lax2010

Family members are traveling on different flights from NRT to SIN, namely, UA803 and SQ11, that will land in T1 and T3, respectively, 3-hour apart. We will all get on the same flight much later in the day to depart from Changi.

What is a good place air-side to meet up before heading together to one of the Star Alliance Lounges to get fresh up and then heading out to the Heritage Tour Sign-up Desk for the 9AM tour??? Is there some good landmark places for first time Changi visitor to look for to meet?

Is it better to wait at the arrival level or departure level? Is there a security/immigration check point between the arrival and departure area?

Thanks in advance!

UAPremExecflyer

UA803 and SQ11 both arrive in T3.
There are no arrival and departure levels at Changi. It's all the same.
And no security/immigration check.
People arriving on UA803 can go for a walk or do some shopping and then go to gate where SQ11 is arriving from NRT.

lax2010

I checked the arrival gate for UA803 for JAN 19 and 20 and they both landed in T1 according to the UA mobile app!

Anyway, it is good to get reconfirmation that departure and arrival are all connected. Thanks!

Is it true that arrival is at level one and we will need to go to level 2 for the Heritage Tour Signup Desk?

UAPremExecflyer

Not true. You are confusing UA803 arriving at T1 in NRT from IAD.
UA operates out of T3 at Changi.

The sign-up desk in T3 is in Transit North on the departures level.

lax2010

The UA app did confused me on T1 vs T3. Thanks!

Just to be sure about the sign-up desk location - is the departure level the same as arrival level in T3?

Also, is there a Star Alliance Gold Lounge in T3? If so, who operates it? Again, thanks!

SQ319

You arrive and depart on the same level, as there is no segregation between arrival and departing passengers.

Here's a map of Changi Airport http://www.changiairport.com/imapswf/imap.html

dsgtc0408

There isn't a freestanding Star Alliance lounge as in what there is at LAX. SQ handles this for Star Alliance, at least in T3. Note though that as these are departure lounges, you need to have your onward boarding pass in hand either when you check in for your entire flight or get it at the Arrivals counter when arriving in SIN before you can enter. Additionally this assumes your onward travel is on SQ or another *A carrier to get lounge access; if not you won't be able to access. Final wrinkle is that there are two SQ lounges, the Silver Kris lounge and the Kris Gold lounge. If you are *Gold and traveling outbound on economy, you would go to the Kris Gold lounge, while if your outbound is in business/first (* status not relevant), you would go to the SKL. There are shower facilities in the SKL, but not in the Kris Gold lounge.

These lounges are not the same as the SATS lounge; don't confuse them especially since all these lounges are basically in the same general location in T3.

PS You didn't ask this but as a thought (assuming you don't know): at NRT, SQ passengers go to the ANA lounge while there's a United Club for folks flying on United. OP - you indicate you're a 1K; you can go to either lounge. In any case it might be an idea to do some preliminary freshening up at either of these lounges before arriving in SIN.

lax2010

dsgtc0408, thanks for a very detailed write-up. Yes, at NRT, I used to take my shower at the United Club before heading over to the ANA club for my regular udon but nowadays I just go straight to the ANA Club and never look back (to the UC).

Any idea what time I should leave the SQ Club in T3 to go sign up for the 9AM Heritage Tour? Any idea if I could bring along my carry-on roller bag with me on the Heritage Tour bus or must I store it at the airport?

Again, thanks everyone for the great feedback and info!

catflyer

I'm United *G, and also a United Club member. I'm traveling business class United IAD->PEK, then business class Air China PEK->SIN with wife and child. We arrive at SIN early in the morning so we probably won't be able to check into our hotel right away. It sounds from above that we can't use the SIN lounge with showers on arrival? Are there other good options to change/shower/etc. in SIN, or even in PEK?

lax2010

At PEK, Air China has a huge and nice Business Lounge you will have access to.

UAPremExecflyer

It sounds like you will be on CA975 that departs PEK at 2330 and arrives in SIN at 0550? If so, you would have approx seven hours connection in PEK after arriving on UA. CA has several lounges in T3 at PEK. In SIN, there are no arrival lounge(s). You could request that your hotel room be made available early or pay for an extra night from the night before so your room is ready when you arrive.

tentseller

There are paid showers at all the Ambassador Transit Hotel airside at all the terminals at SIN.

dsgtc0408

If the other poster identified your actual flights correctly and you indeed have seven hours transit time in PEK, your best bet is to go to the CA Business Lounge. In the bathroom area there's at least one door that suggests a shower but I've never tried it so I can't say what it's like. In SIN, it's the SQ lounges that you won't be able to enter; the paid Ambassador lounges as per the other poster is your best bet. But if it was me I'd try to arrange a morning check in at whatever Singapore hotel you'll be staying in instead.

BTW note that at PEK there's only one CA lounge you can access, the Business Class Lounge; this is because you'll be in the international transit/airside area. The other lounges are either in parts of the airport where you'd have to clear China passport control or won't be able to enter (ie First Class/VIP lounge). On the other hand FWIW the Business Class Lounge is fine, it beats any domestic US United Club. The food choices are good (they also do fresh cooked noodles) and you'll likely appreciate the sleeping pods.

fimo

In the PEK CA/*A lounge are a couple of showers, I've used them before. I think the doors are only upon request but the service staff are always right on hand.

In SIN, I would suggest just heading to your hotel and see if they are able to let you check in early. If not, ask if they might be able to grant you courtesy access to their gym to freshen up and take a shower.

dsgtc0408

Not sure about the roller bag but on the signup time, the website suggests at least one hour in advance http://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sp...ingapore-tour/

The SQ website above suggests that for whoever's traveling on SQ, it's possible to sign up for the tour in advance. That doesn't help the family flying on UA though.

The real question is what time the staff for the tour get to the T3 Transit Lounge B. Considering the last tour leaves at 6:30PM, the staff might leave around that time. My suggestion is that you might consider going to the Transit Lounge as soon as you touch down to ask your questions. There's no way to know what gate your inbound flight will go to but if it goes to Terminal 3 and parks at one of the B gates, you'll pass Transit Lounge B after gate B1 as you make your way to the Silver Kris lounge; if it lands at an A gate, then walk towards the B gates. If the tour staff is not around, go to any of the Information counters to ask what time the tour staff will be at Transit Lounge B.