More legroom and freshly brewed coffee in business class, device holders and USB charging in economy. We'd try to pick the 737 MAX whenever flying SilkAir.

Update: 12th March 2019. SilkAir’s Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft are grounded until further notice. You can see an updated list of the routes it was flying as of March 2019 and read more about the grounding here.

It’s been a few months since we looked at where SilkAir are flying their latest 737 MAX 8 aircraft, so here’s an update on the current schedules for these new jets, which feature the latest SilkAir Business Class and Economy Class seats.

Earlier this month the fourth SilkAir 737 MAX aircraft was delivered from a total order of 37. Those four planes are flying 92 flights per week between them across 11 destinations from Singapore.

Note: 11th March 2019. Owing to recent events this article from April 2018 is attracting some increased attention. SilkAir now has six Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in service (9V-MBA to -MBF). The destination list remains as per the map above, with the exception of Fuzhou which is no longer served by the MAX.

In addition, selected Penang flights (2 per week) and selected Wuhan flights (4 per week) also use the MAX. The schedules below may no longer be accurate.

Our sincere condolences to those affected by the recent tragic 737 MAX accidents.

Note: 12th March 2019. SilkAir grounds the 737 MAX 8.

Here’s their weekly roster:

Bengaluru (BLR) Flights Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun MI424

MI423 MAX — — MAX MAX MAX MAX

Cairns (CNS) Flights Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun MI811

MI812 MAX — — MAX — MAX — MI813

MI814 — — MAX — MAX — —

Chongquing (CKG) Flights Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun MI972

MI971 738 — — — MAX — MAX MI976

MI975 — 738 — — — MAX — MI980

MI979 — — 738 — — — —

Darwin (DRW) Flights Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun MI801

MI802 — — MAX — MAX — MAX MI803

MI804* MAX — — — — — —

* Returns DRW-SIN next day

Fuzhou (FOC) Flights Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun MI996

MI995 MAX — MAX — MAX — MAX

Hiroshima (HIJ) Flights Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun MI868

MI867 MAX — — MAX — MAX —

Hyderabad (HYD) Flights Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun MI472

MI471* — — — MAX MAX MAX MAX MI474

MI473 MAX MAX MAX MAX MAX MAX MAX

* Returns HYD-SIN next day

Kathmandu (KTM) Flights Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun MI412

MI411 — 738 — 738 — — — MI414

MI413 MAX — MAX — MAX — MAX

Kuala Lumpur (KUL) Flights Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun MI320

MI319 319 319 319 319 319 — — MI322

MI321 738 319 738 738 738 320 738 MI324

MI323 738 738 738 738 738 738 319 MI326

MI325 320 738 MAX MAX 319 738 738 MI328

MI327 738 738 738 738 738 738 738 MI330

MI329 738 738 738 738 738 738 738 MI340

MI339 319 319 319 319 738 738 738 MI342

MI341 — — — — — 738 738

Phuket (HKT) Flights Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun MI752

MI751 738 320 320 MAX 320 MAX 738 MI754

MI753 320 MAX 738 738 738 MAX 738 MI756

MI755 738 738 738 738 738 738 738 MI758

MI757 319 738 738 738 738 738 738

Pnomh Penh (PNH) Flights Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun MI602

MI601 319 738 MAX 319 320 738 738 MI606

MI605 738 — — 738 738 738 319 MI608

MI607 738 319 319 320 319 738 319

What’s good about the MAX?

Let’s be clear – the 737 MAX 8 is no game-changer. Having said that there are some improvements in both cabins, which we think make it the go-to aircraft if you’re flying with SilkAir anyway. On some routes like Kathmandu there’s no other choice if you want to fly non-stop, so pick the flights operated by the MAX for a better experience.

In Business Class there’s 25% more legroom compared with the Airbus A319/A320 and 737-800 aircraft. There’s even a gourmet Illy coffee maker on board, a sure hit if (like us) you’re basically allergic to ‘instant’.

In Economy Class legroom is no different to other SilkAir planes with 31-inch seat pitch – but here the newly designed seats now feature a seat-back holder for personal electronic devices like phones and tablets, plus a USB socket for charging in every seat back.

It means you can continue watching your favourite movie or TV program even during meal times.

How to tell

Flights are always subject to equipment swaps due to operational changes, so here’s how to tell if you’re definitely on the MAX. On the Singapore Airlines / SilkAir website the aircraft type has become a bit more subtle lately, with the ‘MAX’ designation removed. You need to check for the ‘737-8’, rather than the regular ‘737-800’.

The seat map is another way to tell the difference in Economy Class – the MAX features rows 5 to 29 while the 737-800 has rows 5 to 30, the A319 has rows 5 to 25 and the A320 has rows 5 to 28.

Unfortunately in Business Class all SilkAir aircraft have the same seating layout – 3 rows in a 2-2 configuration, so it’s not possible to discern the aircraft type using that method in this cabin.

Summary

More 737 MAX aircraft in the SilkAir fleet means more options to enjoy increased comfort on your SilkAir flights – especially in Business Class. If you’re flying SilkAir anyway, for example on routes with no Singapore Airlines option, it’s worth checking if you can book on one of these newer aircraft.

Have you flown on the SilkAir 737 MAX yet? If so let us know how it was in the comments section below.

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(Cover Photo: MainlyMiles)