While Changi Airport is often regarded as the best airport in the world, and while Singapore Airlines is often regarded as one of the best airlines in the world, I find Singapore Airlines’ premium ground experience at their hub to be underwhelming.
Changi Airport Terminal 3
Their home is in Terminal 3, and somehow their lounges already feel outdated, even though they’re not actually that old. On that front, there’s some good news.
Singapore Airlines Business Lounge Changi Terminal 3
Singapore Airlines Private Room Changi Terminal 3
Singapore Airlines is investing more than SGD50 million in a major revamp of their Changi Terminal 3 lounges.
The work will take place between August 2019 and mid-2021, so you can expect operations to be disrupted for the next couple of years, though hopefully it’s worth it. The revamp will be done in four phases:
- The business class lounge will be renovated first (the lounge is open to all Star Alliance business class passengers)
- Then the first class lounge and The Private Room will be renovated (the first class lounge is open to all Star Alliance first class passengers, while The Private Room is open to Singapore Airlines first & Suites passengers)
- Then the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge will be renovated (the lounge is open to Star Alliance Gold members)
- During all of this, customers affected by the renovation will be invited to temporary lounges to ensure minimal disruptions
Singapore Airlines says that this project will see the airline increase their total lounge space in Terminal 3 by about 30%. The new lounges will offer more generous open spaces, upgraded facilities, and a wide array of food and beverage options.
Singapore Airlines is working with hospitality designers Hirsch Bedner Associates on this project. Their goal is to give the lounges a fresh look and to make each lounge feel modern yet homely, while inspiring a sense of timeless elegance.
If you’re traveling in first class or Suites, here’s what you can expect:
For the ultimate bespoke lounge experience, Suites and First Class customers can look forward to a brand new The Private Room and First Class Lounge, with carefully designed luxurious and intimate seating spaces suitable for both work and rest. The First Class Lounge will continue to feature a flagship bar, and The Private Room, a full-service fine dining section within the lounge. Customers can look forward to an enhanced epicurean journey with fresh and seasonally curated dining offerings, on top of the perennial local favourites.
Meanwhile here’s what’s in store for the business class lounge:
The Business Class Lounge will be expanded and feature four distinct zones that cater to travellers with different needs. Customers with a short transit can have a light snack in a relaxed café setting, while those with more time to spend may explore a full selection of Asian and international cuisines in the dining hall, including live stations that will offer signature local delights.
A highlight of the new Business Class Lounge will be a full service bar that doubles up as a self service breakfast station in the mornings. Productivity pods will also be available for customers who need a discreet corner to catch up on work, while a rest area with chaise lounges will be provided for customers to catch some shut-eye before their flight.
Lastly, here’s what to expect from the new KrisFlyer Gold Lounge:
The KrisFlyer Gold Lounge will double in capacity and include dedicated working spaces, as well as larger al fresco seating and dining areas. The lounge will also be equipped with restrooms and showers.
Bottom line
I’m happy to see Singapore Airlines investing in their flagship Terminal 3 lounges. Their current lounge setup really is extremely uninspired, in my opinion. The decor is bland, as is the food and drink selection and amenities.
In their business class lounge, for example, I’m excited to see that they’ll have some live cooking stations. I also really hope to see them add barista coffee, since that’s something they don’t currently have. While this isn’t something that can easily be added, I also wish the lounge had natural light.
Now, I don’t want to be too skeptical right off the bat, but am I the only one who is managing my expectations based on the renderings? I realize this is very much personal taste, but the turquoise carpet in the first picture looks out of place to me and takes away from the elegancy of the rest of the design, and the decor of the third picture already looks outdated, and most definitely doesn’t look “timeless.” Again, that may very well just be me, though.
Are you excited about Singapore’s new lounges at Changi Airport?
@JW
The pay per use lounges do offer massages. I don't see why the J or F lounges wouldn't be able to, and even charge for them.
@EC2 - It’s a J flight early in the morning.
Was in the private room a few months ago. The food was merely ok. With the opening of the Jewel and the wide dining selection there it tends to discourage my spending time in the lounge unless I just need somewhere quiet.
There's some rumour talk on Flyertalk that the temporary Krisflyer Gold Lounge will be the new Marhaba lounge (run by DNATA). That actually sounds like an improvement for *Golds.
@ooyaboon: Yeah, my partner is flying out of SIN on SQ business class in November, so I'm curious what it will be like for her. I wonder if they'll offer any enhanced amenities to the KF Gold Lounge (like better food) because it currently is not a competitive business class lounge product (as others have said).
My wife and I are flying out of Changi to Auckland in business first week of October. Are we likely to lose lounge access because of the renovations and will there be an alternative business lounge available ?
@ Justin - thanks for the clarification. I missed that.
KF gold as temporary biz class lounge - the horror, the horror..
@Tobias Shulz
Has it not occurred to you that it doesn't make sense to renovate the T2 lounge concurrently with the T3 one? So the airline is to remove all of their hub lounges for a couple of years then?
Just like Cathay Pacific is working to offer a style in their outport lounges (see the recent renovation completion of their Shanghai lounge) more consistent with The Pier, which is considered their gold standard.
