Singapore Airlines Reintroduces A380 Service to Auckland in 2026

Singapore, Singapore — Singapore Airlines will bring back daily Airbus A380 service to Auckland starting January 2026. This decision marks the airline’s first A380 flights to New Zealand in nearly two years, coinciding with the busy southern summer travel season.

The A380 will operate on flight SQ285 from Singapore to Auckland daily from January 18 to March 28, 2026, with the return service SQ286 running from January 19 to March 29. The addition of the A380 aims to meet increased demand during this peak tourism period.

However, this change comes with a trade-off. To accommodate the A380’s return to Auckland, Singapore Airlines will downgrade its Frankfurt service from the A380 to a Boeing 777-300ER during the same time frame. Frankfurt will gain an additional six flights per week to mitigate the loss in capacity, resulting in a slight net increase in total seat availability to and from the German city.

From October 26, 2025, Singapore Airlines will add another service to Auckland, operated by an Airbus A350, but this will cease after January 17, 2026, just before the A380’s arrival. Overall, this leads to a 6% reduction in seat capacity on the Auckland route during the transition.

Travelers on the A380 will benefit from the airline’s latest cabin products. The Suites cabin accommodates only six passengers and offers a luxurious experience, including large washrooms and a unique dining experience known as ‘A380 Restaurant@Changi.’

KrisFlyer loyalty program members should prepare for high demand since Saver awards for the Suites class are rarely available. For context, the Advantage pricing for a one-way Suite ticket is currently set at 155,000 miles.

In contrast, Frankfurt will see its current A380 service downgraded to a daily 777-300ER starting January 18, 2026. While this change reduces the premium offerings on this route, the additional Airbus A350 flights should stabilize capacity.

Singapore Airlines’ schedule arrangements are provisional, and further adjustments could occur based on passenger demand and fleet availability. Now, travelers can look forward to enhanced service to Auckland while navigating reduced premium options to Frankfurt.