Singapore Airlines has long been planning a new SilverKris Lounge in Melbourne, to better serve its five daily departures from Victoria’s capital. The current lounge, last refurbished in 2013, is really showing its age — and the dark and dingy “lounge dungeon” location certainly doesn’t help!
The airline was playing its cards close to the chest, but last week, a leak from the design agency gave us our first look at the new lounge. Singapore Airlines has now made this official by announcing the start of construction, with a targeted completion date by the end of 2026.
Overview: New Melbourne SilverKris Lounge
The new Melbourne SilverKris Lounge will move out of the infamous “lounge dungeon” and into a new home on the third floor of the departures terminal, above Gate 10. This space was previously occupied by the Aspire Lounge, and before that Etihad’s Premium Lounge.Â
This relocation allows guests to enjoy a bright, naturally lit space with sweeping tarmac views, a world away from the windowless basement that the current SilverKris Lounge occupies.
A total of 170 passengers can be accommodated across the First Class and Business Class sections, which span 792 sqm combined — 30% larger than its predecessor.
The lounge will feature signature design elements from SIA’s flagship SilverKris Lounges at Changi Airport, including a 3D batik wall at the entrance, and bespoke wingback chairs embroidered with the airline’s batik motif.Â
Inside the lounge are thoughtfully-designed areas for relaxing, refreshing and recharging, with productivity pods and shower facilities.
The expanded dining area will offer an elevated dining experience, including a buffet, live cooking stations, barista coffee, and a cocktail bar serving up a curated beverage programme.Â
Over in the First Class section, passengers will enjoy an intimate a la carte dining experience with upgraded wines and champagnes. Singapore Airlines will be keeping the Airbus A380 on the Melbourne route until late March 2027 — at the expense of Dubai — so it’s nice to see a ground experience more befitting of its Suites cabin.
Overall, this lounge plays it quietly luxurious, and very much in line with the new design aesthetic introduced at other renovated outstation lounges such as London Heathrow and Perth.
When will the lounge open?
In a previous investor briefing, Singapore Airlines stated that their Melbourne lounge was expected to be completed by September 2026.
However, the press release quotes a timeline of end-2026, which suggests the work may not be completed as quickly as was initially hoped.
Who gets access to the lounge?
The SilverKris Lounge in Melbourne will be accessible to the following passengers, when departing on a Singapore Airlines or Star Alliance operated flight. All guests must be travelling on the same flight as the eligible passenger.
First Class section
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Business Class section
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The current operating hours are as follows:
- 0255 to 0530 hours
- 0615 to 0845 hours
- 1220 to 1800 hours
- 2035 to 2300 hours
If you’re a Solitaire PPS Club member travelling on Scoot, do note that the departure timings for TR59 (1300 hours) and TR39 (2135 hours) don’t line up that nicely with the lounge operating hours, unfortunately.
Current Melbourne SilverKris Lounge
As the new lounge will occupy a completely different space, the existing SilverKris Lounge will remain open until construction works are completed.
This isn’t a particularly inviting space, bunkered away in the gloomy basement of Terminal 2 without windows or natural light. While it’s perfectly adequate in terms of food and beverage, it can’t hide the fact that it was last renovated in mid-2013, from the tired decor to the dated aesthetic.
I promise you — all it takes is one visit here to understand why the new lounge is so highly anticipated!
Conclusion
Given Melbourne’s strategic importance to Singapore Airlines, it’s always felt strange that the lounge here was one of the worst in its network.
Thankfully, that’s finally being addressed. The new SilverKris Lounge finally breaks free of the dreaded “lounge dungeon”, and could very well become Melbourne’s best lounge once it opens.
Here’s hoping the timeline is closer to the originally-envisioned September 2026, instead of the end of the year!
