Singapore Airlines vs Garuda Indonesia

Overview

Singapore Airlines is the flag carrier of Singapore. According to Wikipedia, its origins lie in Malayan Airways, founded on 1 May 1947, and it began operating under its current name on 1 October 1972. Temasek Holdings owns 53% of the company. The headquarters are at Airline House, Changi. The airline has belonged to Star Alliance since April 2000. Its group includes the low-cost carrier Scoot, SIA Engineering Company and Singapore Airlines Cargo, and it holds 25.1% of Air India Limited.

Network and hubs

The sole hub is Changi Airport. The airline served 87 destinations as of 2026 (Wikipedia). It operates long-haul services using Airbus A350-900ULR aircraft, and regional routes with Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which were added after the merger with SilkAir.

Fleet

As of March 2026, Wikipedia's fleet page lists 164 registered aircraft: 152 passenger aircraft and 12 freighters. The passenger fleet includes:

• Airbus A350-900: 58, plus 7 A350-900ULR
• Airbus A380-800: 13
• Boeing 777-300ER: 25
• Boeing 787-10: 28
• Boeing 737 MAX 8: 21

The airline has 31 Boeing 777-9 aircraft on order, with deliveries expected to begin in 2027. These are due to replace older A380s and 777-300ERs. Three more 787-10s are also on order.

On board

Cabin layouts vary by aircraft. The A380-800 has First (Suites), Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins. The 777-300ER has Premium Economy, Business and Economy cabins, and some aircraft also carry a small First cabin. The 787-10 and 737 MAX 8 have Business and Economy only, according to the same fleet table. Seat pitch, meal and entertainment details were not verified for this profile; check the official website.

Good to know

• Loyalty programme: KrisFlyer, with the PPS Club for top-tier members.
• Baggage allowances and change fees depend on fare and route. Check the airline's website before booking.
• Scoot, the group's low-cost carrier, is a separate airline with different fares and baggage rules.

Overview

Garuda Indonesia is the flag carrier of Indonesia. According to Wikipedia, it began operating in January 1949 and is headquartered at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport near Jakarta. It is a member of the SkyTeam alliance. The state investment body Danantara Asset Management holds 92.03% of the shares (2025), and the company is listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (GIAA). It also owns the low-cost subsidiary Citilink, which has its own air operator's certificate.

The airline reported a net loss of US$319.39 million on revenue of US$3.217 billion for 2025. In 2026 Skytrax lowered its rating from five stars to four, as reported by Seasia.

Network and hubs

• Main hub: Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta.
• Secondary hubs: Denpasar (Bali) and Makassar; Surabaya is a focus city.
• Wikipedia gives 53 destinations in 2025, across Indonesia, Asia, Europe and Australia, plus seasonal Hajj charters.

Fleet

The mainline fleet totalled 74 aircraft at 31 December 2025 (Wikipedia; the infobox gives a separate figure of 78, which may count other aircraft):

• Airbus A330: 17 (2 A330-200, 10 A330-300, 5 A330-900)
• Boeing 737-800: 48
• Boeing 737 MAX 8: 1
• Boeing 777-300ER: 8

Reporting in 2025 and 2026 indicates that a significant share of the fleet has been out of service for maintenance, funded partly by Danantara capital injections (Tempo).

On board

Garuda is a full-service airline with Economy and Business cabins. First class was introduced on the 777-300ER in 2013, and a Premium Economy product was introduced in 2019 on London–Denpasar; check current availability when booking. Refurbished cabins offer audio and video on demand. Seat pitch and meal details vary by aircraft and route and are not confirmed here.

Good to know

• Cabin baggage: 7 kg in Economy, size 56 x 36 x 23 cm, plus a personal item (Cabin Zero).
• Checked baggage: 20 kg in Economy on domestic routes (Upgraded Points). International allowances are typically 30 kg, and US routes use two 23 kg pieces (FTN News). Confirm with the airline before travel.
• Lounges: The Garuda Business Lounge is open to Business Class passengers and Platinum GarudaMiles members, at Soekarno–Hatta and other Indonesian airports.
• Loyalty: GarudaMiles, and SkyTeam partner benefits.