SINGAPORE - National carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) has announced it will start flying non-stop to Seattle in 2019, confirming a Straits Times report last week.

With the launch of services on Sept 3, 2019, Seattle will become SIA's fourth non-stop US destination.

The airline currently flies non-stop to San Francisco and Newark. A new non-stop service to Los Angeles will start on Nov 2.

SIA said on Thursday (Nov 1) that the Singapore-Seattle flights will initially be operated three times per week before increasing to four times per week in October 2019.

Airbus A350-900 aircraft will be used on the route, fitted with 42 business class, 24 premium economy class and 187 economy class seats. Depending on season and wind direction, the flight may take between 14 and 16 hours.

Subject to regulatory approvals, flight SQ28 will initially depart Singapore at 9.25am every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and arrive in Seattle at 9.05am on the same day (all times local).

"Our new non-stop flights to Seattle are another demonstration of our commitment to expand our operations in the important US market and grow our network reach."

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"The new services will also further strengthen the Singapore hub by providing customers faster and more convenient connectivity from key markets such as South-east Asia, South Asia and Australasia to North America," said SIA chief executive Goh Choon Phong.

The airline said the new Seattle flights will complement its existing services to the US cities of Houston, Los Angeles, New York (both JFK and Newark airports) and San Francisco.

As part of SIA's expansion in the US, existing non-stop services to San Francisco will also be increased from seven to 10 flights per week with effect from Nov 28, 2018.

SIA will operate 53 flights per week to the US by December 2018, including 27 non-stop Singapore-US services.

With the introduction of the new Seattle flights next year, total US frequency will increase to 57 flights per week.