Back in July this year Singapore Airlines joined Qantas and Malaysia Airlines in allowing passengers to use the Jewel Early Check-In (ECI) facility as an alternative to the regular T3 check-in desks, when departing on selected flights to Europe.
Prior to COVID-19 this benefit allowed passengers departing on no fewer than 30 airlines to check in for their flight and issue their boarding passes up to 24 hours before departure time, but currently it operates only between 1pm and 5pm each day, geared towards evening and late night flights.
More SIA routes will be eligible from 1st September
There’s more good news for SIA passengers, with the airline confirming that, in addition to those departing for Europe, passengers departing to the following countries will also be able to use the Jewel ECI from 1st September 2022:
- Australia
- Malaysia
- New Zealand
From 01 September 2022, early check-in counters at Jewel Changi Airport level 1 will be available for Singapore Airlines passengers travelling to Australia, Europe, New Zealand, Malaysia and the United Kingdom from 1300 to 1700 hours daily.
Passengers who wish to use this service must check-in no later than 3 hours before their flight’s scheduled departure time.
Singapore Airlines
Which flights?
This option will allow those taking the following evening Singapore Airlines departures to Europe and Turkey to check-in at Jewel, if it’s more convenient for them to do so, between 1pm and 5pm each day.
Newly added options from 1st September 2022 are highlighted.
- 18:45 SQ215 to Perth
- 18:45 SQ126 to Kuala Lumpur
- 19:50 SQ297 to Christchurch
- 20:40 SQ221 to Sydney
- 21:30 SQ235 to Brisbane
- 22:00 SQ227 to Melbourne
- 22:45 SQ285 to Auckland
- 23:10 SQ279 to Adelaide
- 23:30 SQ322 to London
- 23:30 SQ378 to Milan / Barcelona
- 23:55 SQ324 to Amsterdam
- 23:55 SQ352 to Copenhagen
- 23:55 SQ26 to Frankfurt / New York*
- 00:05 SQ225 to Perth
- 00:15 SQ336 to Paris
- 00:25 SQ237 to Melbourne
- 00:30 SQ328 to Munich
- 00:45 SQ231 to Sydney
- 00:45 SQ255 to Brisbane
- 01:10 SQ306 to London
- 01:30 SQ366 to Rome
- 01:45 SQ346 to Zurich
- 02:05 SQ392 to Istanbul
- 02:05 SQ52 to Manchester / Houston**
* Passengers with final destination Frankfurt only
** Passengers with final destination Manchester only
Do note that you must have at least three hours between your check-in time and the scheduled flight departure time, so some of these new earlier options to Perth, Kuala Lumpur and Christchurch don’t take advantage of the full ECI 1pm to 5pm opening window.
Once this expansion of options has taken effect, only Singapore Airlines flights to the following countries will not be eligible to use the Jewel early check-in facility:
- Bangladesh
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- Canada
- China
- Hong Kong
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Maldives
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Philippines
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- UAE
- USA
- Vietnam
When flying to these destinations, you must check in at the regular desks in T3.
Where is it?
The Jewel ECI is located on Level 1 of the Jewel complex.
From the T1 departures level (Jewel drop off), you’ll need to go down one level to reach the ECI facility.
From T1 arrivals you are already on the correct floor and the ECI is only short walk into the complex on the left side.
What’s the benefit?
The Jewel ECI option could be useful if you’re planning to have dinner in Jewel with friends of family, or even catch a movie at the cinema there, before heading through to T3 departures for your flight.
Obviously Jewel also has plenty of shopping options plus some other attractions too, but most people we know go there for the food!
Better still, if your Singapore Airlines flight then ends up departing from a T1 gate (i.e. a ‘C’ gate), which you can check before leaving Jewel via the iChangi app, you can even clear immigration in T1.
Since T1 is directly connected to Jewel, you’ll then enjoy a much shorter walk to the gate, assuming you’re not interested in any T3 SilverKris lounge time (if eligible).
The Changi Lounge is opposite
If you’re looking to use a Priority Pass or paid access lounge prior to your departure, for example if you need somewhere quiet to get some work done for a few hours before heading into the transit area, you might want to consider the Changi Lounge in Jewel.
This is located directly opposite the ECI facility, so you can head across there as soon as you have checked your bags in and printed your boarding card.
This is ideal, because for many access schemes you will need a valid boarding pass to use this lounge.
Do note, however, that shower facilities in the Changi Lounge are not available until further notice, which is shame because they are excellent!
SIA’s T3 check-in operates 20 hours a day
Remember you can check in for any SIA flight at Terminal 3 between 5am and 1am every day (i.e. only not between 1am and 5am), up to 48 hours before your flight departure time, and have your luggage checked and boarding cards printed.
SIA’s Jewel ECI option is therefore probably only useful if you actually wish to use the Jewel facilities prior to your flight, not as a means to access the lounges or transit area earlier, since you can already do this anyway by checking in early at T3 itself.
It’s a different story for airlines like Qantas, where the Jewel ECI option potentially gives you the opportunity to score a whole afternoon T1 oneworld ‘lounge safari’, even prior to a midnight flight, for example.
Summary
The Jewel ECI facility was a really useful option before COVID-19 hit, and we used it regularly to have the freedom to access the transit area before the normal check-in time with airlines like Qatar Airways and Lufthansa.
It’s great to see the facility back in action, though current travel documentation restrictions mean it’s still a shadow of its former self with just a few airlines now offering the option between 1pm and 5pm each day (it previously operated from 6am till midnight).
Singapore Airlines is expanding its list of eligible flights with Jewel ECI access, with Australia, Malaysia and New Zealand-bound passengers joining those heading to Europe, which may be useful for travellers actually wishing to use Jewel during the afternoon and evening before their late night departure.
Hopefully additional cities, airlines and opening windows for the Jewel ECI are in the pipeline.
(Cover Photo: Changi Airport Group)