Singapore – Hong Kong Air Travel Bubble: Everything you need to know

On Monday we wrote about the new proposed launch for the long-awaited Singapore – Hong Kong Air Travel Bubble (ATB), which suffered a six-month delay on its original planned debut due to a wave of COVID-19 cases on the Hong Kong side.

The arrangement is now scheduled to commence on 26th May 2021, with both Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines operating inaugural ‘bubble flights’ on the same day, followed by alternating flights between the two carriers each day, before both carriers begin daily service from 10th June 2021.

If the bubble goes well, other carriers like Scoot, Jetstar and HK Express may also be permitted to begin operating designated flights on the route in due course.

Singapore – Hong Kong ATB

Key Features

• Travel on designated ‘bubble flights’
• No restrictions on travel purpose or itineraries
• COVID-19 testing replaces quarantine / Stay-Home Notice
• Adult Hong Kong passport holders need to be vaccinated to fly to Singapore
• ATB can be suspended with 48h notice if unlinked COVID-19 cases spike in either city

Eligibility

To be eligible to travel on the ATB, you must fulfil the following criteria:

• Currently be in Singapore or Hong Kong, irrespective of your nationality*
• Have no travel history to any place other than Singapore or Hong Kong in the last 14 days prior to departure (any compulsory quarantine / Stay-Home Notice period spent in Hong Kong or Singapore arising from your last visit outside Hong Kong or Singapore does not count towards that 14-day period)
• Have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from a recognised testing institution within 72 hours prior to departure
• Have another COVID-19 PCR test on arrival in either city
• Be travelling on designated flights, as listed below
• Adult (16+) Hong Kong citizens who have spent the last 90+ days in Hong Kong must have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine for 14+ days to depart from Hong Kong to Singapore

* Exception: Holders of Work Permits or S Passes issued by the Singapore Ministry of Manpower working in the construction, marine shipyard, or process sectors are not eligible to travel to Hong Kong under the Air Travel Bubble arrangement.

Common question: Does a Singapore ‘cruise to nowhere’ in the last 14-days count as travel history?

No, since you do not visit another country this is not a problem, prior to a Singapore – Hong Kong ATB trip. However, cruise companies may consider your arrival from Hong Kong (even under the ATB) as recent overseas travel.

Hong Kong vaccination rule

Note that the vaccination requirement is not applicable to the following Hong Kong residents:

• Aged below 16
• Not suitable for COVID- 19 vaccination due to medical grounds
• With less than 90 days’ stay in Hong Kong before departure
• Using non-Hong Kong travel documents for departure

Crucially – that means non-Hong Kong passport holders, including for example Singapore citizens resident in Hong Kong, can sidestep the requirement to be fully vaccinated.

Hong Kong citizens normally living in Singapore can also avoid it, by staying in Hong Kong for less than 90 days each time they visit on the ATB, while children are also not prevented from travelling.

ATB designated flights

The ATB will require you to travel on designated ‘bubble’ flights. These services will only carry passengers who are travelling point-to-point between the two cities and fulfil all the ATB requirements. Transit passengers are not permitted.

Both Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines will be operating the initial ATB flights. You can book a return flight with the same airline in both directions (e.g. Singapore Airlines both ways) or you can mix between the two carriers in each direction (e.g. Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong then SIA back to Singapore).

Provided both flights you are booked on are designated ATB flights, you will be able to follow the ‘travel bubble’ procedures and avoid any quarantine or SHN period at either end of your journey.

Both airlines will launch their inaugural travel bubble services on the morning of 26th May 2021.

Singapore Airlines will operate flight SQ882 from Singapore to Hong Kong, while Cathay Pacific will operate flight CX759 from Hong Kong to Singapore.

As with the previous model of the ATB when it was first proposed, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines will operate on alternate days for the first two weeks of the bubble arrangement, then each carrier steps up to daily service from 10th June 2021.

Here’s how the schedule looks.

