In the coming days, Singapore Airlines will be retiring its final Boeing 737-800, which means the airline will finally be offering a new level of consistency throughout its fleet. Thanks to Mainly Miles for flagging this.
In this post:
Singapore Airlines Boeing 737-800s exiting the fleet
Singapore Airlines has scheduled its final Boeing 737-800 flight to land on Sunday, October 26, 2025, coinciding with the end of the IATA 2025 summer season. Specifically, the 10-year-old plane plane with the registration code 9V-MGN will be operating flights in the coming days from Singapore (SIN) to Kathmandu (KTM) and Penang (PEN), and will then be retired.
At its peak, Singapore Airlines had nine 737-800s in its fleet, and they’ve been progressively retired over the years. Funny enough, these planes have been mostly headed to Australia, where they’re flying for Qantas and Virgin Australia.
Once the last 737-800 is retired, the Star Alliance carrier will have the Boeing 737 MAX 8 as its sole narrow body aircraft. The airline has 19 of those in its fleet, with an additional 10 on order.
The retirement of the 737-800 has major implications for the carrier’s overall fleet. With this development, Singapore Airlines will finally offer flat bed business class seats, inflight Wi-Fi, and seat back entertainment, throughout its fleet. As it stands, the sole remaining 737-800 is the only plane in the fleet to only have recliners in business class, and to not have Wi-Fi or seat back entertainment onboard.
Singapore Airlines’ 737 MAXs have fully flat business class seats in a staggered layout. The cabin has 10 seats, with two rows being in a 2-2 configuration, and one row being in a 1-1 configuration. Side note — Singapore Airlines would have direct aisle access from business class in its entire fleet if it weren’t for those four window seats on the 737 MAXs.
Singapore Airlines’ history with the Boeing 737-800
For those not familiar, the backstory of Singapore Airlines operating Boeing 737s is interesting, because prior to several years ago, Singapore Airlines had an all wide body fleet (okay, at some point going back a long time the airline operated narrow body planes, but let’s not go back that far).
Historically, Singapore Airlines operated wide body aircraft, but then separately had SilkAir, its wholly owned regional subsidiary, which operated narrow body aircraft. In 2018, it was announced that SilkAir would be merged into Singapore Airlines, which seemed like a logical development.
It took several years for that to actually be put into motion, and in 2021, the Boeing 737s officially joined Singapore Airlines’ fleet. Initially, the plan was for the entire active Boeing 737 fleet to feature the new cabins, but those plans were delayed due to the grounding of the 737 MAX, plus the continued issues with getting new aircraft delivered.
So ultimately these 737-800s flew a lot longer than planned with their initial cabins, aside from just some minor cosmetic updates. But that chapter is now coming to an end, and that’s good news for the passenger experience.
Bottom line
In the coming days, Singapore Airlines will retire its last Boeing 737-800, marking a major milestone for the airline. With this, the iconic airline will finally have flat bed business class, Wi-Fi, and seat back entertainment, throughout its fleet.
These 737s only became part of Singapore Airlines’ fleet thanks to the integration of SilkAir. They then stuck around a lot longer than planned due to problems with the 737 MAX. This is all good news, and I’m looking forward to my first Singapore Airlines 737 MAX flight in the coming weeks.
What’s your take on Singapore Airlines retiring Boeing 737-800s?
It’s funny how the A321neo proved much more popular among full-service airlines in Northeast Asia than Southeast Asia, and many if not most of them — KE, CI, JX and likely BR in the future — have lie-flats on them, but not CX. Indeed, many airlines there operate the A321neo but not the A320 or any other Airbus narrowbody.
Yet, SQ, MH and GA preferred to stick to the 737 instead of adopting A321neos like...
It’s funny how the A321neo proved much more popular among full-service airlines in Northeast Asia than Southeast Asia, and many if not most of them — KE, CI, JX and likely BR in the future — have lie-flats on them, but not CX. Indeed, many airlines there operate the A321neo but not the A320 or any other Airbus narrowbody.
