Singapore Airlines brings First Class to London Gatwick in 2027

Singapore Airlines has loaded a significant upgrade for its London Gatwick route into the schedules, with the four-class Boeing 777-300ER set to replace the three-class Airbus A350 Long Haul on one of its two daily services, SQ312/309, from 1st October 2027.

That brings SIA First Class to Gatwick for the first time since the carrier launched flights to London’s second airport in June 2024, and also adds more Business Class and Premium Economy seats on the route.

The first of these flights went on sale at 8am this morning, in line with the airline’s 355-day booking window, so you can already lock in a First Class seat on the new service.

The schedule

Singapore Airlines currently operates up to two daily flights to and from London Gatwick, both using the Airbus A350 Long Haul:

• SQ312/309 (A350 Long Haul)
• SQ314/313 (A350 Long Haul)

SQ312/309 is the original Gatwick service, which launched five times weekly in June 2024 and went daily from the following winter.

SQ314/313 started life as a supplementary summer 2026 service, operating three times weekly for most of the season and daily only in July and August. It has since become a regular fixture, and will run daily for most of the upcoming northern winter season too.

Here’s how the two services look across the northern summer 2027 season.

Singapore ⇄ London Gatwick Flights Northern Summer 2027
Period	SQ312/309	SQ314/313	Weekly Flights
28 Mar – 30 May ’27	Daily A350 LH	Daily A350 LH	14
31 May – 29 Aug ’27	Daily A350 LH	3x weekly A350 LH	10
30 Aug – 30 Sep ’27	Daily A350 LH	Daily A350 LH	14
1 Oct – 30 Oct 2’27	Daily 777-300ER	Daily A350 LH	14

The dip to 10 weekly flights between June and August 2027 is a little curious, since that period spans the UK school summer holidays, when SIA’s Gatwick flights ran around 90% full in both 2024 and 2025.

It may well point to an aircraft availability pinch, with the carrier’s A350 Long Haul fleet due to start cycling through its cabin retrofit programme from early 2027.

From 1st October 2027, SQ312 will transition to the four-class Boeing 777-300ER, with the return SQ309 following from 2nd October 2027.

Singapore London Gatwick
1 Oct 2027 – 29 Oct 2027

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ314 A350 LH
SIN 02:30		LGW 09:00
Duration: 13:30
	SQ312 777-300ER
SIN 23:55		LGW 06:55*
Duration: 14:00

* Next day
– Flights with First Class

London Gatwick Singapore
2 Oct 2027 – 30 Oct 2027

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ309 777-300ER
LGW 10:10		SIN 06:25*
Duration: 13:15
	SQ313 A350 LH
LGW 13:15		SIN 09:30*
Duration: 13:15

* Next day
– Flights with First Class

At the time of writing, the 777-300ER is loaded on SQ312/309 through to 29th October 2027 from Singapore and 30th October 2027 from Gatwick, the last dates on its summer timings, with northern winter 2027/28 schedules yet to be published.

Encouragingly though, it’s the original daily rotation getting the upgauge rather than the supplementary one.

When Gatwick dips to once-daily operation in the off-peak, as it will between late January and late February 2027, it’s SQ314/313 that drops out, so assuming that pattern continues and the 777-300ER stays, the First Class option should remain a daily fixture.

Note that only the first SQ312 departure on 1st October 2027 is bookable at the time of writing. The first SQ309 return from Gatwick, on 2nd October 2027, opens for sale at 8am Singapore time tomorrow (Monday 12th October), since award and revenue space for each departure is loaded 355 days ahead based on its local departure date.

Our handy tool can help you with the calculation for any Singapore Airlines route.

What changes on board

The 777-300ER doesn’t just add a First Class section, it’s a bigger aircraft than the A350 Long Haul across almost every cabin, with only Economy Class taking a very slight trim in comparison.

Singapore ⇄ London Gatwick Seat Counts (from 1st October 2027)
Cabin	Airbus A350 LH	Boeing 777-300ER	Change
First	–	4	+4
Business	42	48	+6
Premium Economy	24	28	+4
Economy	187	184	-3
Total	253	264	+11

On a daily basis, that’s 28 First Class seats per week in each direction on the Gatwick route where there were none before, plus an extra 42 Business Class seats and 28 Premium Economy seats.

