Review: Changi Lounge, Jewel Singapore Changi Airport

General details

Opening times: 24 hours
Showers: Yes
Bar: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Multi-standard power sockets: Yes
USB charging sockets: Yes

Location

The Changi Lounge is located at Level 1 of the Jewel complex, which is directly connected to Terminal 1.

If the Jewel is new to you, check out our first look from the opening weekend in April 2019.

From the T1 departures level (Jewel drop off), you’ll need to go down one level to reach the Changi Lounge. From T1 arrivals you are already on the correct floor and the Changi Lounge is only short walk into the complex.

The Early Check-in Lounge, where you can check in for your flight for certain airlines many hours (and in some cases even days) before your departure time, is directly opposite the Changi Lounge.

This is ideal because for many access schemes you will need a valid boarding pass to use the lounge. Click here to find out if your airline offers Early Check-in at Changi.

If you are arriving from T3 or T2 you will need to take the link bridge to Jewel then follow the signs for the Changi Lounge. If you are arriving from T4 you will first need to get the shuttle bus to T2, then take the link bridge.

Lounge access – paid

With the Changi Lounge being located in the land-side Jewel complex in the public area of the airport, it is not used as a contract lounge for Business or First Class passengers departing on any specific airline.

Instead you can access the lounge either through direct payment (advance booking or walk-up is permitted), or using a lounge access membership programme.

In all cases if you access by paying the lounge directly, you do not have to be travelling on a flight to or from the airport and will be able to use the lounge for any 3-hour period of your choice.

Access rates are as follows:

Children aged 2 and below are admitted free.

Lounge access – membership

DragonPass members can use the lounge at any time of day, before or after their flight, with a valid same-day inbound or outbound boarding pass. For example in this case you could visit in the morning, even though your flight is departing in the evening.

Most of our readers will be using Priority Pass for access, like we did for this review. In this case you must be travelling on a flight departing from Changi Airport in the next four hours (for example, for a 3.45pm departure access is available from 11.45am).

Alternatively you can use a Priority Pass visit to access the lounge after a flight arriving into Changi Airport at any time on the same calendar day. Remember to keep hold of your inbound boarding pass.

You are limited to 3 hours of lounge access whether you are using the lounge before or after departure. Access includes use of the shower facilities. The same rules apply (as for Priority Pass) if you are using LoungeKey or Lounge Club to visit the Changi Lounge.

Lounge access – summary

The following table summarises the access policy.

	Before Flight (same day)		After Flight (same day)	Any Time (24/7)
	> 4 hrs to STD	< 4 hrs to STD

If you are using the Changi Lounge prior to a departing flight, we would recommend leaving for your gate at least an hour before your departure time for T1/2/3, and probably 1.5 hours before departure for T4, to allow sufficient time.

Intermodal concept

The Changi Lounge also serves intermodal transfer passengers arriving in Changi, who are transferring onward to cruises or ferries from maritime terminals in Singapore.

The idea is to provide a more seamless experience for those guests, allowing them to relax at the airport for a while as their luggage is delivered directly to their ship cabin for example.

General lounge seating

The main lounge seating area is made up of a number of spaces for groups, with smaller clusters of seats for couples and individuals.

Most seating options comprise sofas or low armchairs, generally with either a coffee table or side table.

Some of the seats also have their own table lamp, though the general lighting in the lounge is very good, so they are more decorative than functional.

The more prevalent seating for larger groups in this lounge compared with others we’ve visited may be something to do with the ‘intermodal concept’ for cruise passengers, who tend to be a more sociable bunch than your average business traveller.

Nonetheless there are still plenty of options for couples or solo travellers, though this lounge hasn’t gone down the ‘productivity pod’ route, where you can be almost completely enclosed in a private space of your own.

The back of the lounge near the business area is the quietest place to sit, as we did notice with the open front that some ambient noise from the Jewel shopping mall does creep in the closer to the entrance you are.

The lounge was very quiet during our visit and there was no shortage of choice when it came to seating – almost every option was available.

Wi-Fi

The Wi-Fi in this lounge was easy to connect to and extremely fast, as you’d expect with the Jewel being a brand new facility.

With the exception of the United Polaris SFO, this is the fastest lounge Wi-Fi we have ever recorded, so you’ll have no problem getting some productive work done here if you need to.

If the Changi Lounge Wi-Fi network fails for whatever reason you also have two other free networks to fall back on with a good signal – the airport Wi-Fi and the Jewel public Wi-Fi.

Power sockets

There is an abundance of multi-standard power sockets throughout the Changi Lounge, with up to two sockets and two USB plugs per seat in some cases.

The sockets are all labelled ‘for phone use only’ but we’re not sure why and can’t see any reason they would not support charging of other devices such as tablets and laptop computers.

Business facilities

At the back of the lounge there is a business area. Here you’ll find four iMac computers along a desk with reading lights and some workspace either side in case you have some documents to spread out or prefer to use your own laptop.