Singapore Changi Airport Guide (SIN)

Useful Information and Travel Tips for Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)

General Information About the Airport

Singapore Changi Airport (IATA: SIN), commonly known as Changi Airport, is Singapore’s main international gateway and one of the most awarded airports in the world for service quality, innovation, and passenger comfort. It handles flights from more than 100 airlines connecting Singapore to over 150+ cities around the world, with thousands of flights arriving and departing every week.
Located on the eastern side of Singapore, Changi Airport is designed as a global hub for long-haul and regional travel. It processed tens of millions of passengers in the last year and continues to expand its capacity with new infrastructure to support future air traffic growth across Asia.
Beyond being an airport, Changi is a full travel destination thanks to Jewel Changi Airport — a next-generation lifestyle and nature complex featuring the Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall at 40 meters high, surrounded by tropical forest landscaping and walking trails.

Terminals

Changi Airport has four main passenger terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and Terminal 4. These terminals are laid out in a connected “U” shape around Jewel, with automated transport between them to keep passenger transfers fast and simple.

Terminal 1 (T1): One of the airport’s original hubs, linked to Jewel and home to key long-haul and regional international flights.
Terminal 2 (T2): Recently refreshed with new retail, dining, and passenger flow upgrades after reopening, supporting growing post-pandemic traffic.
Terminal 3 (T3): A major full-service terminal with wide-body operations, direct access to the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Hotel, and direct walkway links into Jewel.
Terminal 4 (T4): A modern terminal known for high automation and self-service technology. It uses biometric-enabled check-in, bag drop, immigration, and boarding to create a fast, mostly touchless departure experience.

All public terminals are connected by a free Skytrain service (05:00–02:00) and 24-hour shuttle links, making it easy to move between T1, T2, T3, and T4 even during short layovers.

What’s next? Terminal 5.
Changi Airport is now building a brand-new mega Terminal 5 as part of the Changi East expansion. This next-generation terminal is planned to add capacity for tens of millions of additional passengers per year, integrate a new runway, and boost total airport capacity toward 140 million passengers annually in the mid-2030s.

Hotels

Whether you’re stopping for a few hours or overnight, Changi Airport offers hotel solutions directly in or next to the terminals:

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Terminal 3 landside)
This award-winning airport hotel is physically located at Terminal 3. You can walk from the T3 Arrivals Hall to the hotel in just a few minutes, and you’re also steps from Jewel’s restaurants, shops, and indoor gardens. The Crowne Plaza is linked to the rest of the airport via Skytrain and pedestrian bridges, so you can easily reach Terminals 1, 2, and 3 without leaving airport property.

Aerotel Singapore (Terminal 1 airside transit hotel)
Aerotel Singapore is inside the transit area of Terminal 1, so it’s ideal if you’re in transit and don’t want to clear immigration. It offers hourly rooms, a gym, lounge areas, and one of Changi’s most famous features: an outdoor swimming pool with a poolside bar that you can enjoy between flights. Aerotel describes itself as the only airport transit hotel in the world with an open-air pool right by the runway views.
Ambassador Transit Hotel locations sit directly inside the secure departure lounges. Rooms are sold in hourly blocks, making them perfect for long layovers, overnight connections, or early-morning departures. Guests stay airside and do not need to pass immigration or customs as long as they remain in transit.er, these hotels let travelers choose full-service comfort at the terminal (Crowne Plaza) or flexible “pay by the hour” rest without leaving the secure zone (Aerotel, Ambassador).

Parking

Changi Airport offers extensive short-term and long-term parking options at every terminal. Each terminal has its own multi-level car park located just steps from the Departure and Arrival halls, so travelers can park and reach check-in counters quickly.
For longer trips, Changi runs “Park & Fly” style solutions for travelers who want to leave their car at the airport while they’re overseas. Pre-booked long-stay packages start from around S$42 for a minimum 24-hour period and scale up to multi-day and even 30-day durations at preferential rates, helping frequent flyers and business passengers save on extended parking.
In addition to self-parking, dedicated drop-off and pick-up zones are available at each terminal so taxis, private cars, and ride-hailing services can load and unload passengers efficiently.

Layover at the Airport

A layover at Singapore Changi Airport is often considered part of the trip, not just waiting time. The airport is famous for attractions and relaxation zones designed to keep you comfortable, entertained, and refreshed:

Indoor nature & photo spots: Jewel’s Rain Vortex — a 40-meter indoor waterfall surrounded by the lush, multi-level Forest Valley — is one of the most photographed airport sights in the world.
Gardens inside the terminals: You can explore themed spaces like the Butterfly Garden and Sunflower Garden, plus quiet indoor tropical gardens that bring natural light and greenery into the transit lounges.
Entertainment: Travelers can watch free movies, visit gaming and play zones, see kinetic art installations, and even enjoy large-scale slides and interactive attractions across the terminals.
Wellness & rest: Free Wi-Fi, quiet nap zones, showers, day rooms, and even a rooftop outdoor pool at Aerotel (T1 airside) mean you can genuinely relax between long-haul flights.
Immigration & smart travel: Changi is rolling out next-generation biometric immigration that allows many passengers to clear border control quickly using facial, iris, and fingerprint recognition instead of manual passport checks. This technology aims to cut waiting times dramatically and deliver a smoother arrival and departure experience.
See Singapore during transit: If you have a layover of around 5.5 to 24 hours, you may qualify for the Free Singapore Tour — a guided city tour co-organized by Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines that lets eligible transit passengers discover Singapore’s highlights before returning to the airport.

In summary:

Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) is not just an airport. It’s a world-class travel hub with four main passenger terminals, direct-connection hotels, smart parking, effortless transfers, and unique layover experiences like Jewel’s Rain Vortex, butterfly gardens, cinemas, and even an airside rooftop pool.

This page is designed to help you plan your journey through Changi Airport — arrivals and departures, terminal services, hotels, parking, transport, and what to do during your stopover — so you can make the most of your time in Singapore from the moment you land.

1 Million

Annual Passenger Traffic

1,706 Flight

Flight Operations

502,762 Passenger