Via Julian Mark Kheel Singapore Airlines is running a fantastic sale on premium economy roundtrips (think domestic first class but with Singapore Airlines food and service) from their US gateways. You can buy premium economy from $1197 roundtrip. And upgrades are remarkably easy.

Singapore Airlines flies:

• San Francisco – Singapore
  
• San Francisco – Hong Kong – Singapore
  
• New York – Frankfurt – Singapore
  
• Houston – Manchester, UK – Singapore
  
• Los Angeles – Seoul – Singapore
  
• Los Angeles – Tokyo – Singapore

Here’s availability — wide open — on Singapore’s 5 times a week Houston route:

Here’s a sample itinerary:

For Houston departures here are key rules for fare Basis PSQ15:

• Outbound travel permitted through June 14 or July 11 through December 10
  
• One month maximum stay
  
• Refundable for a $200 fee. There’s no change fees but you’d pay any difference in fare.

For the Houston flight, that’s operated by Singapore’s new Airbus A350 without a first class cabin but with their latest business class product. I attended the aircraft’s Houston inaugural last month.

I do like the soft product in premium economy. There’s one knock on though in my opinion: width. It’s a couple of inches narrower than the American Airlines premium economy seat.

Of course I always prefer business class — goodness knows it makes a difference San Francisco – Singapore and Singapore Airlines Krisflyer makes it really easy to upgrade from premium economy. A quirk in the program makes it possible to upgrade most of the time (availability usually isn’t an issue) and the points are easy to get.

Singapore Airlines doesn’t have cash co-pays for mileage upgrades the way that United and American do. If upgrade space is available, you can upgrade with miles.

And Singapore Airlines is unique in offering both saver upgrades and standard upgrades. Standard upgrades are more expensive, but are also usually available.

What’s more, Singapore miles are easy to get, transfer them from your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or your Citi Prestige Card, they’re an American Express Membership Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest transfer partner as well.