Tom While scrolling through the SQ website for early check-in, we found this interesting phrase on Singapore Airline’s check-in information website:
“Counter check-in
If you are departing from Singapore Changi Airport, you can check in at our counters up to 48 hours in advance and spend some time exploring one of the world’s most awarded airports. The check-in counters will close 40 minutes before your flight departs—however, we recommend arriving three hours early, especially if you have baggage to check in.”
Our interpretation of the first sentence was that we can check-in with Singapore Airlines at the counter, up to 48 hours in advance. And the reason why they allow this is so that we can spend time exploring Singapore Changi Airport – one of the world’s most awarded airports. That is the correct interpretation right?
As there was little to no information about early check-in of up to 48 hours on blogs or forums, we decided to find out and verify this once and for all. Hence, in January 2024, while on a trip to KL with “the gang”, we decided to #factcheck this piece of information on SQ’s check-in website.
48 Hours Before Planned Departure via Singapore Airlines Flight
Our departure was on SQ 108 to Kuala Lumpur on a Sunday morning at 9:20am. Hence, we arrived at the airport at 10:30am on a Friday morning – technically, we were there 47 hours prior to the flight.
Once at Terminal 2, we headed to one of the self check-in machines to try to get our boarding passes. However, the machine was unable to retrieve our flight information. The latest that it could retrieve was up to Saturday. At this point, we thought that the 48 hours plan was about to go down the drain, almost as immediately as it started.
Nonetheless, we still headed over to the check-in counters to give it a try.
Once at the SQ check-in counter, we handed over our passport. Strangely enough, our flight number was also not detected after scanning the passport. At this point, we thought that it would be GG (Good Game aka Game Over). Then, the staff asked for our flight number. After verification, he actually found our booking and our boarding pass was issued! Though, we could see that the staff was visibly confused and probably thought to himself, “Are these people crazy?”…
After completing step 1 of getting our boarding passes, our confidence ran high and at this point, we thought, “Game On!”.
After getting our boarding passes, we decided to try out some Priority Pass offerings and shower before entering the transit area in style…
First, it was a stop at Terrace Chinese Kitchen at Changi Airport Terminal 1. As this was a new addition to the landside offerings of Priority Pass, we were glad to be able to try out its lunch offerings this time.
Next, we headed to Changi Lounge at Jewel, another Priority Pass lounge on the landside at Changi Airport. The offerings here were simple. You’d be able to get a mains, a drink, a shower and some snacks from the counter. This time, we tried out the showering facilities (which we don’t normally do since we’d usually do so on the airside) and found that the facilities here were very well-kept. There were only 3 cubicles and each one of them would be thoroughly cleaned prior to the next use.
Before heading to the transit area at Changi Airport Terminal 2, we headed over to Chutney Mary Indian Fast Food on landside of T2. Again, another first for us. We found the portions to be HUGE and we thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing mango lassi. Overall, a great meal with views over T2.
Soon, it was the “moment of truth”!
After finishing our meal, we headed down to the immigration area. After handing over our boarding passes, we were asked by a staff to verify that we would be flying 2 days later – to which we nodded. She then took our boarding pass to verify with another senior officer who immediately said that we could only enter 24 hours prior to the flight.
So that was that.
Our 48 hours in Changi Airport journey, ended at 3pm that Friday, about 5 hours after the journey started.
However, the question still remains. Is the information on the Singapore Airlines website incorrect? Or did the immigration staff not know about this information since likely nobody would do this #verification?
Perhaps one day we’ll verify this fact again. Till then, be informed that you can only enter the transit areas, 24 hours prior to your flight out of Singapore Changi Airport!
