Back in April this year we reported on the happy news that Qatar Airways had reinstated all-Qsuite operation in Business Class on its three daily flights to and from Singapore Changi Airport, after the carrier settled its spat with aircraft manufacturer Airbus over peeling paint on some of its A350s.
That resolution allowed the airline to progressively reintroduce a number of stored Airbus A350s into its operational fleet earlier this year, including 12 with the Qsuite fitted, while deliveries of five brand new A350s with the Qsuite have also helped increase the product’s deployment across the network.
In turn, that has meant the carrier has been able to reinstate the ‘Qsuite promise’ on Singapore flights, something we hadn’t seen since 2021.
Unfortunately it’s always a bit of a guessing game with Qatar Airways’ future flight schedules beyond the current operating season, but the carrier has now locked in planned aircraft types for the upcoming northern summer schedule between April and October 2024, and once again it’s good news for Changi.
Singapore retains 100% Qsuite operation
In its latest schedule update for the summer 2024 season, Qatar Airways is planning all-Airbus A350 operation on its Singapore – Doha flights, with Qsuite-equipped A350-900s deployed on the route three times daily.
This is effectively good for the period of 1st April 2024 to 26th October 2024, and as we already knew – the Qsuite is flying on all flights until the end of March 2024 too.
Singapore remains the only city in South East Asia on the Qatar Airways network that is exclusively served by aircraft with the Qsuite in Business Class next summer.
This covers over 600 flights in each direction on this route, which many of our readers book or redeem for trips extending to Europe or the USA through the airline’s Doha hub.
That means, subject to operational changes, you can be assured of the Qsuite on the Singapore – Doha – Singapore part of your journey for at least the next 10 months, which is great news if you have a booking or are eyeing a redemption seat.
If you’re already booked on a Qatar flight to or from Singapore for this period already – be sure to log on to your booking and check your seat assignment. You should now see the Qsuite seat map displayed, if you didn’t before.
Qatar is sticking to its ‘Qsuite promise’
As we reported in June this year, Qatar Airways had been making operational substitutions for Qsuite flights very infrequently during the first 10 weeks of ‘all-Qsuite’ operation on the Singapore route.
This comes about because Qatar Airways has a deliberate policy of using Qsuite-equipped A350-900s on its Singapore flights – no surprise when flying to and from the home base of a large competitor – Singapore Airlines – who continue to shun the privacy of closed-door suites as a Business Class option (for now!).
Qatar Airways prioritises its Qsuite product on the Singapore route, and it’s not hard to see why. (Photos: Qatar Airways / TPG)
We’ve expanded that earlier analysis of your Qsuite chances on the Singapore route through to the current date, and we’re happy to report it’s the same positive story to share.
On the Singapore – Doha – Singapore route, only 14 flights out of 774 departing Changi between 11th April and 24th December 2023, or around 1.8%, have operated with the older Collins Diamond seats.
That’s a 98% Qsuite success rate over the last 37 weeks.
It’s also despite the airline operating over 407 of the 774 flights we analysed with the Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which technically should have a Qsuite ‘strike rate’ of only 29%.
The 14 flights with the airline’s older Business Class product during this period were likely unavoidable operational changes, which can happen to any airline, necessitating an aircraft swap usually to retain schedule integrity.
Here’s how actual day-by-day deployment of Business Class seat types on Qatar’s Singapore – Doha route has looked during this 258-day period (click to expand).
With only 50% of Qatar Airways’ Singapore flights featuring the Qsuite back in March 2023, before the carrier was loading all-Qsuite operation on the route, this is fantastic news since it shows the airline is most certainly sticking to its ‘promise’, except for some very occasional unlucky operational swaps.
The schedule
Qatar Airways operates three flights per day from Singapore to Doha, all of which now have the Qsuite through to the end of the northern summer 2024 season, with a mixture of Airbus A350-900 and A350-1000 aircraft used.
Here’s how it looks for the current winter 2023/24 period.
