A popular Oneworld lounge at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1 is the longstanding Qantas International Lounge, which caters to those flying in Business Class or holding sufficient status prior to departure on a Oneworld-operated flight from any terminal.

Traditionally this lounge, which was the first Oneworld facility to reopen post-COVID in December 2021, has only had a 2.30pm opening time each day to cater for the carrier’s own services, with operation through to the final Qantas departure at around midnight.

Now there’s some good news for those departing earlier in the day, with selected morning and even all-day opening for this facility on specific days of the week.

Qantas Singapore International Lounge morning hours

With immediate effect, the Qantas Singapore International Lounge is open from 7.50am on selected days of the week, as outlined in the following table.

Qantas Singapore International Lounge opening hours

Day	7.50am to 10am	10am to 2.45pm	2.45pm to 1am
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Thursday gets the biggest boost, with an all-day 7.50am to 1am opening window now in force.

It probably seems as though there is little logic to these new timings, but Qantas kindly shared with Mainly Miles that these new morning (and in one case all-day) opening windows are actually designed to cater for eligible passengers departing on its partner airlines Air France and Fiji Airways.

Specifically, for those interested, these are:

• Tuesday
  AF181 to Paris at 10.50am
• Thursday
  AF181 to Paris at 10.50am
  FJ362 to Nadi at 1.25pm
• Sunday
  AF181 to Paris at 10.50am

Crucially though, that doesn’t stop eligible travellers departing on other Oneworld flights, or those on the evening bank of Qantas flights taking advantage of early check-in at Jewel, from accessing the lounge during these new timings.

Lounge access

This lounge is available to passengers flying on a Qantas or Emirates flight, or on a Oneworld member operated flight:

• in First Class or Business Class; or
• in Premium Economy or Economy Class and holding Qantas Platinum One, Platinum or Gold status, Emirates Platinum or Gold Skywards status* or Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status**

* Qantas or Emirates flights only
** Qantas or Oneworld flights only

This lounge is also available to passengers flying on Air France or KLM:

• in Business Class or First Class (Air France); or
• in Premium Economy or Economy Class and holding Flying Blue Gold or Platinum status, or SkyTeam Elite Plus status.
• in Premium Economy or Economy Class and holding Qantas Platinum One or Platinum status, when flying on a QF codeshare flight number.

The lounge is also available to passengers flying on a Fiji Airways flight (FJ):

• in Business Class; or
• in Economy Class and holding Tabua Club Plus status.

This lounge is also available to passengers flying on a Jetstar flight (coded JQ or 3K):

• on a Jetstar Business Max fare; or
• holding Qantas Platinum One, Platinum or Gold status.

If you are a Qantas Club member flying on a Qantas (QF) or Jetstar (JQ or 3K) flight number you are also permitted access.

Guest policy

Passengers using this lounge on the basis of their Qantas Frequent Flyer status can bring one guest into the lounge with them. The guest must be travelling:

• on a QF or oneworld flight number, if the member is flying Qantas or Oneworld; or
• on the same flight as the member, if the member is flying Emirates or Jetstar.

Passengers using this lounge on the basis of their Oneworld status can bring one guest into the lounge with them. The guest must be travelling on a Oneworld flight number.

Passengers using this lounge on the basis of their Emirates Skywards status can bring one guest into the lounge with them. The guest must be travelling on the same flight as the member.

Passengers using this lounge on the basis of their Fiji Airways Tabua status can bring one guest into the lounge with them. The guest must be travelling on a QF or FJ flight.

Passengers using this lounge on the basis of their eligible travel class can bring one guest into the lounge with them, provided the passenger is travelling:

• Qantas or Emirates First Class; or
• Qantas Business Class

The guest must be travelling on the same flight as the passenger in these cases.

Note that Emirates Business Class passengers without Platinum or Gold Skywards status are not entitled to any guest allowance.

About the Qantas Singapore International Lounge

The Qantas Singapore International Lounge is one of the best Business Class lounges at Singapore Changi Airport, including a manned bar, ample shower suites and excellent food options.