Business Class passengers won’t notice much difference in the seat itself, since both aircraft carry the 2013 J product in a 1-2-1 layout, though the A350 Long Haul splits the cabin into a large forward section and a smaller four-row cabin, while the 777-300ER has a smaller three-row forward section and a larger cabin behind door two.

London’s First Class seat volumes restored

While this is a first for Gatwick, it actually only restores Singapore Airlines’ First Class capacity to and from London as a whole to where it stood until earlier this year.

The launch of Gatwick flights in June 2024 added Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy seats between Singapore and the UK capital, but no First Class. Then in July 2026, Heathrow took a hit, with SQ306/305 switching from the Boeing 777-300ER to the A350 Long Haul.

Here’s how First Class and Suites capacity to and from London breaks down across that period, per day in each direction:

• Before July 2026: 20 First Class and Suites seats per day (2 x A380 + 2 x 777-300ER, all at Heathrow)
• 1st July 2026 to 30th September 2027: 16 First Class and Suites seats per day (2 x A380 + 1 x 777-300ER at Heathrow)
• From 1st October 2027: 20 First Class and Suites seats per day (2 x A380 + 1 x 777-300ER at Heathrow, plus 1 x 777-300ER at Gatwick)

Heathrow’s mix of one A350 Long Haul, two A380s and one 777-300ER remains unchanged after October 2027, so in effect the four First Class seats Heathrow lost have simply moved airports.

When the Heathrow downgauge was first loaded in August 2025, we remarked that in Singapore Airlines’ network hierarchy, Gatwick just ain’t Heathrow. Fourteen months later, it’s Gatwick being handed the First Class seats Heathrow gave up, which says a lot about how quickly the carrier’s second London airport has grown in importance.

All 12 daily Suites remain at Heathrow on the A380s, of course, so if it’s the 2017 Suites product you’re after, Gatwick won’t help you.

Part of a wider 777-300ER shuffle

Gatwick isn’t the only route picking up the 777-300ER lately. Christchurch gains it from May 2027, while Auckland has a second daily 777-300ER rotation this winter.

At the same time, Hong Kong loses its temporary second 777-300ER rotation from late October, and Jakarta’s First Class is halved this winter compared to recent comparable seasons.

With the timing of these changes spread so widely, there’s probably no single explanation for the shuffles, but the upcoming A350 cabin refits and planned Boeing 777-9 deliveries might be playing a part.

Our First Class reviews

SIA’s 2013 First Class seat may not live up to ‘Suite standards’, but it remains one of our favourite products and we’ve always really enjoyed our trips in this cabin.

The intimate single-row section has only four seats in a 1-2-1 layout, including a large void behind the middle pair for the cabin crew to pass between the two aisles while remaining out of sight.

In mid-2018 we concluded our round-the-world trip in First Class on SQ1 from San Francisco to Singapore via Hong Kong in this excellent cabin, and had the chance to thoroughly review it including both a long-haul and short-haul experience across the two stages of the journey.

If you haven’t tried the product, while we probably don’t recommend parting with Advantage award rates, we don’t think you’d be disappointed at the Saver award rate, which is currently available on selected dates next year.

Here’s a more recent review of what you can expect in First Class post-pandemic, though practically all of the COVID restrictions in effect on this Frankfurt to Singapore flight in September 2021 have now been relaxed.

Aside from Suites on the A380, this First Class product is now the only one fitted to Singapore Airlines aircraft, following the retirement of older 2006 First Class seats on the carrier’s (non-ER) Boeing 777-300s.

What about the 777-9?

Singapore Airlines’ long-delayed Boeing 777-9s will introduce an all-new First Class, with closing privacy doors and companion dining options, alongside an all-new Business Class that also features closing doors. The same First Class product will also feature on retrofitted Airbus A350 ULR aircraft.

Whether SIA has its first 777-9s flying by October 2027 is anyone’s guess given Boeing’s track record on the type, though it’s certainly possible now that the type is on its final lap of certification.

Either way, we doubt Gatwick will be a prime candidate for the new aircraft early on. The first few 777-9s are far more likely to be targeted at flagship destinations like London Heathrow and Sydney.

There’s a twist in the tale for Business Class too. SIA’s A350 Long Haul fleet is due to start receiving its new closed-door Business Class seats from early 2027, so it’s possible that by October 2027 the better Business Class product on the Gatwick route could actually be on SQ314/313, the flight without First Class!

