EWR-NRT-SIN MR before 3/1
 

Hi all, before the program changes come into effect on 3/1, I'd like to get a head start on building PQMs. Sometime in February I am looking to do a MR quick turnaround to SIN, arriving around midnight then starting back 7 hours later. EWR-NRT-SIN-NRT-EWR

I've been reading up - besides the following, anything I should know?

- Pick up return ticket SIN-NRT at NRT
- Stay airside at SIN
- Lounge with shower facility available (but I'll be booking a room at the transit hotel to give myself better rest)

Thanks...

You can do 2 back to back MR's to SIN.
Many days in Feb'15 there is great potential to do MRs for $977-$1000 round trip.
Can bring down the fare if one adds on extra stops on the return.

If you don't need UA metal I saw YYZ hkg sin for $600. Found using kayak explore

Using this to search ...
http://matrix.itasoftware.com

From EWR/ JFK/ LGA/ PHL one can find a lot of cities in Asia ... CGK, DPS, SIN, BKK ....... for round trips between $750-$1000 with 5-8 hour stayovers.
One can purchase at UA.com or at one of the OTA's via Kayak.com

I'm doing a couple of these before 3/1.

Consider routing through a west coast gateway (SFO, LAX) for a few more miles.

If staying airside, what's the benefit of obtaining the BP for SIN-NRT in NRT, as opposed to getting it from the transit desk in SIN before the return flight?

The transit desk does not open until about 4:30. If you are * gold, you will need a boarding pass for lounge access. A boarding pass on your phone does work for the Silver Kris lounge in T3

On my upcoming trip to HKG, I am routing home via NRT-HNL-EWR for extra mileage on UA metal. And it gives me 13h daytime layover in HNL. :) Should also work from SIN.

Also, I believe SIN has a SATS UA contract lounge. Info on UA website. Unfortunately, I can't speak from experience, as I have twice been unsuccessful getting to SIN. Got my original mileage credit, though. :)

I can probably reply most of the logistic questions.

1. For those of you trying to maximize your UA metal miles before the rules change starting 3/1, your options are US/NRT, US/HKG, HKG/SIN, NRT/SIN as well as sCO flights out of GUM. There's also HKG/SGN. You may also look at NH flights out of NRT and I think HND that are code share UA - not sure if they need to be on 016 ticket stock or not in order to get full PQD/PQM per the old rules.

2. If you transit in NRT, it's not clear to me if you can get the BP for the return flight (SIN/NRT, and NRT to wherever you're going afterwards). This may not be available until the following day no matter what.

2. In SIN, UA flights go into and out of Terminal 3. The available lounges are three: SATS, KrisGold (SQ), and Silver Kris (SQ). All three lounges are in a row one level up from the departures level via an open escalator right after passport control and are open 24 hours. They are all departure lounges, not arrival.

... SATS is the UA contract lounge. You need a pass to enter (obtained at check in or from transit desk on airside). Pass goes to F, C boarding passes, and to *G status holders (if you're UA MP, that's Premier Gold and above).

... If you have a *G card (not just UA MP, but also high/er status members of other * Alliance carriers) and UA boarding pass you can also enter one of the two SQ lounges. Kris Gold if your UA flight is in Y class; only F or C class BP allows entry to Silver Kris lounge. MP general member, silver unfortunately no entry. Also, no boarding pass, no entry.

... You can double up SATS entry with either of SQ SKL or KrisGold.

... SATS and Silver Kris have showers, Kris Gold does not.

3. Departure and arrival at SIN are co-mingled. If you can't get UA boarding pass before or on arrival, then only place to get shower upon arrival is at the Ambassador Transit hotel, better to make reservation. Not sure if the other pay lounges have showers. In case of need, there's a transit hotel at each terminal (T1 and T2, aside from T3). There's an airside airtrain so you can get around. Alternatively there are plenty of places airside where you can catch a few zzz's before taking the flight back.

Thanks for the details, dsgtc0408.

Since getting a BP prior to arrival at SIN is questionable, the prudent thing to do imo is to reserve a room at the transit hotel. Arrival at SIN is at 12:45am, too late for transit desk.

Question - I can stay airside all this time, right? Arrival, hotel, departure without having to go through customs/immigration/security/passport? (i.e "They are all departure lounges, not arrival" comment vs. "Departure and arrival at SIN are co-mingled")

That's correct for the most part.

The lounges that were mentioned, as well as several Priority Pass lounges, as well as the transit hotels, are all airside. You do not need to go through immigration/customs to access these facilities. You can transit among the three terminals at Changi without going through immigration/customs. It's most convenient to stay at the Transit Hotel in the terminal you are arriving to, but if you had to stay in one of the other terminals, you can make the long walk or take the shorter intraterminal train to get to the other facilities. All this is within the airside of the airport, so no immigration/customs/passport as you stated.

This also means you cannot go claim any checked baggage, since baggage claim is NOT airside, meaning you must transit immigration to obtain any bags.

You mentioned security. Security is handled a bit differently at SIN. Instead of a comingled security checkpoint, each individual departure gate has its own security. In other words, there is no security upon arrival. You will go through security when you get to the departure gate for your flight leaving SIN the next morning. It is nice to not have to go through security immediately upon arrival, as one does at NRT when transiting. However, make sure you plan enough time to go through this process when departing. And, if I recall correctly, this system makes it harder to get around the liquid police when dealing with departures on US-based airlines (UA) or on flights to the US.