Singapore – Doha
Now – 30th March 2024
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
QR945 A350  |
||||||||
| SIN 02:00 |
DOH 05:00 |
||||||||
|
QR943 A350 |
||||||||
| SIN 10:55 |
DOH 14:00 |
||||||||
|
QR947 A350 |
||||||||
| SIN 20:20 |
DOH 23:25 |
||||||||
Doha – Singapore
Now – 30th March 2024
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
QR948 A350 |
||||||||
| DOH 02:05 |
SIN 14:55 |
||||||||
|
QR944 A350 |
||||||||
| DOH 08:50 |
SIN 21:40 |
||||||||
|
QR942 A350 |
||||||||
| DOH 20:25 |
SIN 09:15* |
||||||||
* Next day
For the upcoming summer 2024 season, some timing adjustments happen, but fundamentally it’s the same trio of flights operating on this route in both directions, all with the Qsuite in Business Class.
Singapore – Doha
31st March – 26th October 2024
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
QR945 A350 |
||||||||
| SIN 02:10 |
DOH 05:20 |
||||||||
|
QR943 A350 |
||||||||
| SIN 10:45 |
DOH 13:30 |
||||||||
|
QR947 A350 |
||||||||
| SIN 19:35 |
DOH 22:45 |
||||||||
Doha – Singapore
31st March – 26th October 2024
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
QR948 A350 |
||||||||
| DOH 02:00 |
SIN 15:05 |
||||||||
|
QR944 A350 |
||||||||
| DOH 08:20 |
SIN 21:25 |
||||||||
|
QR942 A350 |
||||||||
| DOH 20:00 |
SIN 09:05* |
||||||||
* Next day
Which Qatar Airways aircraft have the Qsuite?
Currently only newer Qatar Airways Airbus A350-900s, all Airbus A350-1000s and selected Boeing 777s have the product installed. The only aircraft you’re guaranteed to get the Qsuite on is the A350-1000.
- A350-900: 29% (10/34)
- A350-1000: 100% (24/24)
- 777-200LR: 78% (7/9)
- 777-300ER: 70% (38/57)
Wide body aircraft without Qsuite:
- A330 (0/12)
- A380 (0/10)
- 787 (0/41)
In total 79 of Qatar Airways’ total wide body fleet are now fitted with Qsuite in Business Class. That’s still only 42% of the carrier’s 187 wide-body passenger aircraft, though if you exclude the A330, A380 and 787, since the current Qsuite design doesn’t fit on these narrower aircraft, it’s a more respectable 64% completion rate.
What’s the Qsuite like?
We flew the Qsuite on the A350-1000 from Frankfurt to Doha back in September 2018, just after it launched. It wasn’t perfect – the food and service were a bit of a let-down, and the seat itself is smaller than it looks (certainly no First Class competitor in size terms).
Nonetheless, the design and finish of the product, the excellent privacy and the ‘proper’ double bed or quad / group style middle seating options simply make this a fantastic hard product.
If you haven’t tried it – you should!
We have enjoyed several Qsuite trips since our review, and we’re happy to have some more locked in for this coming northern winter season.
What about operational swaps?
Unfortunately despite now scheduling all-Qsuite operation on the Singapore route, and sticking to this 98% of the time, there is always that 2% possibility of a last minute operational change to a non-Qsuite equipped aircraft on your flight.
That would almost certainly be in the form of the older Collins Super Diamond product fitted to the non-Qsuite Airbus A350-900s, but it’s probably unfair to talk about these seats in a derogatory way.
This is still a solid Business Class seat, indeed recently selected by British Airways for a long overdue renewal of its Club World cabin (albeit with a privacy door in that case).
We reviewed the product in September 2019 on an A350-900 flight from Athens to Doha.
While it’s no Qsuite in terms of privacy, the 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration in this cabin is still sufficiently private, especially if you can secure a window seat when flying solo.
For couples the middle pairs certainly don’t have the allure of the rear-facing E/F seats on the Qsuite (which convert into a double bed), but are still a good option.
