Singapore Airlines is upgrading its flagship Changi lounges

By David Flynn, July 4 2019
Singapore Airlines is upgrading its flagship Changi lounges

Singapore Airlines will upgrade its flagship SilverKris lounges at Changi Airport Terminal 3 from August 2019 to mid-2021.

The Private Room, The First Class and Business Class lounges and the underwhelming KrisFlyer Gold lounge are all in line for extensive and expensive (SGD50 million) make-over and modernisation.

It's a complex project, especially given how the SilverKris lounges are nested one within the other, so the work will be carried out over four phases, during which the lounges will be progressively renovated in sections.

First will be the Business Class lounge, followed by the First Class lounge and then The Private Room, with the KrisFlyer Gold lounge going under the knife in early 2021.

The redevelopment project will see an overall 30% increase in space and customer capacity across the lounges, with  "more generous open spaces, upgraded facilities and a wide array of food and beverage selections," Singapore Airlines promises.

Hospitality designers Hirsch Bedner Associates will oversee the revamp, giving each lounge "a fresh look and feel that is modern yet homely, while inspiring a sense of timeless elegance."

Here's what travellers can look forward to.

The Private Room and First Class lounge will emerge form the construction cocoon "with carefully designed luxurious and intimate seating spaces suitable for both work and rest."

The First Class lounge will continue to feature a flagship bar, with The Private Room retaining its full-service fine dining section. "Customers can look forward to an enhanced epicurean journey with fresh and seasonally curated dining offerings, on top of the perennial local favourites," Singapore Airlines says.

The Business Class lounge will be expanded and feature four distinct zones, each catering to travellers with different needs. Customers with a short transit can have a light snack in a relaxed café setting, while those with more time to spend can sample a full selection of Asian and international cuisines in the dining hall, including live stations that will offer signature local delights

A highlight of the new Business Class lounge will be a full service bar which doubles as a self-service breakfast station in the mornings.

Productivity pods will offer privacy while you get down to work, while a rest area with chaise lounges will be provided for customers to catch some shut-eye before their flight.

The KrisFlyer Gold Lounge – home to economy and premium economy travellers with Star Alliance Gold status –  will double in capacity and include dedicated working spaces, as well as larger al fresco seating and dining areas – and, finally, it will gain restrooms and showers.

Singapore Airlines' temporary KrisFlyer Gold lounge

It appears that Singapore Airlines will use the space of the KrisFlyer Gold lounge to accommodate business and first class passengers as those lounges are renovated, with lounge-worthy KrisFlyer Gold passengers being redirected to a temporary lounge as of July 31, 2019.

This will be located further along the 'lounge level' 3, adjacent to the Singapore Food Street food court – and, pleasingly, it will have its own restrooms and showers.

David

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

09 Jan 2019

Total posts 7

This is well and truly overdue, as well as being really exciting!

Lmc
Lmc

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

09 Nov 2018

Total posts 104

Great news, certainly well over due. Hope they manage crowding during the renovations.

30 Mar 2014

Total posts 20

Toilets and showers in the KrisFlyer Gold lounge are long overdue.

pwl
pwl

11 Jun 2013

Total posts 8

Got the email notice today - glad to see showers/toilets aavilable in the temporary lounge as well!

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

02 Sep 2018

Total posts 153

Finally improving one of the less competitive aspects of their premium product.

06 Jun 2017

Total posts 53

Will be interesting to see how the temp Gold lounge will be. Would have been great if they just made one large business lounge for both Business passengers and Gold/Plat. Can't complain though, any improvement is always welcome.

22 Jun 2017

Total posts 6

Bout damn time. Everytime I go to Changi and compare it to HK, it's like night and day from the Cathay product.


Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

25 Nov 2016

Total posts 64

Terrific news. And as all stated long overdue. I'll be interested to see what they do with the Private Room. I find the food that is currently available ordinary in all lounges. HK premier lounges are certainly better.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

08 Mar 2017

Total posts 3

I'm traveling through Singapore in J on 8th August... will the SilverKris lounge still be open or is that closed from the 31st July Also?

10 Jul 2018

Total posts 104

According to the press release we got, the SilverKris business class lounge section will be the first to start undergoing renovations in August.


It's not explicitly specified, but it sounds like the whole business class section will be closed while affected passengers will be 'invited to temporary lounges', which presumably has the follow-on effect of displacing KrisFlyer Golds to the new temporary lounge on the other side of T3.

I gave up on SQ years ago and evn though I have Gold Elite Status with AirNZ for several years I suspect the SQ Star Alliance Gold Lounge will be underwhelming, having said that I will be happy to be proved wrong after they are set up. (I have no wish to visit one of the temp lounges!) I often go to that outside bar in Changi T3 (Harrys I think) as the atmosphere and crowd can be interesting. The food in the QF Lounge can be good and if Ronald Mababangloob is in charge the service is first class. Travel and enjoy.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

10 Jan 2012

Total posts 258

The KFG temp lounge is the newly opened Maharba lounge. No mention if it will become the KFG lounge or those eligible to use it will just be directed to the Maharba lounge. Either way, it's an improvement over the current offering.

Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer

14 Jun 2017

Total posts 48

This is literally the news I’ve been checking this site daily for for the past six years.

24 Oct 2010

Total posts 2560

Well now that the news has landed, I do hope you're going to stick around all the same... :)

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

25 May 2017

Total posts 77

This is outstanding news. While SQa far superior t F and J products over QF this is where QF excelled is with the investments lounges. Although the F class lounges in SYD and MEL are due for an update.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

20 Nov 2017

Total posts 113

Not sure I have this right from your cryptic comment (typed on a phone presumably), but if you are saying that QF's J lounges are excellent, then I would respectfully disagree. They are generally a shambles. Have a look at SYDi and AKL, for example.

United Airlines - Mileage Plus

12 Sep 2011

Total posts 333

Finally! The tired old Private Room which reminds me of a 70s lounge! I like my Swiss First lounges at E Gates>LH First Terminal FRA> LX F A Gates Interestingly LX F lounges were just recently vote dthe best in world by Skytrax and I agree!!!!

UA

09 Mar 2016

Total posts 55

Thank heavens. Is there a date for Silver Kris Lounge completion?

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

15 Dec 2016

Total posts 10

Finally.

Remember, Any short-term disruptions that counts to long-term improvement is worth it.

Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer

13 Dec 2014

Total posts 79

Glad this has been confirmed and we have a firm timeframe. I've reminded the guys at the lounges that SIA had to get their act together with all the negative reviews they were getting. Especially at the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge. This news isn't new to me thanks to my nagging. I knew about the lounges being improved and the toilets and showers for the Gold Lounge when I spoke to the fellas there in March, however they weren't 100 percent sure about the dates only saying it would start this year. Also glad to see some renderings, thanks AusBT. All I can add to the article, from what I've been told, is that the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge will expand towards the SilverKris Lounge. Perhaps taking in the toilets that are found in between the two lounges. Again from what was said, the Gold Lounge will not expand in the other direction where the SATS Lounge is located. I'm not sure about the smoking area if that will continue to be there. Perhaps the SilverKris and KrisFlyer Gold Lounges will have a common lobby area at the top of the escalators with entry points opposite each other. We'll know soon enough. Cheers

16 Oct 2012

Total posts 53

It can’t come soon enough for the Business class lounge. Over the past decade I’ve watch this space get more and more crowded... now to the point of over crowding. The staff seem overwhelmed - dirty cups and empty bottles all over the place, grotty carpets... It’s hardly exclusive and certainly not luxurious.

I have a feeling that even with a 30% increase in space it will still feel crowded before evening departures.


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