Singapore Airlines (SIA) today launched the new ultra-long-range version of the Airbus A350-900 widebody. The Asian carrier adjusted its existing order for 63 A350-900s to include seven of the new A350-900ULR option, designed to fly up to 19 hours nonstop. It also ordered four more of the standard A350-900.

Designers optimized the A350-900ULR for direct flights to the U.S. (both East and West coasts), with increased fuel capacity and maximum takeoff weight (mtow), as well as various aerodynamic improvements. Airbus said that existing A350 operators will be able to modify their aircraft to the ULR configuration through a retrofit program. Fuel capacity increases from 141,000 liters to 165,000 liters (without the need for supplementary fuel tanks) and mtow goes up to 280 metric tons.

The new twinjet will allow SIA to resume nonstop flights from Singapore to New York City—which cover a distance of 8,700 nm and require a flight time of almost 19 hours. The airline previously operated nonstop from Singapore to New York between 2004 and 2013, using the four-engine A340-500.