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With its soaring spaces bathed in natural light, Singapore’s Changi International Airport forms a spectacular airport gateway. The airport is the travel hub of Singapore Airlines, with airport lounges that rank among the world’s most luxurious and exclusive. There is also an excellent British Airways Concorde Bar lounge, which is worth a try if you can get access.
At Changi Airport, Singapore Airlines (SQ) offers four tiers of lounges for their premium passengers, including Star Alliance partner carriers. We have reviewed each lounge below.
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1. SilverKris Lounge The Private Room Terminal 3
This is the best in Singapore Changi airport and is saved for passengers flying on Singapore Airlines only in their First Class cabin or Suites. You get what you pay for here with staff that serves you food and drinks (instead of a buffet), fine dining, and high-quality meals. There is also a high-end buffet if the main dishes don’t fill you up. Seats are comfortable and private, with an exclusive shower and bathroom area.
2. The Singapore Concorde Bar
After a four-month refurbishment in 2015, British Airways’ transformed its business and first class lounge at Singapore’s Changi Airport. The centerpiece of the new British Airways Singapore Lounge is the Concorde Bar, which is my number two choice of lounge at Changi Airport. If you want access, you need to be flying BA in First Class, or you must hold a Concorde Room card.
The Concorde Bar borrows and uses the same Concorde Room brand as the airline’s flagship London Heathrow lounges. I think this is the best lounge, or mini lounge in Changi Airport, and is far superior to the BA lounge mentioned above.
While not a full-on lounge and dining area like the elite Concorde Rooms in London and New York, the Concorde Bar draws is similar, if smaller, in design and style. Entry is restricted to the most elite luxury travelers traveling in first class, Executive Club Gold Concorde Room Card-holders, and invitation-only Executive Club Premier members. Designed to be a sanctuary for first class passengers, you can only get in using a passcode or via the attendant who greets you on arrival and will open the door. This keeps the lounge exclusive for those in the know.
The Concorde Bar seats 41 high flyers with some couples’ sofas, seven private booths, a high-top table for working, and again high-backed leather winged chairs. The Concorde Bar has a completely different and innovative design when compared to the rest of the Singapore lounge. Black Nero marble is mixed with blackened oak flooring, and electric walls display the sky of Singapore on the ceiling. On the walls, they will project views of Singapore, which will all change according to the time of day, so it feels like they are overlooking the backdrop of Singapore.
3. The British Airways Singapore Lounge
An exclusive lounge for BA’s elite first class passengers and top-tier Executive Club frequent flyers on BA or Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald equivalents (such as Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold and Platinum and Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club Gold and Diamond members). For BA passengers flying first class or holding a Concorde Room card, there is also a small exclusive Concorde Room section in this lounge; otherwise, you are stuck in the main lounge. The combo of lounges is, however, one of the best in Changi Airport.
The lounge entrance is a glass door with a large glossy BA blue frame. Two small counters on the left and right side of the entrance are staffed by attendants who check guests in. After entry, the Concorde Room is to the right, while the bathroom and showers are to the left. The rest of the lounge stretches a long way straight.
The lounge has a variety of different seating arrangements. There are large sofas surrounding coffee tables, bar top style high chairs on long tables, large solid leather chairs, large swivel leather chairs, and, lastly, small dining tables. At the back of the lounge is a large business center area with a few desktop computers and office-style long tables with multi-pin adaptors. The lounge also has an area with some reading materials such as newspapers and magazines.
The lounge has been designed well. On the left side of the lounge, you have seating zones all the way down, with leather armchairs and sofas for people traveling together. In the middle, people can sit on stools and have something to eat or drink, do work, and look down on the airport concourse. This area also contains the food offering and BA’s signature champagne bar. At the far end is a work area with workstations and wireless printing. The look is elegant but contemporary, with lots of rather appealing sparkly light effects (see pictures in this review below).
The British Airways Singapore Lounge opens its doors daily from 3:00 pm until the 11:15 pm departure of flight BA16 to London.
4. SilverKris Lounge First Class Section Terminal 2
To access the first class lounge, you need to be flying out of Changi in first class on Singapore Airlines (or a Star Alliance partner). Regional first only gets you access to the business class section.
Located to the right of the SilverKris Business Class lounge, this lounge offers much more space, nicer furniture, and a proper bar where you get served by real people with premium wines and liquors. The food area has better cold and hot dishes than the main lounge, which is outlined below. I rank this lounge higher than the terminal 3 lounge as it is smaller and more intimate.
5. Silverkris Lounge Terminal 2
Open to passengers traveling in Business class ticket on Singapore Airlines or one of their Star Alliance partners in order to access these lounges, I experienced this Silverkris Lounge at Changi airport before boarding a flight on Singapore Airlines (SQ) A330 in Business Class from Singapore Changi International Airport to Ho Chi Minh City, which I flew in April 2017. I rank this lounge higher than the terminal 3 lounge as it is smaller and more intimate.
