Maps the strategic 50‐year journey of Singapore Airlines (SIA) to identify the underlying factors that account for its extraordinary success and world‐class stature. Both longitudinal and comparative research methodologies were employed. For the former, the approach taken was to systematically research SIA’s historical development over the entire 50‐year time period. SIA was studied from its very beginning and through all phases of its development to the present day. For the latter, SIA was compared with and benchmarked against other airlines. Its unique and successful product/service differentiation strategy, epitomised by the ephemeral Singapore Girl, has turned out to be enduring and difficult‐to‐match over the past 25 years and still shows no signs of letting up.