In our recent Singapore Airlines fleet update, we brought good news for many of our readers, with confirmation that the first of the carrier’s remaining ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800 aircraft has now left service for return to its lessor.

That brings the operating 737-800 fleet down to six aircraft, and with two further removals planned for later this year it means less chance of encountering the type’s unpopular recliner Business Class seats, or IFE-lacking Economy Class, on your next flight.

Nonetheless there are still five Singapore Airlines routes planned for this aircraft type over the coming northern winter 2024/25 season, and with schedules now confirmed through to March 2025 it’s time for our regular update on where you’ll find these jets flying on the network over the next six months.

Where is the SIA 737-800 flying?

For the rest of this summer schedule and for the upcoming IATA northern winter 2024/25 season, which runs from 27th October 2024 to 29th March 2025, Singapore Airlines is deploying its Boeing 737-800s on five routes:

• Kathmandu
• Kuala Lumpur
• Penang
• Phuket
• Siem Reap

Kathmandu is obviously the standout here – and not in a good way.

Clocking in at up to 5 hours 10 minutes of flight time, it is by far the longest stretch for this aircraft type, which is the only one in the airline’s fleet without seat-back in-flight entertainment screens or Wi-Fi connectivity.

The good news is there’s often a non-737-800 alternative on these routes, which is another reason we’re writing this article – choose wisely and you can sometimes avoid the type altogether.

Schedules

Overall, SIA’s Boeing 737-800 flights will drop from their current level of 85 weekly departures from Changi to 56 weekly departures by late March 2025, a 34% reduction, as the fleet is gradually wound down.

Here’s how the schedules on these routes look for the remainder of the current summer season, and for the upcoming winter season, with the Boeing 737-800 services highlighted.

Now – 26th October 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ442 737-800
SIN 18:55		KTM 22:10
	SQ441 737-800
KTM 23:10		SIN 06:30*

* Next day

27th October 2024 – 1st December 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ442 737-800
SIN 17:15		KTM 20:10
	SQ441 737-800
KTM 21:10		SIN 04:25*

* Next day

2nd December 2024 – 29th March 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ442 737-800
SIN 17:15		KTM 20:10
	SQ441 737-800
KTM 21:10		SIN 04:25*

* Next day

Kathmandu
737-800 alternatives

SIA’s SQ442/441 Kathmandu flights on Mondays and Thursdays between now and the end of November 2024 use Boeing 787-10 aircraft.

However, from December 2024 onwards all seven weekly flights use the 737-800, as shown above, so there will then be no avoiding the type on this route.

SIA has repeatedly planned to switch Kathmandu flights to the Boeing 737-8 MAX over the years, but never ended up delivering on the promise. For now the carrier seems to have given up on this plan, with 737-800s provisionally scheduled on the route right through to the end of the published schedule, in September 2025.

Singapore Airlines is currently operating 54 flights each week on the short hop to and from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, with 28 of those (52%) operated by the Boeing 737-800, as shown below.

Now – 26th October 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ108 737-800
SIN 09:10		KUL 10:10
	SQ114 737-800
SIN 12:45		KUL 13:45
	SQ116 737-800
SIN 14:50		KUL 15:50
	SQ128 737-800
SIN 20:00		KUL 20:55
	SQ107 737-800
KUL 11:00		SIN 12:15
	SQ113 737-800
KUL 14:30		SIN 15:50
	SQ115 737-800
KUL 16:35		SIN 18:00
	SQ127 737-800
KUL 21:45		SIN 22:55

During the northern winter 2024/25 season from 27th October 2024, Boeing 737-800 operation on the KL route halves to 14 per week (two flights per day in each direction), which represents only 26% of overall 54 times weekly operation, as shown below.

27th October 2024 – 31st December 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ108 737-800
SIN 09:15		KUL 10:20
	SQ114 737-800
SIN 12:45		KUL 13:45
	SQ107 737-800
KUL 11:05		SIN 12:15
	SQ113 737-800
KUL 14:30		SIN 15:55

During most of January 2025, Boeing 737-800 operation on this route drops to only eight times per week.