The facility has a huge 600-seat capacity, which is much-needed during the evening peak of Qantas departures that includes Airbus A380 services to London and Australia.

On the other hand, that makes it an enormous space for only a handful of morning Oneworld and partner airline departures, which is the case for these new opening periods.

The lounge even offers a made-to-order food menu, in addition to a self-serve buffet selection.

Shower facilities are available for those who want to freshen up before their flight, with 20 private shower suites offered in this huge lounge.

There’s also super fast Wi-Fi, clocking in at 62 Mbps during our last visit. This is still something Singapore Airlines just can’t seem achieve in its lounges (even the new ones!).

Despite the lack of Champagne, this lounge also boasts a full bar, including Little Creatures on tap.

We reviewed the lounge in September 2019, shortly before it was forced to close due to the pandemic, and aside from a lack of Champagne (sparkling wine is offered), we rate it as among the better Business Class lounges out there.

Qantas early check-in at Changi

The new morning or all-day opening of this lounge won’t only benefit those with early departures, since Qantas participates in Changi Airport’s Early Check-In (ECI) programme at Jewel Changi Airport.

That means from 8am to 12 midnight each day, Qantas passengers can check in for their flight, drop their bags and have their boarding passes issued, allowing them to proceed to the transit (airside) area to dine, shop and lounge-hop to their content, prior to a much later departure.

On Thursdays in particular, this allows lounge-eligible Qantas passengers who have potentially had to vacate their hotel room around lunchtime to simply make their way to the airport, check-in early then freshen up and relax in the lounge all afternoon before a late night departure.

On Tuesdays and Sundays these passengers sadly won’t be able to use the lounge between 10am and 2.45pm, but can always take the free transit bus to T4 and enjoy some dim sum at the Cathay Pacific lounge there, then return to the Qantas lounge later.

The Qantas Singapore First Lounge doesn’t benefit

Back in late 2019 Qantas also opened its Singapore First Lounge, a fantastic facility catering to its own First Class passengers, Qantas Platinum and Oneworld Emerald status holders, and both Air France and Oneworld First Class guests.

Here the game goes up a notch – with à la carte dining the centrepiece, rivalling even SIA’s The Private Room.

Unfortunately this new morning opening option does not extend to the Qantas First lounge, which retains its regular 3pm to 11pm operating hours, primarily tied to the carrier’s own flight departures.

The Qatar lounge also has morning opening

As we reported back in July this year, Qatar Airways now also has a morning opening once again for its fantastic Premium Lounge at Singapore Changi Airport T1.

This gives those departing in Business Class with Qatar Airways or a Oneworld carrier access to this lounge between 7.45am and 10.45am each morning, in addition to the 6pm to 2.30am evening opening window.

What’s inconsistent about the Qatar lounge is that is isn’t open to those with Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status travelling in Economy or Premium Economy cabins. This lounge restricts access only to those flying on Qatar Airways or a Oneworld carrier in First or Business Class.

That means the Qantas lounge is now the best go-to option for Qatar Privilege Club Gold and Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status holders departing on the QR943 service at 10.55am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, who are otherwise directed to the (average) SATS lounge at Changi.

Qantas certainly won’t complain – Qatar Airways (or at least some other FFP) pays the Aussie carrier a fee for every passenger who passes the threshold this way, as we outlined in our detailed article about the financial background to lounge access.

You can now access the Qantas Singapore International Lounge (or Business Lounge as we call it) between 7.50am and 10am on selected days of the week, with Thursdays boasting all-day opening from 7.50am right through to 1am.

This is designed to accommodate eligible guests departing on the carrier’s partner airlines Air France and Fiji Airways, and is in addition to the lounge’s regular daily 2.45pm to 1am hours.

Crucially, if you’re jetting off on the likes of Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, SriLankan Airlines and Malaysia Airlines you can take advantage too, even if your flight doesn’t even depart from T1.

Let’s hope Qantas may even progress to all-day opening for this popular lounge every day of the week in future.

(Cover Photo: MainlyMiles)