Singapore Airlines is set to retire its remaining Boeing 737-800 aircraft. With the narrowbody fleet being replaced by the more modern Boeing 737 MAX 8, the final aircraft is expected to be retired from service in the coming week, bringing the operator’s experience with the type to a close.
The retirement of the last remaining aircraft (registered as 9V-MGN) will bring the curtain down on over a decade of operations. In total, the carrier has operated 16 examples of the type over the past ten years.
The original examples of the type were first delivered to Singapore Airlines’ former subsidiary Silk Air from as early as February 2014 and were later absorbed into the Singapore fleet when Silk Air was wound down and taken over by the parent airline in May 2021. With the single aircraft now the only remaining example, which is reaching 10.1 years old, the airline has decided that the time has come to withdraw this final aircraft from active service.
They joined Singapore Airlines through the 2021 merger with SilkAir. At first, the airline had 15 of these jets. Now, only four remain, although only one is actively flying. The carrier has been retiring its Boeing 737-800s in phases as new Boeing 737 MAX 8s arrived in the fleet. While the first ended service in 2022, more followed in 2024, and the remaining planes have slowly been phased out during 2025.
The aircraft are being phased out as they are more expensive to operate and offer an inferior passenger experience than their newer replacements. The more modern 737 MAX 8s feature full reclining seats in business class (of which there are ten), and in-flight Wi-Fi offered to all passengers.
The newer aircraft also accommodate 144 passengers in economy class. Singapore Airlines aims to offer its passengers a uniform premium experience across its fleet, and retiring the 737-800s achieves that goal.
With 19 Boeing 737 MAX 8s already in service and with another seven aircraft due from the manufacturer, the airline’s short-haul future lies with the single-aisle variant. The last flight for the remaining 737-800 is scheduled for October 26, 2026, the last day of the summer 2025 IATA scheduling season.
For the whole of October 2025, the aircraft has been flying almost exclusively on the Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) to Penang (PEN) route – a short shuttle flight lasting just an hour in each direction. The aircraft has also featured on the occasional flight to Kathmandu in Nepal.
Once completed, the airline’s four remaining 737-800s still in its charge (registered 9V-MGK, 9V-MGL, 9V-MGM, and 9V-MGN) will all return to their lessors. They will be replaced by five new 737 MAX 8s in the upcoming financial year.
