Singapore - 6 hr layover in Sin ?

Have not traveled into/out of Sin. Arriving Sin appr 23:00, then flying out to N. Asia @ 06:00 next day. Can't really see value to get a hotel room for 3 hrs.
Anyone know what time *A lounge might open or am I just basically left to hang out in terminal till my next flight?

There is a very active Singapore Forum where I am sure you will receive helpful advice; I will more this question there.

FlyinHawaiian, Co-Moderator
United Mileage Plus Forum

What class of service in and out? On which Airlines?
Any Elite status?
Any paid memberships or things your CC might allow you in with?

For someone *Gold there is the SQ SATS Lounge and Thai Royal Silk

A hot shower and a few hours in the kip can make a big difference. Transit hotels at Changi are very reasonable:

http://www.singaporeairporthotel.com/ambassador-transit-hotel

Do hold Status as *G amongst others. Aware that if in F can use IFL, but not sure if any lounges even open say midnight thru 6 am

Do hold Status as *G amongst others. Aware that if in F can use IFL, but not sure if any lounges even open say midnight thru 6 am

The SQ SaTS lounge is 24/7

www.staralliance.com lounge finder lists the hours and entrance rights by class and membership.

The transit hotel on the secure side might also work for you. It is cheaper than a hotel, but not like a hostel or anything.

Information can be found on the Changi Airport website.

Ambassador Transit Lounge has an OK lounge area, a fitness center, and nice, clean showers

The SQ SaTS lounge is 24/7

www.staralliance.com lounge finder lists the hours and entrance rights by class and membership.

It is great that the SQ lounge is open 24/7.

Will have 15-hour lay over in December. Will arrive SIN around 3AM. So, after taking a quick nap, can I proceed out to explore the city for a few hours? If so, how do I get through immigration from the SQ lounge?

Thanks.

It is great that the SQ lounge is open 24/7.

Will have 15-hour lay over in December. Will arrive SIN around 3AM. So, after taking a quick nap, can I proceed out to explore the city for a few hours? If so, how do I get through immigration from the SQ lounge?

Thanks.

I shall let the veterans answer about processes, but if your bags are checked through and you have boarding passes, then why not? Go to lounge/transit hotel, sleep for a few hours, go out and get the MRT/taxi into town.

Have a nice breakfast of congee/kaya toast with eggs/dosa etc and be on your way to explore some of SG. If your flight is at 6, you can get back to SIN at around 430 with plenty of time to spare methinks, customs and immigration are smooth as butter. So plenty of time to explore the city.

Just to give you an idea - I had a friend who recently had a 3 hour layover (which was actually cut to 2.5 due to late flight departure). He had an onwards boarding pass and literally bolted out of the plane and through immigration. On my advice, the guy got in a cab, told the cabbie to drive around for 15 minutes and that he wanted some authentic Singaporean food and would buy the guy lunch. They were soon at the East Coast Food Centre having a great meal and then the guy made it back to SIN with time to spare. Of course this was my buddy's first time to Singapore, he doesn't make much money and has no idea when he'd be back, so... I'm sure he didn't see a ton and the plan was aggressive, but he got to see some of the city-state, chatted with a friendly cabbie, had a great meal and was off. Better than staying in the airport if you ask me...

Great info, thank you, jamoldo!

I assume that I will have to go through the transit security check to get into the departure gate area where the SK GOLD Lounge is located. So, the question is, after my few hours of sleep at the lounge, is there a way to go from the lounge to the immigration area to exit the airport?

Usually one can only have access to the immigration area right after they get off the arrival plane. Thus I worry if I can still have access to the immigration after I am done sleeping for a few hours in the SK Lounge that is airside close to the departure gate.

Great info, thank you, jamoldo!

I assume that I will have to go through the transit security check to get into the departure gate area where the SK GOLD Lounge is located. So, the question is, after my few hours of sleep at the lounge, is there a way to go from the lounge to the immigration area to exit the airport?

Usually one can only have access to the immigration area right after they get off the arrival plane. Thus I worry if I can still have access to the immigration after I am done sleeping for a few hours in the SK Lounge that is airside close to the departure gate.

There is no transit security check at SIN at the point that you refer to. What happens is that as soon as you exit the jetway you will find yourself with all the other departing passengers in the general area. This is unlike the transit passenger arrangement at say HKG, NRT etc where you deplane into a segregated area for security rescreening. This is because at SIN each gate is individually sterilized with its own security, xray machine etc, thus arriving flights can deplane directly into the general departure area as you find in most US domestic flights.