Yet, SQ, MH and GA preferred to stick to the 737 instead of adopting A321neos like KE, CI and MF — all historically 737 operators — did.
Clearly, SQ went all-in on the 737 MAX for its narrowbody fleet, and remains one of only four Star Alliance members (along with ET, LO and CM) not to operate the A320 family. In ASEAN, PR is the only one with lie-flats on the A321neo — but not for longer, since TG will take delivery of its first A321neo soon.
Hey lucky,
For those not familiar, the backstory of Singapore Airlines operating Boeing 737s is interesting, because prior to several years ago, Singapore Airlines had an all wide body fleet (okay, at some point going back a long time the airline operated wide body planes, but let’s not go back that far).
Should that not be 'going back a long time the airline operated NARROW body planes'?
@ Duck Ling -- Indeed, thank you! Fixed. :-)
Good move. SQ's 737 Max is excellent. All Max operators should do as SQ did, by installing lie-flat, 2-2, 1-1, 2-2, etc., especially with those 'throne' seats. If you're gonna operate 6+ hour flights, include lie-flat for an actual 'premium' experience. American, United, Alaska, etc. could do this, but won't. Ugh.
United will have lie-flats on its MAX-10 aircraft.
It however makes zero sense for most of those airlines to incur the weight and space penalty of installing lie-flats, considering the typical stage length that their aircraft fly.
Typical ImmortalSynn cost-cutting justification.
"cost-cutting justification."
Meh, they're only 2 of the 3 most profitable carriers in existence.
But of course they'd perform better by listening to the ramblings of an internet-nobody who disapproves of their current LOPAs. That's definitely the key to success.
Sure you're an "internet nobody" who approves of any current LOPAs that makes passengers waste their money. Such person is definitely the key to success.
You sure make declarative statements, for someone that you don't know squat about. You have no idea what my "approval" of any given LOPA is, and seem too stupid to figure out that I'm just repeating what AA/UA execs have themselves said publicly on the issue.
Yet you're posting to internet groups about what (you assume) I do or do not accept? That's very strange dude.
"seem too stupid to figure out that I'm just repeating what AA/UA execs have themselves said publicly on the issue."
A guy who takes what the top execs say seriously is talking about someone being stupid?
Take a look at a mirror.
The only thing that matters to them is the money their decisions will bring in, so they can keep their positions.
Lying is their job. Seen what "sustainable" have done...
"seem too stupid to figure out that I'm just repeating what AA/UA execs have themselves said publicly on the issue."
A guy who takes what the top execs say seriously is talking about someone being stupid?
Take a look at a mirror.
The only thing that matters to them is the money their decisions will bring in, so they can keep their positions.
Lying is their job. Seen what "sustainable" have done to the world?
What do you think is making more money, offering actual great experiences or just advertise nonsenses as a complicated measure that took an inspiration from next-generation technologies.
The populace is never smart enough to understand the trick behind. You either seem to be one of those or just acting snowflake for idk what. Maybe you just don't want to accept it.
manson what the hell are you even talking about
Wait... Max-10? When?? Because, it's starting to feel like 'when pigs fly'... so many delays. I don't even blame United; it's Boeing. C'mon. Once great American company. *sigh*
Boeing is still a "great" company, it's just that they've become great at losing vast swathes of money every year, rather than being great at booking profits. It's particularly bad since the United States withdrew from Iraq and Afghanistan, and the defence division can no longer prop-up the commerical airplanes operation.
1990, ‘Steady the Buffs’ now old bean. Your credibility is now in tatters following your revelations about SQ’s Max. I had you down as more Oxcart or Archangel than the low level Boeing Max …. :-)
Cheer up, AeroB13a. I'm far more fond of the a321neo (and soon XLR) with it's 1-1 'business' class configuration, like on jetBlue's newer Mint, or soon to be AA's Flagship Suites (a nice replacement for the aging a321T). My entire pitch here is more lie-flat in narrow-body premium, less recliner, and no more 'blocked middle' nonsense.
Yes, you certainly know how to cheer up an old codger on a cool autumn evening. However, one is unconvinced that AA will ever do justice to the XLR.