1st January 2025 – 27th January 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ108 737-800
SIN 09:15		KUL 10:20
	SQ114 737-800
SIN 12:45		KUL 13:45
	SQ107 737-800
KUL 11:05		SIN 12:15
	SQ113 737-800
KUL 14:30		SIN 15:55

14 times weekly Boeing 737-800 flights to and from KL are then reinstated for the rest of the winter season through to late March 2025.

28th January 2025 – 29th March 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ108 737-800
SIN 09:15		KUL 10:20
	SQ114 737-800
SIN 12:45		KUL 13:45
	SQ107 737-800
KUL 11:05		SIN 12:15
	SQ113 737-800
KUL 14:30		SIN 15:55

Kuala Lumpur
737-800 alternatives

Singapore Airlines is operating the following aircraft types on its Kuala Lumpur services not listed above during the northern winter 2024/25 season:

• SQ104/103: Boeing 737-8 MAX
• SQ106/105: Airbus A350 Medium Haul
• SQ108/107: Boeing 737-8 MAX
  (Mon, Wed, Fri in January 2025 only)
• SQ116/115: Boeing 737-8 MAX
• SQ122/121: Airbus A350 Medium Haul
• SQ126/125: Airbus A350 Long Haul
• SQ128/127: Boeing 737-8 MAX

All four daily Singapore Airlines flights between Changi and Penang between now and late October 2024 are operated by the Boeing 737-800, as shown below.

Now – 26th October 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ132 737-800
SIN 08:00		PEN 09:25
	SQ134 737-800
SIN 09:45		PEN 11:10
	SQ136 737-800
SIN 13:00		PEN 14:25
	SQ142 737-800
SIN 19:00		PEN 20:25
	SQ131 737-800
PEN 10:15		SIN 11:40
	SQ133 737-800
PEN 12:00		SIN 13:40
	SQ135 737-800
PEN 15:15		SIN 16:55
	SQ141 737-800
PEN 21:15		SIN 22:40

Penang service then increases to five times daily for the winter season from late October 2024, however Boeing 737-800 operation is only applicable on three of those flights, as shown below.

27th October 2024 – 21st December 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ132 737-800
SIN 07:50		PEN 09:20
	SQ136 737-800
SIN 13:15		PEN 14:40
	SQ142 737-800
SIN 19:00		PEN 20:25
	SQ131 737-800
PEN 10:10		SIN 11:35
	SQ135 737-800
PEN 15:30		SIN 17:15
	SQ141 737-800
PEN 21:15		SIN 22:40

737-800 operation on the Singapore – Penang route then becomes a bit of a mishmash over the late December 2024 to late January 2025 period, as outlined below.

22nd December 2024 – 31st December 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ132 737-800
SIN 07:50		PEN 09:20
	SQ134 737-800
SIN 09:50		PEN 11:20
	SQ136 737-800
SIN 13:15		PEN 14:40
	SQ142 737-800
SIN 19:00		PEN 20:25
	SQ131 737-800
PEN 10:10		SIN 11:35
	SQ133 737-800
PEN 12:10		SIN 13:40
	SQ135 737-800
PEN 15:30		SIN 17:15
	SQ141 737-800
PEN 21:15		SIN 22:40

1st January 2025 – 18th January 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ132 737-800
SIN 07:50		PEN 09:20
	SQ134 737-800
SIN 09:50		PEN 11:20
	SQ136 737-800
SIN 13:15		PEN 14:40
	SQ131 737-800
PEN 10:10		SIN 11:35
	SQ133 737-800
PEN 12:10		SIN 13:40
	SQ135 737-800
PEN 15:30		SIN 17:15

19th January 2025 – 28th January 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ132 737-800
SIN 07:50		PEN 09:20
	SQ136 737-800
SIN 13:15		PEN 14:40
	SQ131 737-800
PEN 10:10		SIN 11:35
	SQ135 737-800
PEN 15:30		SIN 17:15

Finally in February and March next year, consistent twice daily operation is planned using the 737-800 to and from Penang.