Similarly,...
@Tobias Shulz
Has it not occurred to you that it doesn't make sense to renovate the T2 lounge concurrently with the T3 one? So the airline is to remove all of their hub lounges for a couple of years then?
Just like Cathay Pacific is working to offer a style in their outport lounges (see the recent renovation completion of their Shanghai lounge) more consistent with The Pier, which is considered their gold standard.
Similarly, it would be stupid of SQ not to work to start work on their T2 offering once T3's is complete.
hi how about tpr? where will it be moved temporarily?
my flight is on mid aug and early sept.
@ooyaboon: I read the SQ email differently and in line with what @Lucky wrote. The Business Class lounge will get renovated first and business class passengers will be accommodated in the Krisflyer Gold Lounge. They’re setting up a temp Krisflyer Gold Lounge for *Golds while this happens. So *Golds get sent to new temp lounge, Biz class fliers to KF Gold Lounge, First class stays as is, and Business Class section of SilverKris Lounge gets renovated.
@Lucky
The email sent by SQ yesterday implies that the KF Gold lounge will be the first to get renovated. It will close down end of this month, and SQ will be accommodating px at an alternate Lounge which is on the opposite side of the LV store in T3
Great news. Couldn’t agree more with @Lucky’s assessment of the lounge situation for SQ at SIN. That said, I’m not sure if the new lounge will be groundbreaking. The newish SQ lounge at LHR T2 wasn’t that impressive.
They did mention offhand that renovations were planned in the Private Room when I was last there. Guess I’ll book my next award for when this is finished!
Hopefully they will double the number of showers in the business lounge and do what is the norm everywhere else in the known world and include a toilet in the shower room. The current set up is out of another age.
I won't hold out great hopes though. These days SQ talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk and trades on past glory. These days it's pretty mediocre.
@preacher forget about massages, having one in Singapore requires a special license with specially trained masseuses. This establishment shall also cannot be categorises as any other, meaning it can only be a massage parlour or a lounge, not both.
Agree with Dennis above. Main event is in the sky. The only time one is in a lounge is before an outbound or connecting flight. I guess if one has a very long time in between flights it matters.
@ Andrew.. Are you flying to Singapore just for the lounge? I believe that SQ has other lounges and hopefully you have a Priority Pass membership for the other lounges.
I remember feeling the same in the PER SQ lounge. Not that exciting. But then again, the main event is in the sky (which it should be!). Well, good news. Looking forward to my next SQ flight.
@Andrew - why would a lounge renovation be affecting your flight in December?!
Definitely a personal taste thing. I think the turquoise adds some colour and personality to the otherwise bland space and the third photo looks similar to their recently refurbished outstation lounges, and I love that just from one photo, you can see 6 different types of seating, making it much more likely that you would find some seat that is comfortable for your own tastes.
Hopefully this is not affecting my flight too much (which is in December)
The business class lounge at peak times in the run up to post midnight departures is seriously sub par - not enough seating and general manic air as irritable connecting passengers search around for a seat. Plus zero outlets to charge anything. I’m only an infrequent SQ traveller but the ground experience in Business is not what I expect from the brand.
But if originating in Singapore it’s more fun to hang out at...
The business class lounge at peak times in the run up to post midnight departures is seriously sub par - not enough seating and general manic air as irritable connecting passengers search around for a seat. Plus zero outlets to charge anything. I’m only an infrequent SQ traveller but the ground experience in Business is not what I expect from the brand.
But if originating in Singapore it’s more fun to hang out at the Pearl and sample the myriad dining options anyway!
The lounge situation with *G Y passengers was/is absolutely pathetic, almost on par with United Clubs. No showers, or even toilets inside the lounges! Intentionally!
Here’s what the Private Room needs:
1. Free shoeshines, like the Emirates FC lounge in Dubai
2. Free massages, like many FC lounges
3. Free shaves, like the Etihad FC lounge in Abu Dhabi
4. Actual sleeprooms, like many FC lounges
Not seeing any of that in those renderings, though, or the verbal descriptions.
Disappointing they only renovate their T3 space. T2 is equally outdated (old showers, boring seating environment,...). I use their T2 First Lounge as a Solitaire and it's the only part of SQ that does not reflect the quality of the airline, which is interesting when you compare the quality of First lounges of the likes of Qantas in SYD, MEL, JAL in HND or CX in HKG at the Pier, whereas their inflight product is...
Disappointing they only renovate their T3 space. T2 is equally outdated (old showers, boring seating environment,...). I use their T2 First Lounge as a Solitaire and it's the only part of SQ that does not reflect the quality of the airline, which is interesting when you compare the quality of First lounges of the likes of Qantas in SYD, MEL, JAL in HND or CX in HKG at the Pier, whereas their inflight product is less comfortable compared to SQ (my personal opinion at least).
let me know where else I can get satay, Dom and lobster in a lounge that allows award redemptions...
That’s fantastic. As a former * gold, I found the silverkris gold lounge little underwhelming, especially without bathrooms/showers. Now that’s going to change. Their business class lounge is pretty good, but didn’t feel like it matched the openness outside. I’m glad they’re renovating.