First look at SIA’s new first-class lounge at Changi Airport T2, which opens on Nov 7
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
SIA's First Class SilverKris Lounge at Changi Airport Terminal 2 will be able to accommodate around 130 customers.
PHOTO: SIA
Follow topic:
- SIA's new First Class SilverKris Lounge at Changi T2 opens Nov 7, 11% larger with enhanced features and inclusive design.
- The lounge offers dining zones, resting pods, upgraded restrooms, and a children's playroom with PlayStation 5.
- Part of a $45 million T2 lounge upgrade, it offers exclusive menus and comes amid rising demand for premium airport lounges.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – After almost 15 years in its old skin, Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) all-new first-class lounge at Changi Airport Terminal 2 (T2) is set to open on Nov 7.
Situated in a different location near the existing first-class lounge, the new First Class SilverKris Lounge will occupy a 1,050 sq m lot next to the Sats Premier Lounge, making it 11 per cent larger compared with its previous location.
It will be able to accommodate around 130 customers and is accessible to SIA’s suites and first-class customers, Solitaire PPS Club members, and first-class customers travelling on Star Alliance member airlines.
The upgraded lounge – designed to be consistent with the aesthetic of the airline’s Terminal 3 (T3) lounges – will have 3.6m-high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and two chandeliers made with 128 hand-blown glass stars as its centrepiece.
The space will be divided into zones for dining, work and relaxation, and is designed with inclusivity in mind. It will have step-free access throughout the premises, Braille signage and hearing loop systems – an assistive technology for individuals with reduced ranges of hearing.
Four resting pods will be available in a separate soundproofed room, and each is fitted out with an adjustable reclining armchair and sliding door for privacy, with pillows, blankets and eyeshades provided.
Four resting pods will be available in a separate soundproofed room.
ST PHOTO: JOHNBOY IYPE JOHN
Upgraded restroom and shower facilities will feature Dyson hairdryers and amenities by French luxury brand Lalique. There will also be a new playroom equipped with a Sony Playstation 5 console and other interactive elements for children.
“Our focus is on preparing our customers for the next part of their travel... One of the things we look into is supporting wellness, and with this lounge, we’re doing so with things like new food and drinks, and better shower facilities,” said Mr Timothy Chua, SIA’s vice-president for lounge development and inflight operations.
Floor-to-ceiling windows at the main dining area.
PHOTO: SIA
Drinks such as its new Root Recovery juice – made with carrot, beetroot, apple and ginger – and gluten-free cakes will be available in the lounge.
To celebrate its opening, the lounge will offer an exclusive menu for November with dishes such as herb-roasted chicken cacciatore – a rustic Italian stew – and a Mediterranean quinoa salad, as well as local desserts such as ondeh-ondeh cake.
These dishes will subsequently be available in its T3 first-class lounge, and will be served in both lounges on a rotational basis.
Live cooking stations will serve new dishes prepared a la minute, such as stir-fried XO carrot cake and Hawaiian chicken burger. The revamped Signature Bar, which serves barista-made coffee, signature cocktails such as the Singapore Sling, and premium wines and spirits, will seat 12, up from the previous eight.
Live cooking stations will serve new dishes prepared a la minute, such as stir-fried XO carrot cake and a Hawaiian chicken burger.
ST PHOTOS: JOHNBOY IYPE JOHN
The last major renovation of the First Class SilverKris Lounge took place in 2011, followed by a minor refresh in 2024.
The new lounge forms part of SIA’s $45 million investment to upgrade its premium lounges in T2 over a two-year period. This project began in April, following the carrier’s earlier $50 million revamp of its T3 lounges, which fully reopened in May 2022
Renovations for the SilverKris Business Class Lounge at T2 began in October, and will be followed by the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge in the first half of 2026. All upgrading works are scheduled for completion by mid-2027.
The revamped Signature Bar will seat 12, up from the previous eight.
PHOTO: SIA
Once ready, the refreshed lounges at T2 will offer up to 50 per cent more space and seating, along with enhanced amenities and food and beverage options.
The upgrades come amid rising global demand for premium airport lounge access.
The space at the new first-class lounge will be divided into zones for dining, work and relaxation.
ST PHOTO: JOHNBOY IYPE JOHN
According to insights by London-based Collinson International, international traveller visits to its network of airport lounges and travel experiences across the Asia-Pacific (Apac) region increased by 71 per cent in the first half of 2024, compared with the same period a year earlier.
The company operates more than 750 lounges, such as the Oriental Club Lounge in Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport and the Miracle First Class Lounge in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, and airport experiences in Asia.
It also noted that travellers are increasingly prioritising wellness and lifestyle amenities in airports – such as spas, sleep pods and restaurants – over traditional lounge use. Visits by Apac travellers to such experiences surged by 144 per cent between 2023 and 2024, compared with a 70 per cent growth in lounge visits, reported Collinson International.
At Changi Airport, competition in the lounge landscape is intensifying. Australian carrier Qantas opened its first-ever First Lounge in Asia at Terminal 1 (T1) Sats unveiled its refurbished T3 lounge in July 2024
Mr Chua said SIA recognises that the airport lounge landscape is changing. “We offer what is needed by our customers and we... continue to adapt and evolve. Our immediate focus is to get our flagship SilverKris lounges in Singapore ready, and that’s by 2027,” he added.
