Singapore Airlines operates out of Changi Airport Terminals 2 and 3, and while two-terminal operations can often cause confusion, thatโs the way things will have to be until Terminal 5 comes around in the mid-2030s.
Two-terminal operations also means two sets of lounges, with the SilverKris First Class Lounge, SilverKris Business Class Lounge and KrisFlyer Gold Lounge all having T2 and T3 versions.
โ๏ธ SIA Lounges at Changi Airport | |
Terminal 2 | Terminal 3 |
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But just because youโre flying out of T2 doesnโt mean you must use the T2 lounges. Your entitlement is determined by elite status and cabin class, not the terminal youโre flying from.
So which lounges should you visit? Is it as simple as newer = better, or are there other things to consider?
๐ฅ SIA Terminal 2 vs Terminal 3 Lounges |
Singapore Airlines lounge access rules
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First, a brief recap of Singapore Airlinesโ lounge access rules when departing from Changi Airport.
For context, the overall hierarchy (from top to bottom) is:
- The Private Room
- SilverKris First Class Lounge
- SilverKris Business Class Lounge
- KrisFlyer Gold Lounge
A passenger with access to a higher tier lounge can visit a lower tier if they wish.
Departing on Singapore Airlines flight
Status / Cabin | Eligible Lounge | Guests |
Suites or First Class* | The Private Room | โ |
SKL First Class | +1 | |
Business Class | SKL Business Class | โ |
Solitaire PPS Club* (in Business, Premium Economy or Economy) |
SKL First Class | +1 |
PPS Club (in Business, Premium Economy or Economy) |
SKL Business Class | +1 |
KrisFlyer Elite Gold (in Business) |
SKL Business Class | +1 |
KrisFlyer Elite Gold (in Premium Economy or Economy) |
KrisFlyer Gold | +1 |
*Lounge access also available on arrival in SIN |
Departing on Star Alliance flight
Status / Cabin | Eligible Lounge | Guests |
First Class | SKL First Class | +1 |
Business Class | SKL Business Class | โ |
Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club, KrisFlyer Elite Gold, Star Gold (in Business) |
SKL Business Class | +1 |
Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club, KrisFlyer Elite Gold, Star Gold (in Premium Economy or Economy) |
KrisFlyer Gold Lounge | +1 |
Departing on Scoot flight
Status / Cabin | Eligible Lounge | Guests |
Solitaire PPS Club | SKL First Class | +1 |
Which terminal does your Singapore Airlines flight depart from?
SIA flights to Southeast Asia, Bangladesh, Maldives, Japan (except SQ12) and South Korea operate from T2. All other flights operate from T3.
โ๏ธ SIA Departures from Changi Airport | |
Terminal 2 | Terminal 3 |
|
All other destinations |
โ Terminal 1 Departures |
So packed is the SIA schedule that flights can sometimes depart from T1 as well. If your boarding gate starts with a C or D, itโs located in T1- typically at the edge where it joins to T2/T3. Even so, however, you will still need to check in at T2 or T3. SIA has no check-in desks at T1. |
However, youโre free to check-in at either T2 or T3.
The only caveat is that if you want to check-in at the โwrongโ terminal and are checking baggage, you must do so at least 90 minutes before departure. Otherwise, youโll be sent to the โcorrectโ terminal (the concern is that your bags wonโt make it to the plane in time).
Why would you go to the lounge in the โwrongโ terminal? Because SIAโs Changi lounges are not all made equal.
The Private Room (T3 only)
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Since the focus of this article is the differences between the T2 and T3 lounges, I wonโt talk too much about The Private Room, which is a T3 exclusive.
But in short, if youโre flying First Class on Singapore Airlines, you should check-in at T3, period, or else you wonโt get the full-fat experience. The Private Room offers an unmatched level of privacy and service, a dining room with an a la carte menu and Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, private mini-hotel rooms with beds, and oversized shower suites boasting COMO Shambhala bath amenities.
It doesnโt matter whether youโre on a 90-minute hop to Jakarta or a marathon voyage to Los Angeles, you get access all the same. Itโs one of the quintessential experiences of your virgin (and hopefully subsequent!) First Class flight, so come early to enjoy it.
A first-timerโs guide to Singapore Airlines Suites & First Class
SilverKris First Class Lounge (T2 & T3)
Terminal 2 | Terminal 3 | |
Capacity | 61 pax. | 134 pax. |
F&B |
|
|
Toilets | Yes | Yes |
Showers | 8 showers, located inside main restrooms | 6 self-contained suites with attached toilet |
Productivity Pods | No | Yes |
Sleeping Area | No | Four private nap rooms |
Power Outlets | Limited | Plentiful, with USB-A and wireless charging pads |
Windows | Yes | No |
Given that SIAโs First Class passengers have access to The Private Room, the SilverKris First Class Lounge is really more for Solitaire PPS Club members, or First Class passengers departing on Star Alliance carriers.
The T3 facility has slightly over double the capacity of the one in T2, and is of course a lot more modern, having hatched from a 2022 renovation. Throughout the lounge youโll find design flourishes like crystal lighting and brass accents, paired with stylish furniture and soothing lighting.