Singapore    Hong Kong

			Dates
	SQ882 A350-900		May: 26, 28, 30, 31
SIN 08:40		HKG 12:40
	SQ882 777-300ER		Jun: 2, 4, 7, 9 Then daily from 10 Jun – 30 Sep
SIN 08:40		HKG 12:40
	CX734 A350-900		May: 27, 29 Jun: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8 Then daily from 10 Jun – 30 Jun
SIN 14:45		HKG 19:00
SIN 16:05		HKG 20:20	Daily from 1 Jul – 30 Sep (timing change)

Hong Kong    Singapore

			Dates
	SQ883 A350-900		May: 28, 30, 31
HKG 14:25		SIN 18:20
	SQ883 777-300ER		Jun: 2, 4, 7, 9 Then daily from 10 Jun – 30 Sep
HKG 14:25		SIN 18:20
	CX759 A350-900		May: 26, 27, 29 Jun: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8 Then daily from 10 Jun – 30 Jun
HKG 09:10		SIN 13:05
HKG 08:30		SIN 12:25	Daily from 1 Jul – 30 Sep (timing change)

ATB flight schedules are valid until 30th September 2021, after which the programme is subject to further government approval.

ATB flights are marked in search results

Like last year, Cathay Pacific is marking which flights are available to those wishing to use the Air Travel Bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong, for bookings either via its own website or the Asia Miles platform, with a ‘Travel bubble’ icon.

This time Singapore Airlines is also showing an ‘Air Travel Bubble’ marker on ATB flights too.

Which aircraft?

Singapore Airlines is deploying its three-class long-haul Airbus A350-900 on the first four Hong Kong ATB flights, before switching to the larger four-class Boeing 777-300ER from June. Cathay Pacific is using its A350-900s, which all have the same three-class configuration.

Here’s how the aircraft configurations compare:

Singapore – Hong Kong ATB
Aircraft Types

	Singapore Airlines		Cathay Pacific A350-900
	A350-900	777-300ER
First	—	4	—
Business	42	48	38
Premium Economy	24	28	28
Economy	187	184	214
Total	253	264	280

With each ATB flight limited to 200 passengers, that represents a 79% load on Singapore Airlines’ A350, a 75% load on its 777-300ER and a 71% load on Cathay Pacific.

Note that the Singapore Airlines flight schedules are only published with accurate aircraft types until 30th June 2021, so they currently show the ATB service reverting to a three-class Airbus A350 from 1st July 2021.

This will be updated to the Boeing 777-300ER in due course.

First Class is available from June

Good news for those of you missing SIA’s most exclusive cabin, the single-row four-seat section on the airline’s Boeing 777-300ER aircraft is available in both directions on designated ATB flights from 2nd June 2021.

You’ll also have a chance to pick up this cabin on 4th and 7th June, then daily from 9th June, until at least the end of the month. Availability has not yet been loaded from 1st July 2021 onwards, pending official aircraft type switch to the Boeing 777-300ER beyond June 2021.

If you haven’t experienced it before, don’t miss our full review of SIA’s Boeing 777-300ER First Class.

Pricing is of course not cheap, at around S$3,000 one-way from Singapore to Hong Kong or S$4,700 for a round-trip in this cabin.

In the other direction it’s even more expensive, from Hong Kong to Singapore starting at S$3,300 one-way or S$5,000 for a round-trip.

For those wanting to burn through (a lot) of their KrisFlyer miles, Singapore Airlines is loading some Advantage awards on each of these flights, though sadly we couldn’t find any Saver space – even for waitlist – at the time of writing.

Hopefully as SIA’s ATB flights are confirmed as Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from July onwards there may be some additional availability and potentially some Saver award space in store.

Other seat types

On Singapore Airlines flights, it’s the popular long-haul 2013 Business Class seat in a 1-2-1 configuration to look forward to on ATB flights.

Good news on the Boeing 777-300ER for those using the ATB from 2nd June is that this is a slightly more spacious version of the same seat found on the A350 Long Haul.

Opting for a bulkhead seat will give you even more legroom, as follows:

In Premium Economy it’s a small three or four-row cabin in a 2-4-2 configuration, so the window pairs here are good for couples.

Good news again on the Boeing 777-300ER for those using the ATB in June – these seats are 19.5 inches wide (one inch wider than on the Airbus A350).

In Economy Class it’s the 2013 seat on the Boeing 777-300ER and most A350 Long-Haul aircraft (80% of that fleet), or the newer 2017 seat if you’re on board a more recently delivered A350 LH.

On board Cathay Pacific’s A350-900s you’ll get the latest generation ‘Cirrus’ Business Class seat, in a 1-2-1 configuration.

Cathay’s Premium Economy cabin is somewhat similar to SIA’s, with a 2-4-2 layout, and Economy is… well… Economy!

SIA’s special in-flight menu

As part of the marketing for these new ATB flights, Singapore Airlines will provide a special in-flight menu featuring popular local dishes from both cities.