I've never done what you suggest but I see no reason why it can't be done. When you get off the plane you'll be on the Departures level. Go to the tranisit desk, collect the boarding pass for your following flight. Proceed to the Silver Kris Lounge or Kris Gold lounge, whichever you are entitled to go to. (BTW Kris Gold is the name of the lounge at least in T3 that SQ operates for *Gold members that are flying economy). When you are ready to hit the town, look for signs that direct you to Arrivals - you will know when you get to it because Arrivals is one level down from Departures, and going down the escalator you'll be able to see the entire Immigration Hall. Once on the line, just show passport and filled out arrival card as per usual. Just be aware that it could be a lengthy walk from the lounge to Arrivals since that is not following the usual traffic flow.

BTW please note that the Kris Gold lounge in T3 is comfortable but simple. There are chairs but no barcaloungers or other such sleeping arrangements there. You might find some of the sleeping loungers that are on airside in the general areas better suited to catching a snooze.

Check the thread for things to do in Singaporel; you'll have as a practical matter say eight hours to check the place out. One idea is that you can take bus 36 and let it show you different parts of Singapore. This is a pretty painless way to see a lot of different things, although of course no color commentary.

Thanks for the detailed info, dsgtc0408!

Now, one last question, can I expect immigration hall to be open 24/7?

Yes. It's an around the clock airport as far as I know.

Thanks for the detailed info, dsgtc0408!

Now, one last question, can I expect immigration hall to be open 24/7?

Yes, I can confirm that it is. SIN is a 24 hour airport - flights come in at all hours, although not too many in the wee hours of the night.

This thread has just made my sub 24 hour stay in SIN in November seem more interesting than I had planned, excellent information from all contributors, thank you!

Indeed SIN is a 24/7 airport, although the SQ SKL's TPR in T3 (for SQ passengers ticketed in FC, including FC award tickets on SQ metal) does close after the flights to Europe leave around midnight. The subway into town closes, IIRC from 9-10 pm to about 5 am but I'm guessing, and taxis impose a big surcharge after midnight, IIRC 50%. It can be tough to get a taxi in town late at night or on weekend evenings, so allow lots of time for a taxi back to the airport if this affects you.

There are lots of things to do in the airport, many open 24/7, such as free movies, the butterfly garden, the cactus garden (plane spotting as well as smoking), some shops, free computers and free internet, fish ponds. Unfortunately the swimming pool does close overnight. There's also a sort of food court underneath the airport (landside) oriented toward airport employees but open to anyone that's a good place to explore the varieties of genuine Singapore food very cheaply. This is an easy and cheap alternative to East Coast Seafood or places like Newton Circus. The Transit Hotel (airside) is good and reasonable.

If you are continuing on a carrier that does not staff a check in counter 24/7, including USA legacy airlines, be aware that you cannot return to airside without a boarding pass, which requires in the case of flights to the USA that you talk with an agent in the check in area for your carrier for security. OLCI does not work for this prupose, nor do kiosks. Hence, if you go landside and your USA-bound flight leaves at 6 am, you will not be able to return airside before about 4 am. If you have a boarding pass for intra-Asian connections, you will probably be OK. SQ check in is open 24/7 and you can check in and drop bags for a SQ flight up to 48 hours before departure. This does not include *A codeshares such as UA.

Resurrecting this thread to ask about my 7-hour SIN layover. I arrive on QF at 18:25 and depart on CX at 1:15, both in F. I have no doubt that I'll be able to spend that time in the CX and BA/QF lounges, but I'm wondering whether that gives me enough time to go into the city and, if so, what I might consider doing.

I would absolutely get out. Traffic won't be heavy despite the timing. You have a number of choices depending on what you like to do - upscale food (any number of good restaurants), a bit of a party scene (the quays - boat & clarke), local food (a few good food courts - newton, lau pa sat), edgier fare - geylang, etc. or you can go to one of the two casinos (no Integrated resorts, :D ) and there will be enough to keep you busy till checkin.

I would absolutely get out. Traffic won't be heavy despite the timing. You have a number of choices depending on what you like to do - upscale food (any number of good restaurants), a bit of a party scene (the quays - boat & clarke), local food (a few good food courts - newton, lau pa sat), edgier fare - geylang, etc. or you can go to one of the two casinos (no Integrated resorts, :D ) and there will be enough to keep you busy till checkin.
Thanks for the response. I've actually already come and gone, but your advice was spot on. I arrived at SIN without about 7 hours until my departure. I first went to the BA/QF club, where I spent about an hour showering and dealing with airline logistics. I then checked my bags at left luggage (it's airside in Terminal 1 in the long corridor that connects the C and the D gates; I paid about S$7 for a rollaboard and laptop bag) and hopped in a cab to Clarke Quay, where I spent a couple of hours walking around Clarke and Boat Quays. I then hopped a cab back with more than enough time. I easily could have hit another area of the city and/or taken the train instead of a cab.