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In contrast, the T2 lounge feels like a glorified waiting room, with little seating variety beyond dining and armchairs. And even though this lounge has windows and natural light, it speaks volumes about what design can do that it actually feels like the darker of the two.
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On paper, the F&B options are the same, with both lounges having a buffet, live cooking station, manned bar and barista service. But in practice there are big differences. For one, the buffet selection in T3 has, by my guesstimation, maybe 30% more options to choose from.
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The bigger kitchen in T3 also allows for more items at the live cooking station, and youโll regularly see up to eight options here, versus just two in T2.
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Thereโs big differences in terms of showers too. At T3, there are six private shower suites, each with their own Grohe Sensia Arena toilet.
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In T2, the male and female bathrooms each have four shower cubicles, which are considerably smaller and lack attached toilets. Itโs considerably less private, and feels more like a locker room setup.
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Other T3-only features include productivity pods, which allow you to catch up with some work before your flightโฆ
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โฆand four day rooms with beds and writing desks, which can be booked for two-hour slots via the reception desk.
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SilverKris Business Class Lounge
Terminal 2 | Terminal 3 | |
Opening hours | 24h | 24h |
Capacity | 246 pax. | 1,150 pax. |
F&B |
|
|
Toilets | Yes | Yes |
Showers | 8 shower rooms, located inside main restrooms | 15 self-contained suites with attached toilet |
Productivity Pods | No | Yes |
Sleeping Area | No | 14x slumberettes |
Power Outlets | Limited | Plentiful, with USB-A and wireless charging pads |
Windows | No | Yes |
Other Facilities | N/A | Meeting room |
When it comes to the SilverKris Business Class Lounge, itโs a very similar story.
The T3 lounge underwent a major renovation and reopened in 2022, expanding its capacity to a whopping 1,150 passengers, versus just 246 in T2. The design language is refreshingly modern, and the lounge makes full use of T3โs natural light, with an open design that makes it feel bright and airy. Its size also allows for proper segmentation of activities- whether youโre working, dining, socialising, relaxing or napping, youโll find a space thatโs best suited for it.
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Contrast that to T2, where things are dark and somber. Thereโs no windows or natural light here at all, and the lounge is basically two sections: a dining area, and a seating area where the main question is โwhich one of these identical-looking armchairs do I want?โ Truth be told, it gets old very fast, and feels little different from a contract lounge.
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Where dining is concerned, the T3 lounge has several different concepts depending on how much time you have. At one end of the lounge is a cafรฉ style area with sandwiches, finger food (popcorn chicken, potato wedges, spring rolls), and other grab-and-go fare.
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Then thereโs the bar, which has barista service in the mornings and cocktails in the evenings (itโs annoying that you canโt get a cocktail at 12 p.m, because if there were ever a place which met the definition of โ5 Oโclock somewhere, youโd think itโd be the airport).
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For serious dining, head over to the dining hall which offers a hot buffet line with numerous options that rotate throughout the day, plus chilled displays with maki rolls, salad bar, soba noodles, cheese, pastries and desserts. Thereโs also two live cooking stations, serving up options like laksa, prawn noodles and pasta.
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Dining is a much simpler affair in T2, where thereโs just a single buffet line. Thereโs no room here for a bar, nor live cooking stations, so what you see is what you get. Naturally, given the space constraints, you wonโt find as many options as the T3 lounge either.
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Just like the First Class lounge, the shower experience will be very different in T3 vs T2. In T3, there are 15 private shower suites with attached electric bidet toilets.
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In T2, there are four shower rooms each in the menโs and womenโs restroom, which are rather cramped and unglamorous. Thereโs no attached toilet, the toiletries come in an ugly white plastic wall-mounted dispenser, and itโs not very pleasant overall.
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If youโre looking to do some work, only the T3 lounge has productivity pods, which can be found in several places throughout the lounge. These come with built-in wireless charging and power outlets.
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T2, on the other hand, has surprisingly poor work credentials, as its business centre has been stripped out and replaced with more seating. Unless youโre able to find a dining table, youโll really be putting the โlapโ in laptop to good use.
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For those who want to rest, the T3 lounge is the only place where youโll find slumberettes. Thereโs a total of 14, for which reservations are not needed (nor accepted).
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Other T3-only facilities include a six-person meeting room, complete with whiteboard and TV screen for presenting.
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KrisFlyer Gold Lounge
Terminal 2 | Terminal 3 | |
Opening hours | 24h | 24h |
Capacity | 160 pax. | 350 pax. |
F&B |
|
|
Toilets | No | Yes |
Showers | No | 4 self-contained suites, without attached toilet |
Productivity Pods | No | No |
Sleeping Area | No | No |
Power Outlets | Limited | Plentiful, with USB-A and wireless charging pads |
Windows | No | Yes |
Other Facilities | N/A | Work desks |
The KrisFlyer Gold Lounge is the โspecially-designatedโ facility for Economy and Premium Economy Class passengers with elite status (apart from Singapore Airlinesโ own PPS members, who are guaranteed at least the Business Class section of the SilverKris Lounge).