Of course that doesn’t change the fact that if you booked or redeemed purely to try the Qsuite, this alternative simply won’t cut it for you – so keep your fingers crossed for no operational substitution on your flight!
Some Qsuite redemptions now cost more
As we reported earlier this month, Qatar Airways has rolled out Peak and Off-Peak award pricing for its award flights redeemed using Avios points.
That means that for around a third of the year, you’ll pay 20% more Avios to redeem an award seat, which hikes the Singapore – Europe award rates from 70,000 or 75,000 Avios on off-peak dates to 84,000 or 90,000 Avios on peak dates.
Broadly speaking, Qatar’s peak dates over the next 12 months appear to be:
- 9th December 2023 – 14th January 2024
(36 days) - 28th March 2024 – 15th April 2024
(18 days) - 13th June 2024 – 25th August 2024
(73 days)
Qatar Airways does not pass fuel surcharges on to its own Privilege Club members (or BA Avios members) redeeming Qatar Airways, though unfortunately award surcharges have recently been re-introduced.
Here are some example redemption options using the programme, showing miles rates and taxes payable for redeeming on Qatar Airways flights one-way from Singapore using Avios, against some other programmes (careful of those fuel surcharges!).
| Example Qatar Business Class redemption rates from Singapore |
||||
| FFP | Doha | London | Athens | New York |
 |
Off-Peak 50k +S$161 |
Off-Peak 75k +S$301 |
Off-Peak 70k +S$301 |
Off-Peak 95k +S$353 |
| Peak 62.5k +S$161 |
Peak 90k +S$301 |
Peak 84k +S$301 |
Peak 114k +S$353 |
|
 |
63k +S$471 |
89k +S$782 |
89k +S$782 |
115k +S$917 |
 |
75k +S$471 |
119.2k +S$782 |
90k +S$782 |
159k +S$917 |
 |
82k +S$471 |
131k +S$782 |
131k +S$782 |
165k +S$917 |
Nonetheless, the Avios programme is still among the cheapest redemption options from Singapore to Europe in Business Class, with the excellent Qsuite now offered on all Singapore flights (and many flights beyond Doha too).
What about 27th October 2024 onwards?
Like with this seasonal schedule update, Qatar Airways won’t confirm its aircraft type allocation for the northern winter 2024 season until a few months beforehand, so it’s too early to say what the plan is for the Singapore route from 27th October 2024 onwards at this stage.
That said, the airline is already showing the Qsuite on all three daily services from 27th October 2024 onwards, to the end of the published schedule.
This is using a mixture of Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, all with Qsuite cabins at the time of writing.
Once again, we strongly suspect the Qsuite will remain on all three flights on this route during the winter 2024/25 season, as it did since April this year and before COVID-19.
How to check your flight has Qsuite
To be sure that your Qatar Airways flight has the Qsuite, and to monitor this until your departure date, see our guide below (click to expand).
How to check your flight has Qsuite
If you're flying on a Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1000, you're guaranteed the Qsuite in Business Class - these planes don't have anything else.
If you're flying on a Qatar Airways Airbus A350-900 to or from Singapore, or your flight is substituted for a Boeing 777-200LR or 777-300ER aircraft, the airline prioritises those with the Qsuite for this route, but because not all of those models have it there is then a chance for a non-Qsuite substitution.
Before you book or redeem, check the seat map at ExpertFlyer. A free account is sufficient. If your flight has the Qsuite it will look like this, with seats shown staggered from one another at alternate rows:
The Qatar Airways website also labels flights planned with Qsuite aircraft in its flight search results listing (when searching cash fares, but not when searching awards sadly).
If the flight is operated by an A350-900 with the older Super Diamond seats it will look like this:
If you're flying on the Boeing 777, occasionally used on the Singapore route, again it's pretty obvious using ExpertFlyer whether your flight has Qsuite (left) or the older 2-2-2 layout (right):
Note that there are also some different Boeing 777 layouts thanks to ex-Cathay Pacific and ex-Virgin Australia aircraft now operated by Qatar Airways, but none of them look like the one on the left above when searching the seat map, because they don't have the Qsuite either.
