We were originally booked in Business Class for our flight home from Tokyo Narita to Los Angeles. Vincent spotted an opportunity to upgrade to First Class for practically no extra cost using award booking, and we took it.
This was our second time flying Singapore Airlines First Class, and the experience was just as good as the first. Here is the full review: the seat, the amenities, the service, and what it is like to land at LAX in First Class.
Singapore Airlines First Class on a long-haul transpacific route is genuinely a different category of travel. We are not just talking about a bigger seat and better food. The entire experience, from the pre-departure champagne to the arrival escort at LAX, feels thoughtfully constructed in a way that most premium products do not quite match.
(If you are curious how Vincent books these tickets, check the link to his channel in the video.)
How We Booked
The upgrade from Business to First happened because Vincent was watching award availability and caught an opening. This is the kind of thing that requires staying alert to last-minute availability on premium cabins, which is a real skill. The incremental cost in points was minimal compared to what this cabin retails for in cash. If you are interested in the mechanics of how that works, his channel has the full breakdown.
The lesson: when you are already booked in Business Class on a great airline, it is always worth checking whether a First Class upgrade is sitting out there. Sometimes it is.
Pre-Flight: ANA Suite Lounge
Because we were flying First Class on a Star Alliance partner, we had access to the ANA Suite Lounge at Narita before our 6:34 PM departure. Light dinner, hot shower, calm atmosphere. We have a separate dedicated video on that lounge if you want the full breakdown.
The ANA Suite Lounge at Narita is genuinely excellent. It is quieter than most international lounges, the food is well-prepared, and the shower facilities are spacious. Starting a long overnight flight already clean and fed makes the first few hours on the plane significantly more enjoyable.
The First Class Cabin
The First Class cabin on this route has four seats total. Vincent was in seat 1D (middle), I was in 1F (window).
Four seats. The privacy you get from that configuration is hard to overstate. Even in the middle section, the suite walls give you a completely enclosed feeling. For a 10-plus hour overnight flight, having that level of separation from the rest of the aircraft is exactly what you want.
Space: The seat is exceptionally wide. It looks similar to ANA's "The Room" Business Class in width, but the legroom here is noticeably deeper. You can stretch out fully without your feet hitting anything, which sounds obvious for a First Class seat but is not always delivered.
Storage and tech: Good storage for slippers and personal items. Intuitive lighting controls, international outlets, USB ports, and an HDMI port. The entertainment screen is large and the resolution is sharp. On a long flight, having a good screen that does not lag makes a difference when you are trying to stay entertained between meal services.
The bed: The flight attendants make the bed for you, which is best to request when you step away to change into pajamas. The bed pad here is noticeably thicker than what you find on standard lie-flat seats. It makes a real difference for a long overnight flight. We have slept on a lot of lie-flat products at this point, and this one stands out. The combination of the thick pad and the suite enclosure means you genuinely sleep rather than just resting with your eyes closed.
Amenities: Lalique Kits and Pajamas
Pajamas: We received a new set this time. Last year's version was green and tighter-fitting. This year's is softer, thinner, and a better fit overall. I prefer these ones. They are the kind of pajamas you take home and actually wear again, not the stiff novelty sets that feel like wearing a billboard.
Amenity kits (Lalique): Separate kits for men and women, both beautifully packaged.
- Women's kit: A pink bag with a full-sized Lalique perfume, lip balm, hand cream, facial mist, and body lotion. The scent is pleasant and not overly floral. The perfume alone makes the kit worth keeping.
- Men's kit: A black toiletry bag with soap, a room spray (we still use the one from our first flight), body lotion, and lip balm.
The Lalique partnership elevates the amenity kit from a functional item to something that actually feels like a gift. On previous long-haul flights we have received kits with brands we had never heard of and products we used once and forgot. These are genuinely good.
The Food
We have a dedicated dining review video covering all the meals in detail: Singapore Airlines First Class Dining: Narita to the US.
The quick version: we started with the famous Singapore Chicken Satay, then had scallops with caviar, lobster, and sukiyaki across two meal services. Everything was exceptional, especially the sukiyaki. The food on this direction of the route, flying from Japan toward the US, is noticeably better than what we experienced on the outbound leg. More Japanese-influenced dishes, better sourcing, more care in the plating. If you have flexibility on which direction you fly Singapore Airlines First Class, start your journey in Asia.
The Honeymoon Surprise
The cabin crew surprised us mid-flight with a large cake served with dry ice, plus two matching Singapore Airlines plush bears. We had noted the honeymoon in our booking. This was completely unexpected and a genuinely memorable moment.
The dry ice presentation is theatrical in the best way. The cake arrived on a tray with the mist rolling off it, the bears sitting on either side, and a message from the crew. I may have been slightly more emotional about it than I expected. When you book a special trip and the airline actually acknowledges it in a meaningful way, it sticks with you.
The bears are still on the shelf at home.
LAX Arrival
When we landed at Los Angeles, there was a staff member waiting at baggage claim to escort us and assist with luggage. That level of arrival service is rare in the US and not something we expected.
LAX is not an airport known for seamless experiences. The arrival process is usually a long walk, a longer immigration queue, baggage belt chaos, and then figuring out ground transportation in the mess outside. Having someone meet us and help navigate all of that was genuinely useful, not just symbolic. It smoothed out the landing in a way that kept the First Class experience going right up until we got into a car.
Final Thoughts
The seat, the service, and the amenities were all outstanding. One observation worth noting: the food and overall experience felt slightly better flying from Asia to the US compared to our previous First Class experience departing from the US. If you are booking Singapore Airlines First Class and have flexibility on departure direction, we recommend starting the journey in Asia.
Singapore Airlines First Class is the real deal. It is not just a bigger Business Class seat with fancier branding. The privacy, the bed quality, the crew attentiveness, the Lalique kits, the surprise moments like the honeymoon cake: it adds up to something that feels genuinely different from anything below it. For a long transpacific overnight, it is the best way to travel.
Tips for Singapore Airlines First Class
- Note special occasions in your booking. Honeymoons, birthdays, anniversaries: the crew will acknowledge them in meaningful ways if they know.
- Request the bed early. Step away to change into your pajamas and ask the crew to make the bed while you are up.
- Use the ANA Suite Lounge at Narita before your departure. Worth arriving early for.
- Book the Cook for your meals. Pre-selecting your dishes online before the flight gives you access to the best options.
- Flying from Asia to the US delivers a noticeably better dining experience than the reverse direction. Plan accordingly if you have flexibility.