Passengers may look forward to local fare from Hong Kong such as a selection of Dim Sum, Soya Sauce Chicken Noodle, and Lotus Leaf Rice with Chicken, while popular Singapore dishes include Carrot Cake and Nasi Lemak.

Singapore Airlines

Cash fares

Here’s how current cash fares look on the Singapore – Hong Kong route during June and July 2021, based on a round-trip SIN-HKG-SIN booking, at the time of writing.

June & July 2021

	Economy	Premium	Business	First*
SIA	S$347 – S$1,152	S$926 – S$1,443	S$1,628 – S$2,032	S$4,714 – S$4,914
CX	S$485 – S$1,203	S$1,025 – S$1,378	S$1,562 – S$2,677	n/a

* June 2021 only

Generally speaking the higher fares are for close-in departures, with lower rates available from mid-June or in July.

Award rates

While redemption availability remains tight in the early few weeks of the ATB, especially while each carrier is operating on alternate days, it does begin to improve from mid-June.

With the travel bubble flights running officially until 30th September 2021, you may wish to lock in some available redemptions at the following rates.

Singapore Airlines

Class / Route
		Saver	Advantage
Economy	SIN > HKG	15,000 (+S$41.50)	30,000 (+S$41.50)
	HKG > SIN	15,000 (+S$44.60)*	30,000 (+S$44.60)
Premium Economy	SIN > HKG	24,500 (+S$41.50)	n/a
	HKG > SIN	24,500 (+S$44.60)*	n/a
Business	SIN > HKG	30,500 (+S$41.50)	50,000 (+S$41.50)
	HKG > SIN	30,500 (+S$56.60)*	50,000 (+S$56.60)*
First	SIN > HKG	40,500 (+S$41.50)	73,000 (+S$41.50)
	HKG > SIN	40,500 (+S$56.60)*	73,000 (+S$56.60)*

* Taxes from Hong Kong are charged in HKD and will fluctuate slightly due to exchange rates. Business and First Class taxes from HKG are slightly higher than Economy due to the increased Hong Kong Airport Construction Fee charged when flying in premium cabins.

Cathay Pacific awards will set you back fewer Asia Miles or British Airways Avios points, the two primary currencies that offer the best value on the Singapore – Hong Kong route, but you’ll also note that taxes and fees are higher compared to a KrisFlyer redemption.

This is due to Cathay Pacific’s recently reintroduced fuel surcharges on award tickets.

Cathay Pacific

Class / Route
Economy	SIN > HKG	10,000 (+S$56.10)	11,000 (+S$56.10)
	HKG > SIN	10,000 (+S$59.50)*	11,000 (+S$59.50)*
Premium Economy	SIN > HKG	18,000 (+S$56.10)	16,500 (+S$56.10)
	HKG > SIN	18,000 (+S$59.50)*	16,500 (+S$59.50)*
Business	SIN > HKG	25,000 (+S$56.10)	22,000 (+S$56.10)
	HKG > SIN	25,000 (+S$71.60)*	22,000 (+S$71.60)*

* Taxes from Hong Kong are charged in HKD and will fluctuate slightly due to exchange rates. Business Class taxes from HKG are slightly higher than Economy due to the increased Hong Kong Airport Construction Fee when flying in premium cabins.

Note that Cathay Pacific is not currently offering award space on ATB flights to partner and oneworld airlines, so the Avios rates shown in the table are for illustration at this stage. Hopefully award space through this programme will appear later, since the Business Class rate in particular is competitive.

Edit 6th May:

Cathay Pacific is now offering some ATB award space to partners, especially from July 2021.

Lounges

For those flying in Business Class or holding sufficient frequent flyer status with Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific, an important consideration will be pre-flight lounge access when flying on the ATB.

Cathay Pacific confirmed to Mainly Miles that it currently has no lounge arrangement for its Business Class passengers or eligible status holders at Singapore Changi Airport.

Singapore Airlines on the other hand, while not currently operating its own SilverKris lounge in Hong Kong, told Mainly Miles it is inviting its Business Class passengers to use the Plaza Premium Lounge near Gate 1.

	Singapore	Hong Kong
	Temporary SKL	Plaza Premium (near Gate 1)
	None	The Wing First

That means you’ll get to use the temporary SilverKris Business Class lounge at Terminal 3 when flying on Singapore Airlines from Changi, but no lounge at all flying Cathay Pacific. In the other direction you’ll get access to The Wing First Class lounge in Hong Kong flying Cathay Pacific, and the Plaza Premium Lounge flying Singapore Airlines.