29th January 2025 – 29th March 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ132 737-800
SIN 07:50		PEN 09:20
	SQ136 737-800
SIN 13:15		PEN 14:40
	SQ131 737-800
PEN 10:10		SIN 11:35
	SQ135 737-800
PEN 15:30		SIN 17:15

Penang
737-800 alternatives

Singapore Airlines is operating between 28 and 35 weekly flights on its Penang route this winter, and on services where the Boeing 737-800 is not used the Boeing 737-8 MAX takes its place instead. This includes:

• All SQ138/137 flights
• Flight numbers shown in the tables above on days / dates where the 737-800 is not scheduled

Singapore Airlines currently operates five daily flights in each direction between Changi and Phuket, three of which (60%) are operated by the Boeing 737-800, as shown below.

Now – 26th October 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ728 737-800
SIN 10:00		HKT 10:50
	SQ732 737-800
SIN 13:15		HKT 14:10
	SQ736 737-800
SIN 16:20		HKT 17:10
	SQ727 737-800
HKT 11:40		SIN 14:55
	SQ731 737-800
HKT 15:05		SIN 18:10
	SQ735 737-800
HKT 18:00		SIN 21:05

Overall operation on this route is hiked to six times daily during the northern winter season between late October 2024 and late March 2025, and initially the Boeing 737-800 is programmed to operate four of these flights (67%), as shown below.

27th October 2024 – 31st December 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ724 737-800
SIN 06:55		HKT 07:50
	SQ732 737-800
SIN 13:00		HKT 14:05
	SQ736 737-800
SIN 16:15		HKT 17:10
	SQ740 737-800
SIN 18:30		HKT 19:20
	SQ723 737-800
HKT 08:40		SIN 11:35
	SQ731 737-800
HKT 14:55		SIN 18:00
	SQ735 737-800
HKT 18:00		SIN 21:00
	SQ739 737-800
HKT 20:10		SIN 23:10

As with the Penang route, schedules become a bit haphazard during January 2025, with the 737-800 operating as shown below.

1st January 2025 – 16th January 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ724 737-800
SIN 06:55		HKT 07:50
	SQ726 737-800
SIN 08:20		HKT 09:15
	SQ736 737-800
SIN 16:15		HKT 17:10
	SQ740 737-800
SIN 18:30		HKT 19:20
	SQ723 737-800
HKT 08:40		SIN 11:35
	SQ725 737-800
HKT 10:05		SIN 13:05
	SQ735 737-800
HKT 18:00		SIN 21:00
	SQ739 737-800
HKT 20:10		SIN 23:10

17th January 2025 – 28th January 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ726 737-800
SIN 08:20		HKT 09:15
	SQ736 737-800
SIN 16:15		HKT 17:10
	SQ740 737-800
SIN 18:30		HKT 19:20
	SQ725 737-800
HKT 10:05		SIN 13:05
	SQ735 737-800
HKT 18:00		SIN 21:00
	SQ739 737-800
HKT 20:10		SIN 23:10

Finally for the last two months of the season, twice daily Boeing 737-800 service is planned to and from Phuket.

29th January 2025 – 29th March 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ736 737-800
SIN 16:15		HKT 17:10
	SQ740 737-800
SIN 18:30		HKT 19:20
	SQ735 737-800
HKT 18:00		SIN 21:00
	SQ739 737-800
HKT 20:10		SIN 23:10

Phuket
737-800 alternatives

Singapore Airlines is operating between 39 and 42 weekly flights on its Phuket route this winter, and on services where the Boeing 737-800 is not used the Boeing 737-8 MAX takes its place instead. This includes:

• All SQ728/727 flights
• All SQ732/731 flights
• Flight numbers shown in the tables above on days / dates where the 737-800 is not used

Singapore Airlines is currently operating a daily flight to and from Siem Reap, using Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft, but frequencies will be doubled to twice daily for the northern winter season from late October 2024 to late March 2025.

