sweeter facet, however tasty.
Singapore additionally will get kudos for a considerate mocktail checklist. There’s a rising sober-curious motion on the market. And even for individuals who drink, there’s a powerful case to be made for avoiding alcohol throughout flights (much less dehydration, improved sleep). So it’s good to see the airline offering some considerate non-alcoholic choices.
Singapore additionally stands out for a presumably best-in-class tea menu.
It additionally provides up a number of decisions of Illy drip espresso.
Switching over to Qatar, the airline additionally provides a aggressive drink menu.
The Billecart-Salmon champagne it served was spectacular, although possibly a half-step much less elite than what Singapore was pouring. To its credit score, Qatar’s menu had a separate rosé champagne choice.
Qatar provides a aggressive cocktail checklist and a powerful checklist of mocktails and different non-alcoholic choices.
The Winner: Singapore
Elevate a glass to Singapore Airways, as a result of it’s the winner right here. It has a barely higher headline champagne, a bit extra native taste to its cocktail checklist, and in addition impresses with its numerous espresso and tea choice.
Facilities
Time to speak creature comforts. Together with a packaged towel, Qatar leaves an amenity package at every seat. Since 2022 its kits are from French luxurious model Diptyque.
The kits cowl the fundamentals after which some. By way of high quality, my spouse (who’s higher certified to remark) cherished the lotion and perfume.
Singapore Airways does facilities in a different way. For some time they didn’t supply amenity kits in any respect, although in 2020 they started providing fundamental kits and final 12 months switched to Le Labo because the provider. The contents are high-quality however extra restricted within the variety of gadgets as in contrast with Qatar.
It’s not that Singapore is stingy, however moderately that it does issues in a different way. As a substitute of a fuller amenity package, Singapore opts to maintain the toilets properly stocked with toiletries like combs, shaving provides, and dental kits that you may take as wanted.
Winner: Qatar
First, I’ve to acknowledge that Singapore’s help-yourself technique is much less wasteful than customary amenity kits are. Eco-conscious flyers could want Singapore’s method.
However I believe many passengers count on that should you’re investing in a premium cabin flight you get an actual package, and in that regard Qatar satisfies expectations higher.
Crewmember service
Tangible gadgets like meals, drink, and facilities are vital. However service is the glue that holds the inflight expertise collectively. Each airways’ flight attendant crews typically function at a excessive stage, although there’ll all the time be some person-to-person variability.
On Qatar there have been a couple of cases when crewmembers had been making an attempt their greatest however had been exhibiting some pressure. To be honest, the dine-on-demand mannequin places a ton of stress on them. I can solely think about how troublesome it have to be to ship a meal just like the one under I had on the A350 flight from Cape City to Doha, and to do it for a cabin stuffed with passengers consuming at totally different occasions.
Anybody who has flown Singapore Airways is aware of that their flight attendants are probably the most polished within the enterprise, dealing with even the busiest moments of flights with out breaking a sweat. The dinner I had on an A380 flight from Melbourne to Singapore (under) was presumably probably the most easily executed inflight meal I’ve ever had.
Winner: Singapore
On both airline you’re getting handled very properly. However there was a bit extra consistency to our Singapore crews total, they usually had been particularly good at making exhausting work look straightforward. You go, [Singapore] lady.
Inflight leisure
On a long-haul flight, an airline’s inflight leisure system has a big impact in your total expertise.
On their ultra-long-range A350s, Singapore’s enterprise class seats embody an enormous display. The airline options one of many broadest menus of flicks and TV on the market.
Surprisingly, the show isn’t a contact display. I stored tapping the display earlier than remembering to make use of the distant as a substitute. However you can even join your smartphone to the system through bluetooth and use it as your distant, which labored properly for me.
Particularly because it was the world’s longest flight I used the transferring map loads. And Singapore’s was wonderful. Zooming out to the view under actually put in perspective how insanely lengthy SQ23’s route is.
Singapore’s noise cancelling headphones are fairly good.
Qatar’s leisure system on Qsuite additionally makes use of a big high-res display. And its content material library is MASSIVE.
Qsuite passengers additionally get noise-cancelling headphones.
One space the place Qatar let me down was the inflight map. The system felt no less than a decade outdated and didn’t supply a lot passenger management.
Winner: Singapore
This win was an particularly shut name. Singapore’s library of content material appeared to supply extra full seasons, although Qatar’s was barely bigger. The screens and interfaces are each fairly good.
For me, Singapore’s free WiFi and higher flight tracker map earned it the win, although in equity a few of Qatar’s newer plane supply a greater map system than their 777s do.
Singapore’s win within the leisure + connectivity class could also be brief lived, since Qatar is putting in lightning-fast and free StarLink WiFi throughout the fleet.
The bottom expertise
Although Singapore Airways and Qatar Airways are completely happy to have you ever go to their dwelling nations, the airways primarily concentrate on long-haul connecting itineraries the place you by no means go away the airport. That makes the bottom expertise at these hubs a significant component in your total passenger expertise. So the final spherical of our battle pits their dwelling airports face to face.
