Singapore - UA check in (SIN / Changi International Singapore)

This has been discussed in the past but there may be new answers. I'm looking at UA flights to SIN and see there is now a 5:30am departure. When last I was there the UA counter opened at 4:45am with no opportunity for an early check in at the airport to be able to use the transit hotel. I assume I'd have to be at the airport by 3:30am for 5:30 flight so paying an in town hotel seems even more painful. Can I check in online and print the boarding pass? Does UA have anywhere in town to check in? any other options?

No other options to checkin, you have to be there before the counter opens. No early, no online.

What would happen if the OP stays at the Transit Hotel (inside the secure zone); and then walk up to a UA transfer desk inside the secure area? Will they be able to check him in at say 430AM or something?

almost all airlines seem to have a transfer desk inside the secure area in SIN.

This post is better suited for the UA forum, as more people there may have experience with this issue.

OP's problem is leaving the country flying on UA, not transiting. No early check-in, no official boarding pass (self-printed one doesn't qualify unless validated by airlines staff), no access to transit hotel.

I've stayed at SIN for hours outside in the ghost town departure area a few times before during my weekend visits to SIN. It's miserable but that's one of the reasons why the UA flight is so cheap!

I've stayed at SIN for hours outside in the ghost town departure area a few times before during my weekend visits to SIN. It's miserable but that's one of the reasons why the UA flight is so cheap!

Just go to Terminal 3 B2 and hang out in the canteen and eat.. :D

OP's problem is leaving the country flying on UA, not transiting. No early check-in, no official boarding pass (self-printed one doesn't qualify unless validated by airlines staff), no access to transit hotel.

AH yes. Thanks for that!! yes, OP wont have BP's to clear immigration!!

Thanks for the replies (especially the one about eating my way through the night). I did stay overnight in the transit hotel one time years ago but was returning from another flight the day before the UA one. Last time I stayed at the Changi Village but hated waking up so early even though I was so close. I booked the UA flight leaving at 7:10 and will figure out what to do when the time comes. I was just wondering if anything had changed because it looked like UA's Singapore site offered online check in. Thanks again. Happy New Year fellow flyers.

Just go to Terminal 3 B2 and hang out in the canteen and eat.. :D
T2 employee kopitiam doesn't open until 7am.

to the OP, you don't necessarily need to show up 2 hours before a flight at SIN, you'll be at the gate no problems even with 1 hour from check in... at least that's what I did when I flew United SIN-NRT... if I remember correctly I was at the airport at around 6am for a 7am flight... still had enough time to have one last kaya toast at Killiney Kopitiam before departure :)

was gonna do that 5:30am flight SIN-HKG myself till I saw it was a CO 738, went with the SIN-NRT @ 7:20am

OP if you have 25k in Priority Club pts grab a room at The Crwone Plaza thats a few mins walk from T3, thats what I did for my upcoming SIN trip

This has been discussed in the past but there may be new answers. I'm looking at UA flights to SIN and see there is now a 5:30am departure.

I assume that's from SIN - if so, then it's the newly reduced in size flight to Hong Kong.

When last I was there the UA counter opened at 4:45am with no opportunity for an early check in at the airport to be able to use the transit hotel. I assume I'd have to be at the airport by 3:30am for 5:30 flight so paying an in town hotel seems even more painful. Can I check in online and print the boarding pass? Does UA have anywhere in town to check in? any other options?

I'm not sure exactly when the counter opens these days, but I took that flight twice in December. I can't say when I showed up (because I don't know), but it certainly would have been before 4:30. Also, you wouldn't really need two hours at that time of day, the airport is practically deserted, and you can cruise through pretty quickly.

If you show up at 4:00, that should be more than good enough. It is a bit of a walk to the gate, at least when I've taken it (I think it was A13).

If you do find yourself wandering Changi in the dead of night, when the airport train isn't operating, you can walk to the other terminals if you like. One way to get between T2 and T3 at night is to follow the signs for the MRT. It is closed at that time, but one level above the station, there is a walkway between the two terminals. You can get between T2 and T1 by walking through the car park. There used to be some places to eat open at night in T1/T2 landside, I assume there still are.

was gonna do that 5:30am flight SIN-HKG myself till I saw it was a CO 738, went with the SIN-NRT @ 7:20am

If you're going onward with suitable connections either way, that would certainly be my recommendation these days. I used to prefer to transit Hong Kong, but not anymore.

Although, for economy travel, someone has pointed out (and I unknowingly experienced this) that the SIN-HKG flight now seems to be under the US domestic UDU policy. Not sure about SIN-NRT.

If you're going onward with suitable connections either way, that would certainly be my recommendation these days. I used to prefer to transit Hong Kong, but not anymore.

Although, for economy travel, someone has pointed out (and I unknowingly experienced this) that the SIN-HKG flight now seems to be under the US domestic UDU policy. Not sure about SIN-NRT.

the SIN-NRT is still the 744. I would have done SIN-HKG-SFO-JFK and the HKG-SFO is a 744, instead Im doing SIN-NRT-IAD-JFK and its a 777 to IAD with 36"' in E+ rather then 34', and hopefully it stays as the new config of 3-3-3 with personal video screens, and over all 1 hr less in the air

So I probably would have cleared the UP but felt overall it will be alot more comfortable doing the longest haul on the 777 and this way I get an extra 2 hrs in bed

my SIN-NRT was on a UA 777 that continued onto IAD.

it was far more comfortable than the AA 777 that I took from NRT to DFW.

not only that I was able to check in two bags for UA without a problem while AA made me repack my bags so that each was under 23kg


when the train isn't running between terminals you can walk, or if you prefer there is a shuttle bus that makes rounds to all three terminals. Just walk outside on the departure level, they go every 15 mins or so.


I too walked from T2 to T3 using the MRT connection, takes less time and its air conditioned :)

my SIN-NRT was on a UA 777 that continued onto IAD.

It's a 747 now. Not sure if that's permanent or seasonal.

I too walked from T2 to T3 using the MRT connection, takes less time and its air conditioned :)

It's been a lot easier to find a good place to sleep over in T1/T2, ever since they opened T3 :)

It's a 747 now. Not sure if that's permanent or seasonal.

It's been seasonal in the past.

Dave