That’s when Boeing 737-800 operation comes into play on many of these services, as outlined below.

27th October 2024 – 31st December 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ164 737-800
SIN 08:40		SAI 09:45
	SQ163 737-800
SAI 10:40		SIN 14:15

1st January 2025 – 27th January 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ164 737-800
SIN 08:40		SAI 09:45
	SQ166 737-800
SIN 14:30		SAI 15:45
	SQ163 737-800
SAI 10:40		SIN 14:15
	SQ165 737-800
SAI 16:40		SIN 20:05

28th January 2025 – 29th March 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ164 737-800
SIN 08:40		SAI 09:45
	SQ163 737-800
SAI 10:40		SIN 14:15

Siem Reap
737-800 alternatives

Daily SQ166/165 flights on the Siem Reap route use the Boeing 737-8 MAX this upcoming winter season, with the exception of the 1st – 27th January 2025 period, where the type only operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (i.e. on days the 737-800 does not temporarily take over).

Don’t forget we have a continually updated guide to Singapore Airlines Business Class seats by route and individual flight number for the entire passenger network, so do bookmark that one for future reference.

What about summer 2025?

Looking ahead to the summer 2025 season, Singapore Airlines is currently only planning to deploy its Boeing 737-800s on three routes, based on provisional schedules:

• Kathmandu: 1 x daily
• Kuala Lumpur: 1 x daily
• Penang: 3 x daily

We’ll have a clearer picture of firm schedules for next summer by early 2025, so stay tuned for the latest updates.

The 737-800 fleet is finally dwindling

Singapore Airlines never intended to operate Boeing 737-800s – in fact these ex-SilkAir aircraft were originally destined for low-cost subsidiary Scoot.

Instead, SIA’s intention was to only take the regional subsidiary’s Boeing 737-8 MAX jets, and refit them with brand new flat-bed Business Class seats along with tip-to-tail in-flight entertainment systems and Wi-Fi connectivity.

That would have ensured a more seamless cabin standard, and indeed the carrier promised fleet-wide flat-beds in Business Class, whichever type you stepped on board, from early 2020 (hey, what’s four years between friends?).

The plan was sadly derailed, when two fatal crashes of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in late 2018 and early 2019 caused a global grounding of the aircraft type SIA had pinned its hopes to, as the carrier’s future full-service narrow-body model.

The result? SIA was forced to draft these older Boeing 737-800s into its full-service division, to bridge the gap before more MAXs could eventually join the fleet.

Unfortunately these aircraft received little more than a reskinned version of their former cabin products, which sadly didn’t hide their seemingly primitive origins, when compared to the rest of the SIA fleet.

The good news is that the 737-800 aircraft aren’t owned by Singapore Airlines, but instead are on operating leases, which come to an end by January 2026.

That means less than a year from now we’ll be saying farewell to the last remaining Boeing 737-800, in preparation for return to its lessor.

The current Singapore Airlines fleet of seven Boeing 737-800 aircraft is as shown in the table below.

Singapore Airlines Boeing 737-800 Fleet
Reg.	Age (Oct 2024)	Owner	Lease Expiry
9V-MGC	10.5 yrs	Standard Chartered	2024
	Final SIA pax flight 22 Sep 2024 De-lease in progress
9V-MGD	10.4 yrs	Standard Chartered	2024
9V-MGE	10.2 yrs	SDH Wings	2024
9V-MGK	9.4 yrs	Merced Capital	2025
9V-MGL	9.2 yrs	Merced Capital	2025
9V-MGM	9.1 yrs	Merced Capital	2025
9V-MGN	9.1 yrs	Merced Capital	2026

The oldest three of these aircraft are already over 10 years of age, and the first (9V-MGC) is currently in the process of being returned to its lessor, having already operated its last passenger flight for SIA.