Currently The Wing First Class is the only Cathay Pacific lounge open in Hong Kong. It is available to those who would normally have lounge access when flying with Cathay Pacific or oneworld carriers.

Mainly Miles confirmed with Cathay Pacific that no voucher alternative is currently provided to Business Class passengers departing Changi, even though a lounge option is not available.

The optimal booking on this city pair for those prioritising the best lounge access as part of their experience may therefore be to fly Singapore Airlines to Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific back to Singapore, given that the temporary SKL in Singapore and The Wing in Hong Kong can probably be regarded as the ‘best pair’.

Logically if the ATB is successful and passenger volumes are sufficient, SIA’s SilverKris Lounge in Hong Kong might be reopened. We’ll be sure to update you if that happens, since it could then make Singapore Airlines the best carrier to choose for return routings when flying Business or First Class on the ATB.

If you’re a Priority Pass holder, a member of a similar lounge access programme, or are willing to pay for lounge access when flying on the ATB regardless of your travel class, here’s a summary of what’s currently available at either end of the journey.

In Singapore the SATS Premier lounge in T1 is operating 24 hours a day, making it an ideal Priority Pass or paid access option for those flying on Cathay Pacific.

The Plaza Premium in T1 is currently closed, while the DNATA lounge is only opening for its partner airline departure bank between 4pm and 11pm each day, making it unsuitable for those flying Cathay Pacific.

For those flying with Singapore Airlines who don’t have SilverKris lounge access, the SATS Premier Lounge in T3 is operating 24 hours a day.

In Hong Kong the Plaza Premium lounge near Gate 1 is currently open from 8am to 11pm, and is currently being used as SIA’s third-party lounge with complimentary access for KrisFlyer Gold / PPS Club and Star Alliance Gold travellers alongside Business Class passengers.

An additional Plaza Premium lounge near gate 35 is open in the mornings from 8am to 00.30am.

The Plaza Premium lounge near Gate 60 and the Plaza Premium First Class lounge near Gate 1 remain closed, as does the Amex Centurion lounge.

The ATB process

Here’s how the process works, based on which direction you’re travelling in. The system has remained largely the same as it was for the original launch of the ATB in November 2020.

Pre-departure process (Singapore to Hong Kong)

Post-arrival process (Singapore to Hong Kong)

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Pre-departure process (Hong Kong to Singapore)

Post-arrival process (Hong Kong to Singapore)

Your ATB departure checklist

Here’s your checklist of items you’ll need to have with you before you head to the airport to check in for your ATB flight.

Departure checklist (Singapore to Hong Kong)
	Valid passport
	Valid visa (if required)
	Negative COVID-19 PCR test result (within 72h)
	QR code receipt of Health Declaration
	QR code receipt for arrival COVID-19 test
	Mobile device with the LeaveHomeSafe app

Departure checklist (Hong Kong to Singapore)
	COVID-19 vaccination certificate (if required)
	Valid passport
	Valid visa / Air Travel Pass / Entry Approval (if required)
	Negative COVID-19 PCR test result (within 72h)
	QR code receipt of Health Declaration
	Mobile device with the TraceTogether app

Other resources

Please also refer to these official resources for details of the latest ATB process:

• Cathay Pacific: How the travel bubble works
• Hong Kong Tourism: Hong Kong – Singapore ATB
• SIA: Singapore – Hong Kong ATB
• Singapore ICA: ATB requirements and process

Singapore long-term pass holders

If you’re in Singapore on an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit, there’s an extra step if you want to visit Hong Kong on the Air Travel Bubble, which is to apply for re-entry approval.

It’s not overly complicated, but you will need to work with your HR department (or CorpPass Administrator) who can make the application for you.

The request does not have to be made only after you have left Singapore (a common misconception, even shared by some HR departments). Your employer can apply up to 60 days prior to your intended date of entry (i.e. in this case, your return date from the Hong Kong ATB trip).

Applications submitted Mon-Fri before 12pm will receive their outcome the same day, while those submitted after 12pm or on weekends and public holidays will hear back the next working day.

Last year we covered the process in detail for our readers, so if this impacts you do take a look at that overview, since the same procedure continues to apply.

Testing costs & clinics

The ATB requires a total of four COVID-19 tests (for most travellers), with a total cost of around S$440 to S$770 per person, assuming a return trip, as outlined below.

