Singapore Airlines will bring First Class to London Gatwick for the first time, swapping in its four-class Boeing 777-300ER on one of its two daily Gatwick services from October 1, 2027. The change, now loaded into the airline's schedules, also adds more Business and Premium Economy seats on the route, according to Mainly Miles and Aviation A2Z.
What is changing
Singapore Airlines currently flies up to two daily round trips between Singapore Changi and Gatwick, both on the three-class Airbus A350-900 Long Haul. From October 1, 2027, the original Gatwick rotation, SQ312 from Singapore and SQ309 from London, will switch to the Boeing 777-300ER, with the return SQ309 following from October 2. The second rotation, SQ314/313, stays on the A350.
Under the published timings, SQ312 departs Singapore at 23:55 and arrives at Gatwick at 06:55 the next morning, while SQ309 leaves Gatwick at 10:10 and reaches Singapore at 06:25 the following day. The 777-300ER is currently loaded on the flights through late October 2027, the end of the northern summer season, with winter 2027/28 schedules not yet published.
The first SQ312 departure went on sale on October 11, in line with the airline's 355-day booking window, and First Class Saver award seats have been released on that flight.
More premium seats per flight
The upgauge is about more than First Class. The 777-300ER adds four First Class seats and carries more seats than the A350 Long Haul in almost every cabin. According to Mainly Miles, each flight goes from 253 seats on the A350 to 264 on the 777-300ER: Business rises from 42 to 48 seats, Premium Economy from 24 to 28, while Economy dips slightly from 187 to 184.
On a daily basis, that means 28 First Class seats per week in each direction on a route that previously had none, plus 42 extra Business Class seats and 28 extra Premium Economy seats.
Gatwick's growing role
Singapore Airlines launched Gatwick service in June 2024, initially five times weekly, before moving to daily flights. The second rotation began as a supplementary summer 2026 service and has since become a regular part of the schedule for most of the year.
The move effectively shifts First Class seats rather than adding them across London as a whole. In July 2026, one of the carrier's Heathrow services, SQ306/305, switched from the 777-300ER to the A350 Long Haul, cutting four First Class seats a day at Heathrow. From October 2027, those four daily seats reappear at Gatwick, returning Singapore Airlines' total First Class and Suites capacity to and from London to 20 seats a day in each direction. All of the airline's A380 Suites remain at Heathrow.
The Boeing 777-300ER on the route
The 777-300ER, powered by two GE90-115B engines, remains the backbone of Singapore Airlines' long-haul First Class network outside its A380 fleet. Its 2013-generation First Class cabin has four seats in a single row in a 1-2-1 layout, while Business Class uses the airline's 2013 seat in a 1-2-1 arrangement.
The Gatwick swap is part of a broader reshuffle of the carrier's 777-300ER flying. Christchurch gains the type from May 2027 and Auckland has a second daily 777-300ER rotation this winter, while Hong Kong loses a temporary second 777-300ER rotation from late October. The changes come as the airline prepares to retrofit its A350 Long Haul fleet with new Business Class seats from early 2027 and awaits its first Boeing 777-9s.
Ground experience still to be decided
Unlike Heathrow, where the airline operates its own SilverKris Lounge with a First Class section, Gatwick has no Singapore Airlines-branded lounge. Business Class passengers currently use a third-party lounge in the North Terminal, and the airline has not said how it will handle First Class passengers departing from Gatwick.
Fares in First are currently priced identically to Heathrow on the launch date, according to Mainly Miles, leaving travellers to choose based on airport and timing.
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