This lounge used to be Singapore Airlines’ flagship lounge before the airline moved most of its operations to terminal 3 in 2011, where it now runs a much larger lounge. This is a good home base for flights departing from E or F gates, as the train from terminal 3 can take about 15-20 minutes from the other lounges.
Both the terminal 2 and 3 lounges feature similar decor, with soft lighting and marble floors. The lounge facility at terminal 2 is located one floor above Changi’s famous ‘Enchanted Garden’, which comprises four giant glass bouquet sculptures decorated with a mosaic of stained glass. Access to the lounge is limited to Singapore Airlines Business Class passengers and passengers who hold elite status with a Star Alliance partner airline (e.g., Lufthansa, Swiss, Turkish Airlines, etc.).
As you enter the lounge, there’s an open-plan business center on the left, with both PC and Mac computers available to guests who need to catch up on work. Next, you arrive in the spacious restaurant area, which features a couple of dining tables placed alongside an excellent, self-service buffet.
There is a large and extensive selection of cold options (e.g., muesli, fruit, salads, cheese, Danish pastries, cereals, and sushi) and hot dishes (e.g., pasta, soup, noodles, curries, dim sums, pancakes, eggs, etc.). There’s also Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne.
The sitting area at the lounge is confined to one large, dimly lit room located adjacent to the restaurant area, which offers a dark, opulent escape from the bright lights of Changi Airport. There are plenty of armchairs, most of them equipped with universal power ports. There are complimentary local and international newspapers and magazines.
6. SilverKris Lounge First Class Section Terminal 3
To access the first class lounge, you need to be flying out of Changi in first class on Singapore Airlines (or a Star Alliance partner). Regional first only gets you access to the business class section. Located to the right of the Business Class lounge, this lounge offers much more space, nicer furniture, and a proper bar where you get served by real people with premium wines and liquors. The food area has better cold and hot dishes.
7. Silverkris Business Lounge Terminal 3
One of the largest lounges in the world and the largest at Changi (to cater for numerous A380 departures), this lounge is next to the First class lounge outlined above. there are numerous comfy and functional seats, and there is loads of food and drink, all provided in a buffet format. If you are stuck in either this or the T2 lounges overnight, staff will provide a Givenchy-branded pillow and blanket when asked, and a snooze here can be comfortable.
The windows on the left overlook the terminal and provide natural light, and there is a business center here shared with the First Lounge.
8. Krisflyer Gold Lounge Terminal 2
There are two Krisflyer Gold Lounges at Changi Airport, one in Terminal 2 and one in Terminal 3. These two lounges are for Star Alliance Gold passengers to use before flying on a Star Alliance carrier, including Air China, Air India, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, Lufthansa, Shenzhen Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, and United Airlines.
The Krisflyer Gold Lounge in terminal 2 offers Asian-inspired food, including a dim sum buffet, sandwiches, and complimentary drinks. The lounge has lots of dark wood paneling and lacks natural light. It’s good but not great, and as terminal 2 mainly flies Singapore Airlines’ intra-Asia flights, it can get busy.
9. Krisflyer Gold Lounge Terminal 3
The Krisflyer Gold Lounge Terminal 3 lounge caters to most of Singapore Airlines’ long-haul flights and is similar to its sister lounge in Terminal 2. It is more airy and has marginally better food options than terminal 2 because International flights are more expensive. Food on offer includes sandwiches, dim sum, soups, etc. Bathrooms are outside both of these lounges, which could be better.
10. Plaza Premium Lounge, Singapore Changi Terminal 1
Plaza Premium has just opened a new lounge at Singapore Changi Terminal 1, which you can use if you have a Priority Pass (free with Amex Platinum) or Lounge Club (free with Amex Gold) card. This is the one that you can buy your way into.
Plaza Premium, which operates decent airport lounges in Heathrow terminals 2 and 4, has expanded its offering to include Changi Terminal 1. The lounge is located in terminal 1 of Changi Airport in the departures hall, with views over the runway. Covering 7,000 ft², it includes a live cooking station that will be cooking up some Singapore favorites, including Singapore Laksa, Singapore Chicken Rice, and The Green Market Temaki.
Also on offer are comfy seating, Wi-Fi connectivity, six shower rooms, three private resting suites, two VIP rooms, and massage & nail care services for those who need them.
11. Swimming Pool Airport Lounge
There are not many airports where your alternative to filling up with food and lazing in an airport lounge is going for a swim, but next time you have a layover or are leaving from Changi Airport in Singapore, why not try to take a swim as a healthy alternative to an airport lounge.
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