Ruth Haines
Singapore Changi Airport is a major gateway to the wider Asia region and a much-favored layover point for long-haul flights between Europe and Australia and New Zealand. The airport has won numerous awards for excellence and is regarded as one of the world's best international transit hubs. With four main terminals, an entire shopping district, and many tourist attractions, passengers with long layovers can take a Singapore city tour or simply leave the airport to explore the city on their own.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Changi Airport |
| Location | Singapore |
| Number of Terminals | 4 |
| Transit Time | Minimum of 2 hours recommended |
| Visa Requirements | No visa required for transit passengers |
| Security Screening | Required before boarding |
| Public Health and Entry Requirements | Must be fulfilled for entry into Singapore |
| Baggage | Excess baggage fees may apply for connecting flights |
| Tours | Singapore Airlines offers free city tours for passengers with long layovers |
| Attractions | The Jewel, shopping district, Rain Vortex, gardens, Changi Experience Studio |
| Airlines | Over 100 airlines |
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What You'll Learn
- Singapore Changi Airport has been named the world's best airport several times
- The airport uses innovative technology to deliver a personalised experience
- There are many things to do at the airport, including shopping and touring the airport
- Travellers transiting through Singapore may be eligible for a 96-hour Visa Free Transit
- Singapore has strict laws and penalties for acts that are minor offences in other countries
Singapore Changi Airport has been named the world's best airport several times
Singapore Changi Airport has been named the world's best airport numerous times. In 2023, it regained its title after losing to Doha for two consecutive years during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The airport also won the award in 2025, marking its thirteenth victory in the Skytrax World Airport Awards.
Changi Airport has consistently demonstrated its commitment to exceptional service and innovative facilities. It has been recognised for its superior travel experiences, including its handling of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The airport has also embraced technology to deliver a more personalised experience for travellers. For instance, analytical technologies provide insights on site usage to improve services, and marketing technologies help to advertise services more effectively.
In addition to being named the world's best airport, Changi Airport has also received awards for World's Best Airport Dining, World's Best Airport Washrooms, and Best Airport in Asia. It has also been recognised for its excellence in serving 60-70 million passengers, showcasing its ability to efficiently manage a high volume of travellers.
Changi Airport is known for offering a range of experiences beyond just travel. Travellers can explore the wonders where nature meets retail, discover iconic landmarks, and uncover hidden local gems. The airport also provides convenient transit options, with clear directional signs and efficient security screening processes. Eligible transit travellers can even take advantage of a 96-hour Visa Free Transit, allowing them to explore the charms of Singapore during their layover.
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The airport uses innovative technology to deliver a personalised experience
Changi Airport in Singapore is frequently ranked among the best airports in the world, not least for the things travellers can do in transit. The Changi Airport Group (CAG) is committed to continuously reinventing the airport's passenger experience and transforming operations.
CAG has also established a digital factory, known as DIVA – Digital, Innovation, Ventures and Analytics. DIVA utilises the latest innovative technologies and capabilities, including artificial intelligence (AI), digital marketing, big data and analytics, predictive maintenance and the internet of things (IoT). The purpose of DIVA is to help CAG develop, experiment and launch new digital products and services, from conceptualisation to market launch, by using new ways of working.
CAG has also created ChangiVerse, an immersive metaverse experience. ChangiVerse mirrors the airport's real-world offerings, including a go-kart racetrack and Jurassic Mile cycling path (complete with dinosaurs). Users can earn tokens redeemable for virtual goods such as customised planes and luggage. They can also interact with non-playable characters (NPCs), who serve as navigation aids, share fun facts, and even unlock access to the VIP room.
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There are many things to do at the airport, including shopping and touring the airport
Changi Airport in Singapore offers a range of activities for travellers passing through. For those with a longer layover, there is the option to leave the airport and explore the city. Travellers can book a Singapore Layover Tour, which includes a ride on a Bumboat down the Singapore River, a view from the top of Marina Bay Sands, and a visit to the spice and gold markets of Little India. There is also the option to explore the city independently, taking in the Gardens by the Bay, the Hawker Centre, and the famous Raffles Hotel.
