Flights on Singapore Airlines’ newest route started on November 9, offering the only non-stop direct journey between Singapore and New York City. In pre-pandemic days, the airline operated return flights to Singapore from JFK with an Airbus A380, requiring a stop in Frankfurt, Germany, but now the route is being flown using an Airbus A350-900 XWB that can make the trip non-stop, especially with fewer-than-normal passengers. Why agritourism will be the post-coronavirus luxury travel trend Covering a distance of 15,350km (8,287 nautical miles), the route is the longest in the world measured by mileage, overtaking Singapore Airlines’ recently relaunched non-stop route to nearby Newark, New Jersey by a mere 3.7km (two nautical miles). The airline doesn’t see it that way, however, preferring to measure “longest” by the flight’s duration. Flight times for the route are scheduled at a whopping 18 hours and five minutes on the New York-bound leg, flight SQ24, and 18 hours and 40 minutes for the flight back to Singapore, flight SQ23. The Newark route is a touch longer at 18 hours 45 minutes. The non-stop flight is a big achievement for the airline but because of the circumstances, there were none of the traditional inaugural celebrations, speeches by ambassadors about the importance of the route, or festivities at the departure gate. Face masks must be worn for the entire flight, and passengers must have their temperature taken and submit a health declaration to the airline at check-in. Bookmark now: the 10 hottest luxury hotel launches of 2020 The route comes at a difficult time for international travel, of course. Americans can’t enter Singapore at all, either for tourism or business, so carrying cargo will help the airline pay the bills for this flight. For that reason, the new flights use Terminal Four at JFK, where Singapore Airlines has a cargo facility. Three cabins – business, premium economy and economy – are offered and we toured the aircraft before the inaugural flight to see what it’s like aboard. Business class Business class occupies the first 11 rows in the plane: 42 seats in all, arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. All seats are forward-facing with direct aisle access, making it easy to get up to stretch out during an ultra-long-haul flight. Along the cabin walls are single seats with unobstructed access to the window, which are ideal for solo travellers. 8 luxury getaways for team-building with a difference All seats on the aircraft feature personal in-flight entertainment and the largest screens, of course, are in business class. The 18-inch high-definition screens offer access to movies, television shows, games and music – everything that you need to pass the time on the world’s longest flight. The system can be controlled via the remote or by pairing a mobile device. Flyers can also browse the system preflight and create a playlist before stepping on-board. The seats are oversized at 28 inches wide, offering more space and cushioning than traditional business class seats. When it’s time to go to bed, the seat goes fully flat. Flight attendants will assemble the bed with head-level dividers offering privacy from the aisle. As any seasoned business traveller will tell you, sleep is key on these long journeys. In-seat power is available through a 110v AC power outlet and a USB charging port. Wi-fi is also available so flyers can get some work done, too. Two full meals are served on this flight although, as part of the airline’s pandemic related safety measures, business class meals are served on a single tray instead of via the usual more elaborate service. Brazil is now open to tourism – but how safe is it? This is the cabin in which you’d ideally fly over 15,000km, with the most personal space, gourmet meals and a full entertainment suite. Seats in this cabin do start at over US$3,500 one-way, though. Premium economy Behind business class are the three rows of premium economy: just 28 seats, arranged in a two-four-two configuration. These seats boast a width of 19 inches, one more than regular economy, and with a 38-inch pitch to make the journey a tad more comfortable. Amenities at each seat include a personal in-flight entertainment screen, personal reading lamp, 110v AC power outlet, USB charging port, coat hanger, water bottle holder, adjustable headrest and pillow and blanket kit. After Covid-19, will Bangkok ever bounce back? One of the major selling points for these seats is the 13.3-inch high-definition in-flight entertainment screen. These are touch-screen and can also be controlled by a remote. Economy class Finally, the economy cabin takes up the last 21 rows with 187 seats. Seats in economy are configured in the standard 3-3-3 configuration for the A350, which means that a passenger could get stuck in a middle seat. While flying nearly 19 hours in economy in a middle seat doesn’t sound like much fun, most people flying at the moment will have the entire row to themselves. Each seat offers 32 inches of pitch and 18 inches of width. There are also touch-screen in-flight entertainment systems with 11-inch screens. There are no remotes at these seats but the system does have device pairing capabilities. In-seat power is offered through a passenger-facing 110v AC power outlet and USB charging port. The economy class cabin is what differentiates this flight from the Singapore-Newark flight, which only has business class and premium economy class. Why are property investors snapping up flats in Singapore? The cockpit As one of Airbus’ newest jets, the A350 has an advanced cockpit set-up with high-definition screens replacing traditional gauges. Everything the pilot needs is at the click of a mouse, including aeronautical and airport charts. Two flight crews take turns flying the aircraft, swapping multiple times during the hours aloft. Between shifts, they retire to a dedicated rest area for some much-needed sleep. Want more stories like this? Sign up here . Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter . This article originally appeared on Business Insider.