Originally Posted by
lsquare
Did something change since the start of the pandemic? I forgot if it was 2018 or 2019, but I took an early morning CX flight from SIN-HKG (~6 AM). Rather than pay for a night at the hotel, I checked out at about 4 PM, left my luggage at the hotel, went out and walked a bit, went back to the hotel at around 9 PM to pick up my suitcase, arrived at Changi a bit before midnight and was able to check my suitcase in. Then I spent most of the early morning at the Plaza Premium lounge, which was open 24/7. If what you say is true about United and early check-in, what do I do with my suitcase until check-in opens at around 7 AM
!
Pre pandemic, CX participated in the early check-in changi, so you could get your boarding pass and access airside. See snapshot from 2019.
https://web.archive.org/web/20191223...thay%20Pacific
Pre pandemic, UA didn't participate in early check-in AND didn't have mobile boarding pass. So you couldn't access airside even if you had no checked bags, until 3hr before flight
I don't think post pandemic, UA changed anything
(I was always flying ANA out of changi which had early checkin, never UA. But that's my understanad and reports from other users too, as you saw from my other link
If you can't access airside, then you are stuck landside until check-in open. Jewel yotelair (as I and the other poster mentioned) or Crowne IHG changi hotel, or just hangout somewhere in the building . Note that last time I was landside at 3am precovid, they were blowing very cold air conditioning