Thatโs rather euphemistic, and while thereโs no denying the quality gap between the SilverKris Lounges and the KrisFlyer Gold Lounges, at least the T3 facility has dramatically improved since its 2022 renovation. Itโs now more elegant and modern, with increased capacity and new-look furnishings. While not quite as lux as the SilverKris Lounge, youโll still have a dedicated dining space, and numerous seating areas including some tucked away in nooks that provide extra privacy or noise isolation.
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The T2 lounge, on the other hand, is probably the worst Singapore Airlines lounge in the entire network. It doesnโt even have a separate dining area, so I hope you like eating on armchairs and having to turn sideways every time you want to pick up your plate. Thereโs also almost no privacy here, since itโs basically one large rectangular room with no partitioned-off areas. You can see from one end to the other when standing up.
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In terms of dining, I didnโt do an exact inventory, but I think the F&B selection is roughly the same across T2 and T3. At most you could say that the T3 lounge has more room to maneuver, because the hot food has its own area, separate from the cold food and drinks.
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In T2 itโs a lot more cramped because the layout forces most food and drinks to be squeezed on a single long table at the far end of the lounge. To drive home the lack of space, some additional items are also places on two makeshift tables perpendicular to the main buffet line.
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When it comes to showers and toilets, the T3 lounge has three shower rooms (plus one more accessible unit), though none of them has an attached toilet. If you want to pee, youโll need to visit the separate menโs or womenโs room.
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But hey, thatโs still better than T2, which has no showers or toilets. If you want to answer the call of nature, youโll need to exit the lounge, U-turn down a corridor and visit the public facilities in the terminal.
As for getting work done, the T3 lounge is obviously superior because of its more varied seating choices, including long communal tables with wireless charging pads built into the table top and charging outlets below, plus eight desk positions.
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In T2, itโs almost entirely lounge chair and side tables, unless youโre lucky enough to grab one of two work desks at the very rear of the lounge.
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Which lounges should you go to?
For most people, thereโs very little competition between the T3 and T2 lounges. The T3 lounges are newer. They have more capacity, nicer dรฉcor, better facilities, and larger F&B selections. If this is your first-ever Business Class experience, you owe it to yourself to experience the T3 lounge, and if youโre in First Class, you must go to The Private Room in T3, no arguments.
But itโs not always a case of newer = better. The T3 lounges are bigger, but they can get very crowded, especially during the peak hours of early morning and evening. In the SilverKris Business Class and KrisFlyer Gold lounges especially, it can be standing room only at some times, with all the associated noise and claustrophobia.
Itโs for this reason that some veterans will head to the T2 lounges just for peace and quiet, even if it means an objectively worse hard product. Iโve always thought that the naturally dark interior of the T2 lounges would make them ideal spots to wind down before a red-eye flight anyway, rather than the overstimulating T3 environment.
I also want to point out that itโs not that inconvenient to go to the lounge in the โwrongโ terminal- it really boils down to which gate your flight is leaving from.
For example, if your flight departs from the F Gates in T2, you could make an equally strong case to visit the T3 lounge instead, since the west Skytrain between T3 and T2 will deposit you directly at the F gates. In contrast, if you were to visit the T2 lounge, youโd need to double back across the T2 concourse.
That argument can of course be made in reverse too, in that someone flying from the B Gates in T3 might visit the T2 lounge instead, since the east Skytrain between T2 and T3 will deposit you directly at the B gates (though given the quality gap between the T2 and T3 lounges, I donโt think many people would opt to do this!).
Conclusion
Singapore Airlinesโ dual-terminal operations require it to have lounges across Terminals 2 and 3, and it should be little surprise that the T3 lounges have the better hard product, simply because of the additional space and recent renovation.
Iโm quite certain there must be a refurbishment plan in the works for T2, because I donโt think these lounges can last till the mid-2030s when T5 finally arrives. But until then theyโre only suited for those who dislike crowds, or who have already experienced the T3 lounges enough times that all they want now is some peace and quiet.
SIA passengers: T2 or T3 lounge for you?
โNew is always better.โ โโโBarney Stinson
I prefer T2. and indeed, for peace and quietโฆ
My experience is that while you can check in at T3 (at least without checked baggage) for a flight departing T2 with the intention of using the lounge in T3, the auto gates will not work. Youโll be directed to a regular staffed counter. When I asked about this, the explanation was that because the flight was departing T2, thatโs where the system expected the passenger to pass through immigration. YMMV.
I always head to T2 when I need a shower especially between 8pm to 12 am. The zoo that SKL T3 Business is, itโs really unpleasant to do anything during that time frame there, regardless itโs dining, chilling or just wanting to take a quick bath. Ironically flying OW is so much more pleasant out of SIN despite it being a *A hub. The 25 shower stalls in QF business alone murders SQ.
Iโm having a confusion, so like you can check in and enter immigration at T3 even if your terminal is at T2?
yes