Singapore Airlines has announced the latest of its overseas SilverKris lounge reopenings following the pandemic, with confirmation that its Seoul facility will once again welcome eligible guests prior to departure on one of the carrier’s four daily flights from the city, from Monday 5th June 2023.
The lounge, which picked up the airline’s latest design concept back in October 2019, is the eighth of the SilverKris lounges outside Singapore to reopen its doors following the COVID-19 pandemic.
This will be welcome news for eligible SIA passengers departing from Seoul, who are currently directed to one of the to the Asiana Lounges on Level 4, near Gate 11 or Gate 26.
Those are relatively basic in comparison, based on reviews we’ve read since they reopened post-pandemic.
Lack of demand during COVID-19 unfortunately also caused SIA to permanently shutter similar lounges in Adelaide, Delhi and Kuala Lumpur, but the Seoul SKL was thankfully immune from this cull.
Location
The lounge is located in the departures area of Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1, at Hall 4.
Head to Gate 29 and then proceed up to the 4th floor using the escalator opposite the Korean Traditional Culture Center, where you will find the entrance to the lounge.
Opening hours
Singapore Airlines has confirmed that its Seoul SilverKris lounge will be open during the following timings every day, from Monday 5th June 2023 onwards:
- 6.15am to 11am (for SQ607 and SQ611)
- 1.45pm to 4.30pm (for SQ601)
- 8.45pm to 11.30pm (for SQ605)
This covers the airline’s four daily departures to Singapore, which are currently operated by a mixture of Airbus A350 Medium Haul and Boeing 787-10 aircraft.
About the Seoul SKL
The Seoul SilverKris Lounge was the final overseas facility to be renovated with SIA’s ‘Home Away From Home’ design before the project, which was originally supposed to roll out to all overseas lounges, was cut short.
The lounge’s stunning design was already a nod towards the carrier’s latest concept at the recently remodelled Changi T3 facilities, with a more modern look and feel by Singapore’s DP Design (already a departure from the original ONG&ONG lounge refreshes).
Shower facilities and a manned bar are available.
There’s even a traditional Singapore-style coffee shop area and an LED mask service is offered!
You can read a pre-COVID review of this lounge here.
Access
The following passengers are able to access SIA’s SilverKris Lounge in Seoul, when departing on a Singapore Airlines or Star Alliance member operated flight:
- in Suites Class or First Class (+1 guest)
- in Business Class (passenger only)
- in any cabin class when holding KrisFlyer Elite Gold, PPS or PPS Solitaire status (+1 guest)
- in any cabin class when holding Star Alliance Gold status (+1 guest)
In all cases your guest (where permitted) must be departing on the same flight as you, as part of a policy that was tightened last year.
Additionally, only when flying on a Singapore Airlines flight:
- 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)
Again your guest (where permitted) must be travelling on the same Singapore Airlines or Star Alliance member operated flight as you.
Seoul – Singapore flight schedule
Singapore Airlines is operating its Airbus A350 Medium Haul and Boeing 787-10 aircraft on its four daily Seoul – Singapore flights during the northern summer season between now and the end of October 2023, having restored pre-COVID flight frequencies to the route.
- 09:00 ICN-SIN
SQ607
787-10 - 11:20 ICN-SIN
SQ611
A350 MH - 16:45 ICN-SIN
SQ601
A350 MH (787-10 from 1st October 2023) - 23:45 ICN-SIN
SQ605
A350 MH
A similar schedule is maintained into the northern winter season between November 2023 and March 2024.
Seoul redemption rates
These are the KrisFlyer miles needed for the Singapore – Seoul route, based on the latest award rates since the 2022 devaluation became effective on 5th July 2022.
| KrisFlyer Redemption (one-way) Singapore ⇄ Seoul |
||
| Saver | Advantage | |
| Economy | 27,000 | 45,000 |
| Premium Economy | 37,500 | n/a |
| Business | 52,000 | 70,000 |
| First / Suites | 77,000 | 120,000 |
Note that there is currently no Premium Economy or First / Suites option on this route, though those cabins have been available in the past and could therefore make a return.
Which overseas SKLs have reopened?
The Seoul SilverKris lounge will be the eighth SKL outside Singapore to reopen its doors since the pandemic, with seven other reopenings in recent months:
| Overseas SilverKris Lounge Reopening post-COVID | |
| SilverKris Lounge | Reopened |
| London | September 2021 (having briefly reopened in late 2020) |
| Sydney | October 2021 |
| Melbourne | October 2021 |
| Brisbane | March 2022 |
| Perth | April 2022 |
| Manila | May 2022 |
| Bangkok | September 2022 |
Which overseas SKLs are still closed?
This reopening means only two SilverKris lounges outside Singapore are still shuttered, in:
- Hong Kong
- Taipei
We asked Singapore Airlines whether there was any specific timeline for these reopenings, in view of border relaxations in both locations, however no dates were provided with the spokesperson confirming to us that these decisions would be taken “progressively”.
“Singapore Airlines (SIA) is closely monitoring the demand for lounge services overseas, and will reopen our lounges progressively as travel demand picks up.
SIA spokesperson
“More details will be announced in due course.”
Nonetheless, eligible passengers these cities currently have the option of other lounges prior to departure.
Some overseas lounges are in line for a refit
As we reported earlier this month, Singapore Airlines has commenced a new project to renovate selected SilverKris lounges on its overseas network, though Seoul clearly wasn’t in need of this as the most recently opened, and retains its pre-COVID design.
There are still no confirmed details about which lounges will go under the knife first, but our money’s on Melbourne, Perth, Taipei and Hong Kong as the top candidates, for various reasons, but mostly because they are the oldest.
Summary
Since South Korea reopened its borders to tourists via an (eventually) simple arrival process, travel demand has spiked and the return of Singapore Airlines’ SilverKris lounge at Incheon International Airport has been long overdue for many of our readers.
Thankfully the facility makes a return next week, welcoming guests from Monday 5th June 2023, offering its tended bar and shower facilities for those departing on all four of the airline’s daily flights from the city.
This will be a particular relief to regular travellers on the Seoul route, many of whom have been enduring an overcrowded or sub-optimal lounge situation at the Asiana facility, which doesn’t exactly get rave reviews.
The reopening also means only two of SIA’s SilverKris lounges globally remain shuttered following the COVID-19 pandemic, in Taipei and Hong Kong. Hopefully we can bring news of their reopening in the months ahead, alongside some long-overdue lounge renovations too.
(Cover Photo: Satu Koson)
The lounge they use in Hong Kong is abysmally bad and overcrowded. They need to open their own lounge soon or do a deal with CX