Singapore – Hong Kong ATB COVID-19 Testing  Test Cost Singapore pre-departure S$154 – S$200 Hong Kong arrival S$85 Hong Kong pre-departure* S$41 – S$325 Singapore arrival S$160 Total S$440 – S$770 * Prices range from a community testing centre through to a private clinic, with other options in between at around the S$100 mark. Test not required if returning within 72 hours of arrival test, or for children 6 years or under in that calendar year.

The testing process is not waived for vaccinated travellers, even Hong Kong citizens travelling on the ATB with full vaccination as a prerequisite.

This will remain a deterrent for many travellers, especially families, who will be forking out significant additional testing expenses in addition to flight and hotel costs. Some good news, however, is that children under six years of age are exempt from the Hong Kong pre-departure and Singapore arrival tests.

Here are the latest listings for approved clinics performing pre-departure PCR tests for ATB passengers:

  Singapore pre-departure clinics

  Hong Kong pre-departure clinics

What if you test positive?

With four COVID-19 tests on a round-trip between Singapore and Hong Kong under the ATB programme, it’s a reasonable query to ask what will happen if you test positive for COVID-19.

If you test positive for COVID-19 at any stage of the journey, you’ll be sent to a government hospital for medical treatment. Your travel companions and other close contacts may also be sent to a quarantine centre in this case.

If this happens overseas (e.g. a Singapore resident tests positive at the Hong Kong arrival test), this treatment will be at your own expense.

Insurance

That brings us nicely on to the insurance question.

It’s a very good idea to have travel insurance that also covers COVID-19 before your ATB trip. Indeed for Hong Kong residents travelling to Singapore as short-term visitors, this is now mandatory (with some third-party recommendations listed via that link).

Please note that all short-term visitors travelling to Singapore on an ATB flight will need to apply for an Air Travel Pass. As part of the Air Travel Pass requirements, customers must purchase travel insurance, with a minimum coverage of S$30,000 for Covid-19 related medical treatments and hospitalisation costs, prior to travel to Singapore.

Singapore Airlines

Options for Singapore residents visiting Hong Kong include SIA’s own coverage (from AIG), now including enhanced COVID-19 clauses.

Cathay Pacific, meanwhile, is offering free COVID-19 insurance for all trips commenced up to and including 31st May 2021. Hopefully this will be further extended, or cover the ATB arrangement for a longer period.

Aside from the airlines, it’s also possible to get travel insurance from a third-party provider as usual, several of which include COVID-19 cover, including:

• Allianz
• AXA
• NTUC Income

What if the bubble bursts?

Well, it happened once before (sort of)!

The mechanism to suspend and resume the ATB arrangement is based on the seven-day moving average of the daily number of unlinked local COVID-19 cases rising to more than five in either Singapore or Hong Kong.

The ATB will then be suspended, after a two-day ‘grace’ period, for 14 days.

It can resume the following day, provided the following criteria are met:

• the seven-day moving average of the daily number of unlinked local COVID-19 cases for both Hong Kong and Singapore does not exceed five on the last day of the 14-day suspension period or any subsequent day; and
• subsequently there have to be three consecutive days with the daily number of unlinked local COVID-19 cases for both Hong Kong and Singapore not exceeding three, and the seven-day moving average of the daily number of unlinked local COVID-19 cases on the third day in both places not exceeding five.

The last point is a new requirement, over and above the limits imposed when the ATB was originally due to start in November last year.

If your flights are cancelled or changed to non-ATB flights, you’ll be eligible for a refund with fees waiver, regardless of which airline you booked with (SIA or Cathay).

If you are unable to return to your home city before a suspension of the ATB takes effect (i.e. within the two-day ‘grace’ period), you will have to either wait for the ATB to resume (min. 14 days), or travel on a non-ATB flight and complete a quarantine / SHN period at your destination:

Return to Singapore

• No pre-departure test required
• COVID-19 PCR test on-arrival
• Seven-day SHN at self-sourced accommodation, including place of residence and COVID-19 PCR test at the end of SHN

Return to Hong Kong

• No pre-departure test required
• COVID-19 PCR test on-arrival
• 14-day quarantine at a designated hotel, which you must book in advance
• COVID-19 PCR tests on day seven and day 12

Summary

Like before, the Singapore – Hong Kong ATB isn’t the simplest travel process, nor the least expensive, but it does represent the first real quarantine-free leisure travel opportunity for most of us in over a year.

Let’s hope the arrangement gets off the ground this time, since it could form the basis for future quarantine-free bubbles with other low-risk countries, like Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan.

We’ve hopefully covered most if not all of the ATB’s detailed aspects here, but if we missed anything, made a mistake or you have any other questions, let us know in the comments section below.