Once you have a booking, you can select your seat on the Qatar Airways website using your PNR (booking reference), even if you book through another airline (e.g. BA using Avios or Cathay using Asia Miles).
The seat map then makes it obvious if you have the Qsuite (rows have a 'staggered' arrangement, some of the seats face backwards, plus it actually calls them 'Qsuite'):
You can keep checking the seat map this way once you have a booking to make sure your flight still has a Qsuite configuration.
If you know which aircraft registration will be operating your flight, you can also cross-reference whether it has the Qsuite based on the latest list of aircraft registrations which have the Qsuite installed below (click to expand).
This can be useful if you are flying from Singapore to Doha and the aircraft operating your flight has already departed from Doha on its previous flight. In this case:
- QR942 at 8.25pm the previous day operates QR943 SIN-DOH
- QR944 at 8.50am the previous day operates QR945 SIN-DOH
- QR948 at 2.05am the same day operates QR947 SIN-DOH
The Qatar Singapore Premium Lounge
The Qsuite experience on Singapore – Doha flights is perfectly complemented by what is undeniably the best Business Class lounge at Changi Airport – Qatar Airways’ own Singapore Premium Lounge.
Earlier this year, the airline reintroduced its morning opening window at this fantastic facility, so it now covers all three daily departures.
That means if you’re jetting off in Business Class on QR943, or a suitably timed Oneworld flight, it is worth getting to the airport early once again to enjoy this facility, which for several months was only available to QR945 and QR947 passengers.
Here are the latest opening hours for the Qatar Singapore Premium Lounge.
| Qatar Airways Singapore Premium Lounge Opening Hours  |
||
| Morning | Evening | |
| 07:45 – 10:45 (Daily) |
18:00 – 02:30 (Daily) |
|
Lounge opening is extended in the event of QR943 (morning) or QR945 (evening) departure delay.
Aside from Qatar Airways’ own passengers, the morning opening does provide some extra options for those in premium cabins on Oneworld flights too, useful for certain departure timings with Malaysia Airlines in particular.
Do note that status alone is not enough to get you past the door here – you must be departing in Business Class or First Class on a Oneworld flight to be eligible for access.
The Qantas Singapore Business Lounge also recently introduced a morning opening window on selected days of the week, potentially useful for those travelling in Economy Class on Qatar with lounge-worth status, rather than the SATS facility the airline otherwise directs you to.
Summary
All three daily Qatar Airways flights between Singapore and Doha have been benefitting from aircraft fitted with the popular Qsuite Business Class seats since mid-April this year, a situation that’s now planned until at least the end of October 2024 – effectively a permanent arrangement.
This follows a rapid return to service for over a dozen of the carrier’s A350s, following a spat with Airbus over peeling paint, plus new aircraft deliveries fitted with the Qsuite.
Unfortunately, Qsuite is never guaranteed due to the possibility of operational equipment swaps right up to day of departure. The only aircraft that definitely has it is the A350-1000, so if that’s the type operating your flight and it’s still showing the same the day before or on the day itself, you’re almost 100% safe.
Nonetheless, the Qsuite ‘strike rate’ on the Singapore route remains 98% at the time of writing, so barring an operational disruption – you should be safe.
Qsuite passengers departing from Singapore also have the airline’s fantastic Premium Lounge to look forward to, now open for all three daily departures.
Happy Qsuite-ing to and from Singapore!
(Cover Photo: Qatar Airways)
After all the hype about Qsuites, I unfortunately found them to be rather underwhelming when I finally got to try them. Service is mediocre, the food wasn’t great and the seats were showing some serious signs of aging. The only good thing about flying with Qsuites is the lounge at Doha, otherwise it is overrated.
I took Qsuites a few times but never felt the need to close the door. Anyone walking past can see look over if they want to. Also, the seat feels narrower than other airlines.