On the ground at Gatwick

Unlike Heathrow, where Singapore Airlines operates its own SilverKris Lounge with a dedicated First Class section, Gatwick has no SIA-branded lounge.

Since the route launched, the airline has used the third-party No1 Lounge in the North Terminal for Business Class passengers and PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members. It’s a decent enough facility, with complimentary champagne for SIA passengers and views across the airport, but there are no showers and it’s also accessible on Priority Pass, so it’s hardly a First Class ground experience.

Unless SIA comes up with something different, First Class passengers departing Gatwick may simply end up there too. One option though could be the Clubrooms, a more upmarket sister facility also run by No1 in the same terminal.

A SilverKris Lounge at Gatwick, let alone one with a First Class section, seems unlikely with only two daytime departures each day.

That could change if the airline secures slots for a third daily Gatwick service, especially one with an evening departure from London. Since it can’t realistically expand further at Heathrow due to slot constraints, that’s not entirely out of the question, given London is one of SIA’s biggest money-spinners, but it’s not on the cards just yet.

Departing Singapore on SQ312, of course, First Class passengers will enjoy the carrier’s full Changi First Class lounge experience, including The Private Room.

Book the Cook

Singapore Airlines has offered Book the Cook from Gatwick since the route launched in June 2024, in Business Class and Premium Economy.

Any route with Book the Cook in Business Class also offers it in First Class, so passengers in the new cabin on SQ309 will be able to pre-order their main course from a dedicated First Class menu.

Here’s Heathrow’s current First Class list for reference, which is likely to be similar.

KrisFlyer awards

Here are the current KrisFlyer award rates for the Singapore – London route, which apply to flights to and from both Heathrow and Gatwick.

KrisFlyer Redemption Rates One-Way Singapore ⇄ London
Airline / Cabin		Saver	Advantage	Access
	Economy Class	44,000	79,000	113,000
	Premium Economy	74,500	n/a	107,000 to 131,500
	Business Class	108,500	141,500	182,500 to 291,500
	First / Suites Class	148,000	259,500	481,500

KrisFlyer charges the same number of miles for 2013 First Class on the 777-300ER as it does for 2017 Suites on the A380. In pure value terms, that makes an A380 Suite from Heathrow the better use of the same miles.

The catch is availability.

Saver awards in First Class on the 777-300ER are consistently easier to find than Suites, even on Heathrow flights, despite the smaller cabin, presumably thanks to the allure of the A380 Suites product.

For comparison, no instantly confirmable First Class Saver awards from Singapore to London Heathrow on the same date, with Saver waitlisted on the 777-300ER (SQ318) and unavailable on both A380 services, so do remember to include Gatwick in your searches on this route because you have to search separately (the same advice goes for Business Class).

PPS Club members may have access to additional award space as usual, so may see Saver availability even where it’s waitlisted or unavailable for other members.

Taxes and fees on a First Class award come in at around S$96 from Singapore to Gatwick, including Singapore’s new SAF Tax for flights from 1st January 2027 onwards.

In the other direction, airport charges and the UK’s ever-increasing Air Passenger Duty (APD) mean you’ll pay around S$480 in total fees – quite the sting but still lower than Heathrow’s S$535, which comes about from higher airport charges.

If you’re paying cash, SIA is charging exactly the same First Class fare to Gatwick as to Heathrow on 1st October 2027, at S$15,275.80 one-way, so the choice comes down to timing, airport and whether you want Suites (which you probably do).

Singapore Airlines is bringing First Class to London Gatwick for the first time, with the four-class Boeing 777-300ER replacing the A350 Long Haul on the daily SQ312/309 service from 1st October 2027.

It’s also a capacity boost across the other premium cabins, with six more Business Class seats and four more in Premium Economy on each flight, for the loss of just three Economy seats.

In the bigger picture though, it’s really a restoration. The four daily First Class seats Heathrow lost in July 2026 are simply moving to Gatwick, returning SIA’s London First Class capacity to 20 seats a day in each direction.

It’s a strong vote of confidence in a route that only launched two years ago, though the Gatwick ground experience will need to step up to match. A third-party lounge open to Priority Pass members isn’t quite the welcome First Class passengers will be expecting from SIA, so let’s see what they do here.

(Cover Photo: MainlyMiles)