Singapore Airlines has officially retired its record-breaking ultra-long-haul route from Singapore Changi Airport to Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport. For 17 years, this flight, spanning an astonishing 18,544 km, set aviation benchmarks. However, with changing travel demands, the airline made its final journey on March 30, 2025, marking the end of an era of long-haul travel.
Initially, the airline routed this service through Moscow. However, in 2016, it shifted to Manchester due to economic changes. As a result, the final flight, SQ52, took off from Singapore at 2:45 AM and reached Manchester after 13 hours and 19 minutes. Then, after a short layover, it continued for another 9 hours and 35 minutes to Houston. Meanwhile, on its return, SQ51 departed Houston, reached Manchester in 8 hours and 17 minutes, and completed its journey to Singapore in 12 hours and 42 minutes.
Since its launch in 2008, Singapore Airlines designed this route to connect Singapore with Houston, a key energy hub. At first, the airline aimed to serve premium business travelers. However, despite its popularity, the route struggled with an average seat occupancy of just 64%. Over time, it served more than 1.3 million passengers. Still, rising operational costs ultimately led to its retirement.
Going forward, the airline now shifts its focus to more efficient operations. Therefore, it will continue five weekly non-stop flights to Manchester using its Airbus A350. However, Houston loses a major connection to Asia, leaving it with only five direct Asian routes.
With Singapore Airlines exiting, Aircalin now holds the record for the longest one-stop flight. Specifically, its route from Nouméa to Paris via Bangkok spans 15,312 km with a block time of nearly 26 hours. Overall, this shift highlights how airlines continue adapting their networks for efficiency and profitability in a competitive industry.
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