guiming_miao

Hi:

I posted this question in SIN airport forum, but there is no traffic over there. So, I am reposting it here.

My wife and I and traveling on SQ for 8:15AM departure, considering going to the airport the night before, getting boarding pass from SQ, and go to stay at transit hotel for the night. Is this possible? Can we clear immigration when we hold tomorrow's flight boarding pass? Can SQ check us in for tomorrow's flight?

Thanks.

MovieMan

You may want to check with SQ, but as far as I know, though SQ allows "early check-in" (at the airport), that only begins at 5:30am on the day of travel.

On the other hand, why do you want to stay at the airport? There are lots of hotels in Singapore that are preferable, and it'll take you a half hour or less to get to the airport in the morning. Plus, if you check in online or via the phone (which is available starting 48hrs before departure), you only need to get to the airport 45 minutes before your flight (30 min if in C or F).

Lori_Q

I'm a big, big fan of the Transit Hotels at Changi. There are few experiences more surreal than standing barefoot at the window, brushing your teeth while watching a 777 taxi into the gate below you.

I can't speak to SQ's willingness to issue a boarding pass for the following day. At the very least, you should call them and find out if this is even possible. I travel United, and the desks close down pretty early in the evening. (Insert long saga, including overnight storage of four suitcases in Left Luggage, here.) However, I have been able to get into the airport terminal by showing my itinerary and my Transit Hotel confirmation e-mail to security. (This hasn't always been straightforward, but I've never been kept from my bed by Changi security.)

The bigger problem might be securing a room. The two terminal hotels are such a good thing that they tend to fill up. If you search the web for the Changi Airport website and go to the Transit Hotel page, you can send an e-mail reservation request. Be sure you have a reservation, and be there on time! They will give your room away if you arrive late.

If you can't get a room, there are zillions of hotel options in Singapore, as a previous poster noted. Getting a cab in the early morning is easy, and many of the big hotels have them waiting out front. The highway to the airport is nearly empty at that hour of the morning, so you should be able to make the trip in less than 30 minutes. Just don't be surprised if you get hit with a 50% taxi surcharge before 6:00 a.m.

PM me if you want more info!

JO_YUL

I am arriving on Northwest at 12:30 AM and departing 8:45 am on Indian Airlines to Chennai, and would like to stay at the transit hotel. However I don't think I will be able to interline my luggage between the flights. Therefore if I have to pick my luggage and clear customs, can I still stay at the transit hotel? Isn't the transit hotel only accessable from the departures side?

If I can't use transit hotel, what is the closest hotel to the airport? Any help would be appreciated.

CGK

Your luggages should be able to be check-through. So no need for you to claim at Changi Airport. Friends had done NW to GA through SIN and were able to check-through luggages. I checked through my luggages from UA to SQ, and no problem. But please make sure you have the documentation correctly when check-in for your origin NW flight, i.e. confirmation that shows that you have a confirmed booking for Indian Airlines departing the same day from Changi.
If this works for you than you can stay at the transit hotel without a hassle for collecting the luggages etc. My suggestion is to book through the transit hotel web-site.

Savage25

NW has an interline agreement with IC, so you will be able to check your luggage through. In the event that they don't issue you boarding passes for your IC flight and you do want to get out of the airside area, make sure you get your IC boarding pass issued at the airside transfer desks. The IC counters landside may not be open until 3 hours before the flight and you will need a boarding pass to get though immigration on your way back airside.

Your transit time sounds just right for a 6-hour stay at the transit hotel.

hclee01

If you are already in SIN the day before your flight, you may wish to consider getting your boarding pass from SIA Office located at Orchard Road, Paragon Shopping Centre on 2nd floor. Just bring along your passport and ticket (if any) and they will issue you the boarding pass on the spot. You can check-in the luggage at the airport later. Do note that the downtown check-in is only available till 1730hrs only.

JO_YUL

Thank you, I appreciate all the help, I will definetly book at the Transit Hotel. I just hope my luggage is not lost while transferring from NWA to IC in Singapore.

This forum is excellent, Cheers

CGK

Just to make sure about luggage being transferred properly, please tell the IC check-in agent that you have check-through luggages. That usually will help to locate your luggages.