SIA brings back Boeing 737 MAX for a third of Singapore – Bali flights

26th October 2025
to 28th March 2026

^ From 27th October 2025 till 29th March 2026

The Boeing 737-8 MAX is SIA’s smallest aircraft with 154 seats, while the Boeing 787-10s being replaced offer 337 seats – making this a significant capacity reduction compared to the current schedule.

As you can see, SQ936/937 and SQ944/945 also switch to the Airbus A350 Medium Haul during this period – with four more seats in Business Class than the Boeing 787-10, but (a significant) 38 fewer seats in Economy.

This is the first time Singapore Airlines has regularly deployed Airbus A350s on its Bali route.

This downgauge cuts the carrier’s weekly Bali seat capacity by 21% – from 14,154 to 11,116 seats in each direction – during the winter season.

Business Class capacity also drops by 20% from 1,512 to 1,204 weekly seats in each direction, as the MAX offers just 10 business seats, versus 36 on the Boeing 787-10, though this is partially offset by using Airbus A350 Medium Haul jets on the route this winter, which have 40 seats in this cabin.

Given that most Business Class seats will likely be occupied by long-haul connecting passengers from Europe and the USA, saver award space on these 737-8 MAX flights will no doubt become much more limited during the winter months.

A poorer passenger experience

Singapore Airlines passengers travelling on SQ946/947 and SQ948/949 flights currently benefit from the more spacious cabin of the Boeing 787-10, including direct aisle access from all seats in Business Class, and better legroom in Economy Class.

We have a full review of how the Business Class experience stacks up on these aircraft.

While a shift to Airbus A350 MH aircraft on some services is barely notable – the experience will change for the two flights that shift to Boeing 737-8 MAX operation from late October 2025.

Here’s a summary of the key differences to be aware of.

* Note: 18.0″ width on Airbus A350 MH aircraft – so you might want to pick those over the 787-10 in Economy!

The key advantage of the Boeing 787-10 (and the Airbus A350 MH) is that all Business Class passengers have direct aisle access – unlike the MAX’s awkward 2-2, 1-1, 2-2 configuration, where two-thirds of window passengers (those in 11A/K or 14A/K must disturb their neighbours to reach the aisle.

The two solo seats (12B and 12J) are the clear exceptions, offering excellent space and privacy – but with only two available per flight, good luck securing them!

Couples can probably worry less, provided they can secure either a ‘throne’ seat each (12B and 12J), or one of the pair arrangements.

Additionally, the MAX offers smaller entertainment screens across both Business Class and Economy Class cabins, and provides less legroom and more limited device charging options in Economy, compared to the 787-10 and A350 MH.

Remember you can always check which aircraft type and Business Class seat model Singapore Airlines will be operating network-wide at our full guide here, currently updated through to late October 2025, pending a full update of the winter schedule in the coming weeks.

Here are our dedicated articles covering SIA’s Boeing 737 MAX cabins, to help you know what to expect on board these less popular aircraft.

KrisFlyer awards

While SIA’s Singapore-Bali Saver awards typically offer reasonably good availability, especially during off-peak periods, the capacity reduction on flights SQ946/947 and SQ948/949 from late October 2025 will significantly constrain Business Class award space, due to the 72% capacity reduction in this cabin on the MAX jets.

The applicable award rates are shown in the following table.

Bali does occasionally appear on SIA’s monthly Spontaneous Escapes list, with 30% off Saver awards.

This brings one-way redemption rates down to 14,700 miles in Business Class and 5,950 miles in Economy Class.

If you already hold or intend to book a firm ticket in an eligible Economy booking class, here’s how many miles it will then cost you to upgrade to Business Class on this route, assuming Saver upgrade award availability.

Upgrade using KrisFlyer miles Singapore ⇄ Bali
Upgrading to →	Business Saver
Existing booking ↓
Economy Standard (Class: M, H, W)	17,000
Economy Flexi (Class: Y, B, E)	15,500

As usual, upgrading with miles is not a great deal, unless perhaps your company is paying for an Economy fare on your behalf!

SIA is growing its Boeing 737 MAX fleet

Deploying Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft on a third of its Bali flights this winter comes as Singapore Airlines is set to take delivery of six brand new models of the type between now and the end of March 2026, representing the carrier’s first new MAX deliveries since November 2022.

The next two aircraft to join the fleet – 9V-MBQ and 9V-MBR – are already flying in the USA and should be delivered soon.

The MAX fleet will grow to 22 units by the end of March 2026, followed by seven additional deliveries from April 2026 onwards, bringing the total to 29 aircraft – almost double today’s total.

That means the MAXs – like them or loathe them – will be an even more prominent feature on many of the airline’s routes in the years ahead.

All-wide-body operation returns for summer 2026

Singapore Airlines will restore the Boeing 787-10 on all six of its daily Singapore – Bali flights from 29th March 2026, according to currently published schedules, marking a return to all-wide-body operations for the northern summer scheduling season next year.

This seasonal adjustment suggests SIA may be adopting a strategy that deploys higher-capacity aircraft with larger premium cabins during Bali’s peak tourist season (northern summer), while utilising narrow-body MAX aircraft on some flights during the quieter winter months, when demand typically softens.

That aligns with established travel patterns to Bali, where European and North American visitors traditionally visit the island during their summer holidays, during dry season, driving higher premium cabin demand that the 787-10’s 36-seat Business Class configuration can better accommodate.

However, aircraft assignments for summer 2026 remain provisional at this stage.

Singapore Airlines typically finalises its summer season aircraft allocations in December or January, meaning the currently-listed all-787 deployment could still be adjusted, based on demand, fleet availability, or other operational considerations, so watch this space for the latest details on that in due course.

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Singapore Airlines will reintroduce its Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft on two of its six daily Bali flights from late October 2025, which many of our readers will see as an unfortunate downgrade.

The move also cuts weekly total seat capacity by 21%, including a Business Class seat capacity reduction of 20%, while replacing the spacious 787-10’s cabins with a more basic narrow-body experience.

A further two flights will shift from the Boeing 787-10 to the Airbus A350 MH, with only minor differences.

KrisFlyer award availability is also likely to become more constrained, especially in premium cabins on SQ946/947 and SQ948/949 services, since the MAXs only have 10 seats ‘up front’ – not 36!

You might want to consider booking one of the four daily flights that will continue operating with Boeing 787-10 or Airbus A350 MH aircraft between late October 2025 and late March 2026 for a better experience – whichever class you’re travelling in.

(Cover Photo: Plane’s Portrait Aviation Media / Malcolm Lu)