For those who prefer to remain in the airport, Changi Airport boasts a range of shopping and dining options. The airport is designed to be a "City in a Garden," combining efficiency and style with nature. Travellers can explore the airport's iconic landmarks and discover hidden gems while taking advantage of exclusive deals and offers.
The airport also provides a unique and personalized experience through the use of innovative technology. Analytical and marketing technologies are employed to improve services and deliver relevant advertisements. Changi Airport recommends allowing sufficient time for transfers, suggesting travellers follow directional signs to transfer desks and boarding gates, and advises that security screening is required before proceeding to the boarding gate.
Travellers intending to enter Singapore during their layover should note the necessary public health and entry requirements. Those with booked flights that require them to enter Singapore to collect tickets or baggage and check in again for their connecting flight must meet all relevant criteria. Transit travellers from eligible countries may qualify for a 96-hour Visa Free Transit, permitting a short stay in Singapore without a visa.
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Travellers transiting through Singapore may be eligible for a 96-hour Visa Free Transit
Singapore's Changi Airport is frequently ranked as one of the best airports in the world, not least because of the things travellers can do during layovers. For example, travellers can discover Singapore's charm during their transit with the Free Singapore Tour jointly organised by Singapore Airlines, the Singapore Tourism Board, and the Changi Airport Group.
However, travellers who intend to clear arrival immigration to enter Singapore during their layover will need to fulfil all public health and entry requirements. Those with booked flights that require them to enter Singapore to collect tickets or baggage and check in again for their connecting flight must also meet all necessary public health and entry criteria.
Upon arriving at Changi Airport, travellers should follow the directional signs to get to the designated transfer desk area to obtain the boarding pass for their onward flight. Note that passengers are required to go through security screening before heading to the boarding gate of their onward flight.
Transit travellers from eligible countries, including India and the People's Republic of China (PRC), holding valid onward air tickets, may qualify for a 96-hour Visa Free Transit, permitting a stay of up to 96 hours in Singapore. The Visa-Free Transit Facility (VFTF) is available to travellers from Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Nationals from these countries who think they meet the requirements for the VFTF have to submit their case to the Singaporean immigration services (ICA) at their point of entry. It is the ICA that reviews the application and decides whether to grant entry into Singapore. They hold the right to refuse.
If granted, travellers are only allowed to leave the transit area and stay in Singapore for a maximum of 96 hours. The time cannot be extended under any circumstances. Overstaying any type of Singapore visa is considered a punishable offence. Travellers granted the VFTF must depart Singapore by air or sea.
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Singapore has strict laws and penalties for acts that are minor offences in other countries
Singapore has strict laws and penalties for acts that are minor offences in many other countries. The country's legal system is a common law system, but its criminal law is largely statutory in nature, historically derived from the Indian penal code. Singapore retains both corporal and capital punishment as legal penalties.
The primary aim of criminal sentencing in Singapore is to punish and deter crimes. The country has a mandatory death penalty for many narcotics offences, and anyone caught with more than a certain quantity of drugs is presumed to be trafficking and faces mandatory capital punishment. The police have the authority to compel residents and non-residents to submit to random drug analysis, and there is no distinction between drugs consumed before or after entering Singapore.
Singapore also has very strict penalties for those who possess or carry arms or commit crimes with arms. If convicted of committing a crime with a firearm, the punishment can be life imprisonment and caning.
Other acts that are minor offences in other countries but carry strict penalties in Singapore include:
- Smoking in public, including in restaurants
- Spitting
- Importing or chewing gum
- Chewing tobacco
- Littering
- Jaywalking
- Drink driving
- Theft
- Shoplifting
- Assault
- Swearing at or assaulting taxi drivers
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Frequently asked questions
The minimum recommended transit time at Changi Airport is two hours. This ensures that passengers can pass through security and arrive at the departure gate of their connecting flight in good time.
No, transit passengers do not need to pass through immigration. Therefore, Singapore transit requirements do not include the need for a visa for travellers of any nationality. However, travellers intending to enter Singapore during their layover will need to fulfil all public health and entry requirements.
Yes, it is allowed and even encouraged. Singapore Airlines offers free city tours for passengers with long layovers. The airport also includes a shopping district and tourist attraction called "Jewel Changi Airport", which passengers with long layovers are encouraged to visit.
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