ANA vs Singapore Airlines Business to Tokyo: which differences justify paying more?

01Two specific products, not every flight to Tokyo

For a Singapore-based couple, begin with a return Singapore–Narita itinerary for two adults in Business on the same dates. Compare the complete ticket, not a one-way promotional headline. If Haneda is more convenient for your hotel, make that a separate comparison including ground travel.

The ANA product here is 787-9 Business Staggered in the 215- or 246-seat configuration; SQ is the 787-10 regional seat. These are product comparisons, not a guarantee of equipment on every departure. Check the operating flight and seat map in both directions. THE Room FX and SQ’s long-haul A350 seat are different products.

Both provide direct aisle access and a horizontal sleeping surface. Paying more for one does not buy the basic ability to lie down that the other lacks. Also, SQ’s regional seat reclines into a bed: instructions to fold forward a long-haul SQ backrest are not instructions for this seat.

02Open workspace or more enclosed storage?

ANA’s side surface is useful when switching between a laptop, a drink and dinner. It gives you somewhere to move small items without treating the meal table as the only working area. An open surface is not secure storage, however; crew instructions still govern what must be put away.

SQ’s enclosure provides a different trade-off. JakartaPotato’s 787-10 account liked the storage but found the shoulder area restrictive. That observation is a reason to look closely at the shape, rather than evidence that everyone will dislike it. The review covers Singapore–Guangzhou, so its meal and flight duration are not a Tokyo service promise.

A couple who want conversation may value these paired seats. Two travellers who each want a window and independent sleep may gain little from that layout. Neither a high privacy wing nor a large table tells you whether your preferred position will be comfortable.

03The meal you want must be available on the flight you buy

Book the Cook allows selection of a main course on eligible SQ services, with the current window running from six weeks to 24 hours before departure. Choices depend on origin and meal service. It does not let you redesign the whole meal. ANA also offers preselection, with eligibility restrictions including some discounted and tour fares.

The November 2024 SQ637 account describes selecting a Japanese meal from the regular inflight menu after considering the preorder choices. A meal chosen in advance is not necessarily a Book the Cook special. The NH841 author offers a specific criticism of Japanese-meal seasoning. These individual meals do not establish a current catering ranking.

Fictional return quotes for two adults; SGD, taxes and surcharges included. These are not observed fares.

Item	ANA	SQ
Ticket per person	S$2,200	S$2,450
Two tickets	S$4,400	S$4,900
Required extras for the whole booking	S$100	S$40
Complete example total	S$4,500	S$4,940

In that example SQ costs S$440 more for the couple. The decision is whether the available meal, storage and schedule are worth that difference—not whether a generic airline ranking says SQ is better. Replace every input with your actual quote, including any required bags or seats. If dates may change, compare cancellation terms and fare differences as well as change fees.

On a late departure where you plan to skip dinner and sleep immediately, the preorder advantage has less value. A daytime flight with a meal you actively want and a close pair available provides a stronger case. A timetable that costs an extra hotel night can reverse the result.

SQ 787-10: storage, shoulder space and catering

ANA NH841: passenger seat and meal photographs (Japanese)

19 flight reviewsSingapore Airlines Business trip reportsBrowse reviews

15 flight reviewsANA Business trip reportsBrowse reviews