Doha’s Hamad Worldwide Airport consists of 1 huge terminal constructing. A stroll from curbside to the farthest extent of the terminal extends precisely one mile. The present terminal opened barely ten years in the past and it nonetheless feels recent and new. It’s stuffed with all the pieces you’d count on out of a Center Jap mega hub: high-end buying, a number of lounges, and a few spectacular artwork items. Whether or not you rely the multimillion greenback Lamp Bear within the “spectacular” class is a matter of non-public style. I by no means knew the road between creepy and cute might get so blurry… however I’ll admit the large bear grew on me.
This story is a enterprise class battle, and so the airways’ lounges issue closely within the floor class. Qatar’s Al Mourjan enterprise class lounges are thought of among the many greatest within the enterprise. The decor is smooth, trendy, and total beautiful at each the unique South lounge and the newer Backyard lounge.
There are a number of self-serve meals stations at every lounge.
The South lounge additionally provides restaurant-style à la carte eating. You could want to attend a bit for a desk right here throughout peak occasions, however the meals is great.
By way of providers and facilities the Al Mourjan lounges are high notch. There are many bathe suites should you want a mid-trip refresh.
Each lounges additionally supply nap rooms, although the demand far outmatches the provision. Between three passes by means of Doha I solely managed to get a nap room as soon as, however I’ll admit the wait was price it.
Over in Singapore, Changi Worldwide is about as robust a challenger to Hamad Worldwide as you could find. It’s a perennial favourite on international airport rankings. It handles a larger variety of passengers, and is segmented into extra distinct terminals in contrast with Hamad’s single mega-terminal.
On the airport’s middle is the Changi Jewel — a six-year-old $1.7 billion retail and leisure advanced with the world’s tallest indoor waterfall at its middle.
Whereas no different a part of the airport can beat the Jewel, there are a number of different options that make Changi the wonderland of the airport world. There’s a butterfly backyard, indoor climbing wall, and complicated play areas, amongst a zillion different options.
As you’d count on, Singapore Airways provides a fairly nice lounge expertise for its premium cabin passengers. It has a number of lounges throughout the airport’s terminals, with loads of seating and engaging self-serve meals choices.
We discovered a pleasant nap space at one of many lounges, although house was first-come first-serve and exhausting to snag throughout peak occasions.
As you may think about, each a part of Changi Airport is stored spotlessly clear, Singapore-style.
Winner: Qatar
First, I’ve to acknowledge that Changi is my private favourite airport on the planet. For AvGeeks, SIN would possibly as properly be an amusement park. Why, then, do I give Qatar the win?
For premium cabin passengers, the expertise at Doha feels a little bit extra luxe. The principle terminal is newer and airier. And Qatar’s Al Mourjan lounges beat Singapore’s flagship enterprise class lounges arms down, when it comes to design, eating, and facilities.
By comparability, as enjoyable as Changi is, it’s an older facility. Many components of the airport really feel much less spacious. And the design selection of putting safety checkpoints at every gate as a substitute of a central facility might be annoying.
Changi’s Jewel is totally beautiful, however notably it’s landside (AKA pre-security) and due to this fact tougher to go to throughout a layover. By comparability, Doha’s “Orchard” (within the picture under) is airside and accessible to all transiting vacationers.
If I used to be touring in financial system I’d decide Changi for all of the enjoyable publicly-accessible options that may make even a prolonged layover fly by. However on this enterprise class battle, Doha is the successful hub.
Crowning a champion
In case you’ve made it this far, you may recognize how spectacular each of those airways are. Selecting a winner wasn’t straightforward.
Primarily based on the whole lot of my experiences on every airline over the previous 12 months, Qatar Airways earns the general win. Due to its robust Qsuite seat, its formidable inflight eating menus, and wonderful dwelling airport, it deserves to return out on high.
However there are two main caveats right here. First: even should you agreed with my verdicts in every class of the competitors, you would possibly decide a special total winner relying on how vital every class is for you. In spite of everything, there have been some areas like cabin service or beverage choice the place Singapore was the higher participant. And if a type of areas matter most to you, then I couldn’t fault you for siding with Singapore.
Secondly, it’s vital to level out that Singapore has plans to handle many of the areas the place Qatar at present beats it. Simply this 12 months the airline teased some partial pictures of a brand new suite-style enterprise class seat (with privateness doorways) that it’ll begin putting in on its A350 long-haul fleet subsequent 12 months.
Changi Airport can be beginning work on a MASSIVE terminal 5 that appears unimaginable, although we’ll have to attend till the subsequent decade to see the completed product.
Ultimately, any airline’s win within the rankings is simply a short lived one. And that’s factor! So long as airways proceed fiercely competing, we as passengers find yourself as the true winners.
And now for my favourite a part of the story: the place you get to share your tackle this comparability. Be happy to disagree with me — truthfully it’s extra enjoyable that approach! Put up your ideas within the feedback part under.
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