Singapore Airlines Hangzhou flights are officially returning. From 1 June 2026, SQ838 lifts off from Changi at 5.40pm and lands in Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport at 10.50pm local time, with the overnight SQ839 heading back to Singapore. This is SIA’s first scheduled service to the “Heaven on Earth” city in nearly 28 years.
If you have a Hangzhou trip on the radar — West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Longjing tea farms, or that pilgrimage to Alibaba’s home turf — bookmark this guide. Tickets have already been on sale since 23 March 2026, and seats on opening dates tend to disappear faster than a kueh at a Chinese New Year potluck.
Singapore Airlines Hangzhou Flights: Schedule At A Glance
The new service runs daily in both directions on the medium-haul Airbus A350-900, configured with 40 Business and 263 Economy seats. Here are the exact times to plug into your calendar.
- SQ838 (Singapore – Hangzhou): Departs Changi 17:40, arrives Hangzhou Xiaoshan 22:50 (same day local time)
- SQ839 (Hangzhou – Singapore): Departs Hangzhou 00:10, arrives Changi 05:10 (next day local time)
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-900 medium-haul (303 seats: 40J / 263Y)
- First flight: 1 June 2026, subject to regulatory approvals
- Tickets: On sale since 23 March 2026 via singaporeair.com and travel agents
Why This Route Matters
Hangzhou becomes SIA’s ninth mainland China destination, joining Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Xiamen and Daxing. Together with Scoot and partner carriers, the SIA Group now serves 22 destinations across mainland China.
The last SIA flight to Hangzhou was back in 1998 — for context, that is older than the BTO programme. Resuming the route plugs a gap many Singaporeans have been filling via Shanghai with a domestic transfer or via budget carriers.
What To Do In Hangzhou Once You Land
Marco Polo famously called Hangzhou “the most splendid city in the world” — and the locals will quote that to you within five minutes of arrival. Set aside three to four days minimum if you want to see the headline sights at a sane pace.
- West Lake (Xihu): The UNESCO-listed lake at the centre of the city, ringed by pagodas, willows and the famous Broken Bridge
- Lingyin Temple: A 1,700-year-old Buddhist monastery with stone Buddha carvings cut into the cliffs of the Feilai Feng grotto
- Longjing Tea Village: The home of Dragon Well green tea — go in spring for picking season
- Hefang Street: A pedestrianised Ming-Qing dynasty street for snacks, silk and souvenirs
- Grand Canal: The southern terminus of the world’s longest man-made waterway, best seen on an evening cruise
Booking Tips From One Singaporean To Another
The inaugural-week flights typically attract aviation geeks and content creators, which pushes Economy prices up. If you are happy to fly a week or two after launch, you usually save a few hundred ringgit — sorry, dollars.
- Use the KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escapes promo (released monthly) for redemption sweet spots
- Hangzhou is 8 hours ahead of UTC — same time zone as Singapore, no jet lag
- The Hangzhou metro connects Xiaoshan Airport to the city centre in about 50 minutes
- Mobile payments rule — set up Alipay TourCard or WeChat Pay before you fly
- Best weather windows: March-May (cherry blossoms) and September-November (cooler, drier)
The Bigger Picture For Changi
Hangzhou is one of more than 14 new or returning destinations Changi Airport has earmarked for 2026, with SIA also launching Riyadh, Madrid, Western Sydney and several European frequency boosts. Scoot has its own Pontianak launch on 29 June, plus more Vietnam routes.
Bottom line: Singapore Airlines Hangzhou flights make a trip that used to require connections or a low-cost carrier a much easier sell to the family group chat. Lock in your dates, pack the loose tea allowance, and prepare to come home with photos that look like Tang dynasty paintings.
