Peek inside the plane running the longest flight in the world

While nonstop flights spanning a greater distance have run historically, the title of the longest operating flight in the world is currently held by Singapore Airlines (SINGF) for its New York-Singapore route.

The great circle distance of 9,537 miles and 5,349 kilometers takes just over 19 hours when heading toward Singapore and 18 hours and 30 minutes when flying to New York.

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With passengers and crew spending nearly a full day in the air, very few aircraft have the technical capability to run this type of ultra-long-haul flight.

I had a chance to tour the Airbus A350-900ULR (EADSF) plane with members of the Singapore Airlines crew shortly before it was set to take off from JFK International Airport.

The Singapore Airlines A350-900ULR has a range of 9,700 nautical miles and just two fare classes

A customized version of the A350-900 currently operated exclusively by Singapore Airlines, the A350-900ULR has a range of 9,700 nautical miles or 17,964 kilometers and is configured for just two fare classes: 67 business class and 94 premium economy seats.

With the focus on comfort for the long journey, this is significantly fewer passengers than the up to 300 that the non-ultra-long-range A350-900s can carry.

The business class seats have 60 inches of seat pitch to turn into a lie-flat bed.

Image source: Veronika Bondarenko

While Singapore Airlines has announced that it will retrofit seven of these planes to feature its top-end first class in the coming year, at the moment travelers can choose from the $900 USD range in each direction for the premium economy class or several thousands for the additional comfort of business class.

First class suites are available on the Boeing 777 Dreamliner (BA) plane used to fly shorter routes to other key destinations such as London, Frankfurt, and Los Angeles.

The first thing you notice when walking into the cabin is just how large the business class section is compared to other airplanes.

With each seat offering 28 inches of width and a pitch of 60 inches to be transformed into a lie-flat bed, business class is divided into a forward section with 23 passengers and an aft one with 67 seats in a one-two-one configuration.

A ground crew was in the process of preparing the aircraft for flight.

Image source: Veronika Bondarenko

Each area comes with an 18-inch HD touchscreen for the entertainment system, reading light with headrest, privacy slider, drink rest, and ample storage compartments for one's personal belongings and the console, headphones, and amenity kit provided by Singapore Airlines.

The purple-and-gold design also feels luxurious and easy on the eyes.

Over on the premium economy side, the 94 seats are spread across two aisles in a two-four-two configuration (with the exception of some last few rows of solo seats), while each seat comes with 19 inches of width and 38 inches of pitch to spread one's legs.

Each seat reclines eight inches, and the armrest on the passenger's right has a cup holder on which one can keep a drink without taking out the full dining tray.

The A350-900ULR's premium economy seats are 19 inches wide with a 38-inch seat pitch.

Image source: Veronika Bondarenko

Premium economy: a footrest and 39 inches of seat pitch

The footrest and additional legroom are more than what one would find on regular economy available on other Singapore Airlines flights. This certainly can come in useful during the many long hours that passengers spend aboard.

A purple-and-silver color frame is broken by the bright pop of orange of the provided pillow, along with a blanket for the premium economy amenities.

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Each armrest has two buttons for reclining the seat back and extending the footrest. A perk of the solo seats at the back of the plane that one can book for an additional $150 are both the added privacy and a cubby for one's personal items that can be kept closer at hand than the overhead compartment.

Putting out the amenities and checking each seat for any last-minute details, the cabin crew continued to prepare the plane for the 19-hour journey to Singapore.

Having glimpsed a world of both ultra-luxury and a less-expensive comfort option for a very long flight, I headed back to Manhattan by AirTrain.

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Make a free appointment with TheStreet’s Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel , or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.