Singapore Airlines reopening Changi T2 SilverKris Lounges on 11 October

Singapore Airlines has confirmed the reopening of its SilverKris Business Class and First Class lounges at Changi Airport Terminal 2 from Tuesday 11th October 2022, in tandem with the Terminal’s reopening for selected departing passenger flights.

The lounges have not had a major overhaul like those in T3, so don’t expect the latest redesign, with only a minor refresh of the original furnishings and decor.

On the plus side, the Terminal 2 KrisFlyer Gold lounge will remain shuttered for now, meaning KrisFlyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold members departing from T2 will have access to the SKL Business Class section, for some pre-flight Champagne.

Opening hours

Singapore Airlines has now confirmed the operating hours of its T2 lounges.

Both the Business Class and First Class lounges will open their doors at 5am on 11th October, to accommodate passengers travelling on inaugural departures to Kuala Lumpur (SQ104) and Bangkok (SQ706), which go wheels-up at 7.10am that morning.

They will remain open until 7pm that evening, shortly after the final flight of the day departs from the terminal to Kuala Lumpur (SQ126) at 6.45pm.

Thereafter, the opening hours, effective from 5am on 12th October onwards will be:

This will cater for passengers travelling on flights to all Singapore Airlines South East Asia destinations from 13th October 2022, when over 40 of the carrier’s daily departures will be handled through T2’s southern section, compared to only 17 daily departures on the first couple of days of operation.

Lounge access

As we mentioned above, the T2 KrisFlyer Gold lounge won’t be reopening initially, so the following departing passengers will be eligible for access to these two SilverKris lounges from 11th October 2022.

Singapore Airlines T2 SilverKris Lounge Access
Cabin Class / Membership Tier	T2 SKL Business Class	T2 SKL First Class	Guests
Suites or First Class
Business Class
Solitaire PPS Club in Business, Premium Economy or Economy
Solitaire PPS Club in Business, Premium Economy or Economy
PPS Club KrisFlyer Elite Gold Star Alliance Gold in Business, Premium Economy or Economy

Additionally, when flying on a Singapore Airlines flight, the following status holders can access the T2 SKL Business Class lounge:

• Virgin Australia Velocity Platinum and Gold status members, in any cabin class (+1 guest)
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold status members, in any cabin class (passenger only)

In all cases, as a result of a recently tightened policy, your guest (where eligible) must be departing on the same day and same flight as you.

Remember this access policy is only applicable for the T2 SilverKris lounges.

Over at T3, where all Singapore Airlines lounges are now open again, the standard access policy applies, as outlined below (click to expand).

Changi Airport SilverKris and KrisFlyer Gold lounge access Departing on a Singapore Airlines flight Cabin Class / Membership Tier Lounge Eligibility Guests Suites or First Class The Private Room SKL First Class Business Class SKL Business Class Solitaire PPS Club in Business, Premium Economy or Economy SKL First Class PPS Club in Business, Premium Economy or Economy SKL Business Class KrisFlyer Elite Gold in Business SKL Business Class KrisFlyer Elite Gold in Premium Economy or Economy KrisFlyer Gold Departing on a Star Alliance flight Cabin Class / Membership Tier Lounge Eligibility Guests First Class SKL First Class Business Class SKL Business Class Star Alliance Gold (including KFEG and PPS Club) in Business SKL Business Class Star Alliance Gold (including KFEG and PPS Club) in Premium Economy or Economy KrisFlyer Gold In all cases, your guest must be departing on the same day and same flight as you. Guest privileges are not cumulative (e.g. a First Class traveller who is also a Solitaire PPS Club member is not entitled to have two guests).

You can still use the T3 lounges

With a T3 – T2 airside SkyTrain link in operation, those departing from T2 but wishing to use the renovated lounges in T3 will also be able to do so, simply by allowing slightly longer to reach the gate come departure time.

Singapore Airlines has confirmed to Mainly Miles that while it of course prefers passengers to check-in and use the lounge in their departing terminal, it will once again be possible to check in and proceed through immigration in T3, even for a T2 departure, saving additional time if this is your lounge use strategy.

“While we encourage customers whose flights are departing from Terminal 2 to check in at the same terminal, they may opt to check in at Terminal 3 as well.

“Eligible customers who wish to use the lounge before their flight may visit the SilverKris Lounge at Terminal 2, or the SilverKris and KrisFlyer Gold lounges at Terminal 3.