Two further aircraft, 9V-MGD and -MGE, will leave by the end of 2024, shrinking the carrier’s fleet to only four 737-800 aircraft.

Eventually the last Boeing 737-800 is due to leave the operating fleet in late 2025, for return to lessor in January 2026.

737-800 Business Class review

We jumped on board one of the ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800s in late 2022, to try out the recliner Business Class seats, which provide a pretty mediocre hard product experience, as highlighted by our full review.

Although service was good and we were well fed and watered, it’s safe to say this is a waste of miles with clunky manual seat controls, no privacy, no Wi-Fi connectivity and in-flight entertainment via an iPad that didn’t work on either sector of our journey!

The very minor refresh Singapore Airlines made to this cabin on the 737-800s is apparent in the ‘before and after’ shot below – we actually prefer the warmer tones used in the SilkAir fit, compared to the ‘Premium Economy grey’ SIA has opted for.

As you can see, apart from new upholstery and cushions there’s no major change to the hard product, with little privacy and no flat-bed function, both features of the airline’s other Business Class products including those fitted to the newer Boeing 737-8 MAX.

How to tell if your flight is on the 737-800

Aside from the schedule tables above, Singapore Airlines identifies the Boeing 737-800 in its booking engine when you search for a flight or award redemption, either through the website or mobile app, labelling them the “Boeing 737-800 NG”.

Simply click ‘More details’ for the flight(s) displayed in the search results to reveal the aircraft type.

Note that a different identification is given for the newer Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft, which are labelled “Boeing 737-8 MAX” by SIA.

If you’re using a search tool like ExpertFlyer, you can identify the Boeing 737-800 in the search results by its IATA aircraft type designator “738”. Note how the Boeing 737-8 MAX uses “7M8”.

If you’re checking for the Boeing 737-800 on a flight tracking site like FlightRadar24, you may see it referred to by its ICAO aircraft type designator “B738”.

Most third-party booking sites like Kayak will also clearly show if your flight is operated by the 737-800.

Don’t confuse the 737-800 with the 737 MAX

While Singapore Airlines decided against any further cabin upgrades on its fleet of Boeing 737-800s inherited from SilkAir, it’s a different story for the carrier’s Boeing 737-8 MAX fleet.

Last year, SIA trimmed its total order for the type by 20%, but it will still operate a large fleet of 29 MAXs once all of its aircraft have been delivered.

All of the MAXs have new narrow-body cabin products, including flat-bed seats in Business Class and seat-back in-flight entertainment screens in Economy Class. Here are our dedicated articles covering the new cabins, to help you know what to expect on board.

Targeting or avoiding the 737 MAX instead?

Don’t forget we have a separate guide to SIA’s Boeing 737-8 MAX routes between now and late March 2025, which you can access here.

That’s particularly useful if you’re still trying to experience the MAX’s new cabin products, or if you’re avoiding that type altogether!

Singapore Airlines now has six Boeing 737-800s in its operating fleet, though that total will reduce to four over the coming months, and eventually to zero by the end of 2025.

It means there are progressively fewer and fewer flights operated by this aircraft type – good news for those wishing to avoid its older cabin products.

That’s especially true in Business Class, where three rows of recliner seats in a 2-2 configuration still adorn the forward cabin section – a far cry from the flat beds promised to be fleet-wide by 2020 – over four years ago.

In the meantime, SIA is flying its Boeing 737-800 aircraft on five routes this upcoming winter season, as we’ve outlined above, with the jets continuing to stretch their legs as far as five-hour Kathmandu flights.

The good news is that on some of these routes, SIA offers alternative non-737-800 flights for you to choose from too.

Thankfully by the end of 2025, we won’t need to worry about these planes at all, with full flat-bed Business Class seats on all SIA jets finally a reality, no matter how short your flight, as the final 737-800 bows out from the fleet.

(Cover Photo: Dillon Chong)