“Customers may take the complimentary Changi Airport Skytrain inside the transit area to travel between Terminals 2 and 3. The Changi Airport Skytrain operates daily from 0430hrs to 0130hrs.

“Customers should provision ample time to travel between Terminals 2 and 3, so as to ensure they get to their boarding gate on time.”

SIA spokesperson

Those departing from T2 in First Class to Jakarta will no doubt want to use the First Class check-in and The Private Room over in T3 prior to departure, rather than these newly-opened T2 lounges.

T3 passengers can use the T2 lounges

Similarly those departing on SIA from T3 can opt to check-in and clear security at T2 from 11th October, if they prefer.

This could be a good option for KrisFlyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold members travelling in Economy or Premium Economy from T3, since they will be entitled to use the SilverKris Business Class lounge in T2 prior to departure, which includes Champagne.

Again, that’s because the KrisFlyer Gold lounge in T2 will remain closed for the time being, as it is undergoing redevelopment, according to a statement we received from the airline.

Do be aware that some Singapore Airlines T3 flights actually depart from T1 (gates ‘C’ and ‘D’), where the walking time to and from T2 can be nearly 40 minutes, including two SkyTrain rides, according to CAG!

Another potential reason to head across to T2 may be for a quieter lounge experience.

With only around 40-45 daily Singapore Airlines and Air India departures per day, the T2 lounges likely won’t be as busy as the T3 facilities.

The T2 First Class lounge in particular should be a peaceful experience for eligible passengers, with the terminal only catering for 12 departing First Class seats per day across three flights bound for Jakarta, plus Solitaire PPS Club members travelling on other flights.

Lounge location

Both of these lounges retain their original location towards the north side of the T2 departure transit area (left turn after immigration), even though it is the southern end of the check-in hall and southern ‘F’ gates that will be in use for passenger processing and departures.

After clearing immigration, make a left turn and take the escalator up to Level 3, then follow the corridor along to the lounge entrance at the end of the corridor.

It’s then a fair walk to the F gates, which will be used for T2 flight departures, and to the SkyTrain for transfers to and from T3, so do build in sufficient walking time, especially if you are changing terminals.

Terminal 2 flights

Initially T2 will host all Singapore Airlines departures to Malaysia and Thailand on 11th October 2022 and 12th October 2022, meaning 17 flights on each of those days will depart from the reopened southern wing of the terminal, bound for:

• Malaysia
  (KUL, PEN)
• Thailand
  (BKK, HKT)

From 13th October 2022, all the carrier’s South East Asia flights will depart from T2, incorporating services destined for the following countries and cities:

• Brunei
  (BWN)
• Cambodia
  (PNH, REP)
• Indonesia
  (CGK, DPS, KNO, SUB)
• Malaysia
  (KUL, PEN)
• Myanmar
  (RGN)
• Philippines
  (CEB, DVO, MNL)
• Thailand
  (BKK, HKT)
• Vietnam
  (DAD, HAN, SGN)

That will ramp up T2 departures to 43 per day for the airline on 13th October 2022, with the daily schedule varying slightly after that but remaining at similar levels.

Less than a week later, from 18th October 2022, Air India and Air India Express join the T2 fold, with an additional four flights per day.

Airlines moving to Changi T2

Airline		Current Terminal	Relocation to T2
	Singapore Airlines (SQ) Thailand and Malaysia departures only		11 October
	Singapore Airlines (SQ) All South East Asia departures		13 October
	Air India (AI)		18 October
	Air India Express (IX)		18 October

More airlines are expected to operate from T2 in due course, subject to separate announcement.

Singapore Airlines will reopen its SilverKris Business Class and First Class lounges at Changi Airport Terminal 2 from 5am on 11th October, with the Business Class section then featuring 24-hour opening from the following day, while the First Class section will boast a 5am to 1am access window each day.

Importantly for many of our readers, the SKL Business Class facility will be available to KrisFlyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold members departing on SIA or Star flights, either from T2 or T3, due to the continued closure of T2’s KrisFlyer Gold lounge.

That will no doubt encourage many eligible members to head over to T2 even when departing from T3 (or T1) for some pre-flight Champagne, not normally available in the T3 KrisFlyer Gold lounge.

On the flip side, many passengers with SIA flights departing from T2 will prefer to check-in and clear immigration in T3, to use the newer lounges there, then take the SkyTrain to T2 come departure time.

If you are going to use these strategies to visit different lounges, just be sure to allow sufficient time to reach your departure gate, building in both the SkyTrain transfer and the walking time.

(Cover Photo: Sorbis / Shutterstock)