The buzz at Singapore Changi Airport has been its latest terminal – Terminal 4 which is located at the same side of Terminal 2, DNATA Inflight Catering Centre, JetQuay, the VIP Terminal as well as SATS Inflight Catering Centre 1. It sits on the same plot where the Budget Terminal used to be until it was closed on 25 September 2012. When it opens on 31 October 2017, it will serve both full-service airlines as well as low-cost airlines.

[Update 6 September 2017]

To ensure a smooth transition of flight operations from the existing terminals, the operations of the nine T4 airlines – the AirAsia Group (of four airlines), Cathay Pacific Airways, Cebu Pacific Air, Korean Air, Spring Airlines and Vietnam Airlines – will be shifted to T4 over one week on the following dates:

       Tuesday, 31 October 2017 – Cathay Pacific Airways and Korean Air

       Thursday, 2 November 2017 – Cebu Pacific Air and Spring Airlines

       Tuesday, 7 November 2017 – AirAsia Group and Vietnam Airlines

The first arrival and departing flights at T4 will be operated by Cathay Pacific – CX659 from Hong Kong (STA[1]: 0540 hours) and CX650 to Hong Kong (STD¹: 0650 hours) respectively.

Terminal Four is a two-storey 25-metre high building with a gross floor area of 225,000 sqm. That is the size of around 27 football fields. It can handle 16 million passengers per year. Nine airlines will operate of T4. They include the four airlines from Air Asia Group, Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific, Korean Air, Spring Airlines and Vietnam Airlines. These airlines will operate close to 800 flights weekly to over 20 regional destinations and serve an estimated eight million passenger per year. With the opening of Terminal 4, Changi Airport will have a total handling capacity of up to 82 million passengers per annum across Terminals 1 to 4.

Terminal 4 was built by Takenaka Corporation, costing S$985 million. Construction commenced since early 2014 and completed in around three years, involving over 4,000 workers at the peak of its construction works. The building has been accorded the Green Mark Gold Plus and Universal Accessibility award by the Building and Construction Authority.

Changi Airport Terminal 4 is spacious and offers a visually immersive and theatrical experience to visitors. Specially curated art pieces and entertainment features by both local and international artists have been located at various vantage points across the terminal.

Check out our video tour of the terminal below.

Aviation enthusiasts will be delighted to know that there is a viewing gallery located at Level 2M in the public area. It is adjacent to the Food Emporium and offers a lookout for flights taking off and landing on Runway 2.

Getting to Changi Airport Terminal 4

The easiest way to get to Changi Airport Terminal 4 by public bus is to take 24, 27, 34, 36, 53 and 858 get you to Terminal 2 after which you can connect to the complimentary T2-T4 shuttle bus. The shuttle bus pick up point is at T2 Arrival Hall Door 1 and will drop you off at T4 at Departure Hall Door 3. Some of these public buses may get you to the bus stop (BS95151) along Airport Boulevard (airport-bound) near the Airport Police Station. After that, take the newly erected pedestrian overhead bridge across the road.

Drivers can access T4 via ECP and PIE or from T1 to 3. There are 1,700 parking spaces in two multi-storey car parks (Car Park 4A and 4B). Both are connected to the terminal via sheltered links. Parking charges are the same as the other Changi Airport car parks.

Getting out of Changi Airport Terminal 4

Complimentary bus shuttle services depart T4 at the Arrival Hall Door 1 and will drop you off at T2 Arrival Level Door 1. The existing public bus services 24, 34 and 36 will be extended to T4. These services will stop at T4 in the outbound direction after calling at T2. There are no changes to bus services 27,53 and 858. Board them at the bus stop (BS95159) along Airport Boulevard (city-bound) near the SATS Inflight Catering Centre 1.

The taxi stand is located at the arrival level in Terminal 4.

Checking in at Changi Airport Terminal 4

There are seven check-in rows. Rows 1 to 3 has 42 conventional check-in counters. There are 65 automated Check-In kiosks and 50 automated bag drop machines equipped with a Facial Recognition system from Rows 4 to 7.

The Automated Check-In Kiosks are really quite easy to operate. Enter your booking reference or just scan your passport to retrieve your flight booking. You can also select your seats if that is available for your flight. Print your boarding pass and bag tags. Tag your luggage and remember to keep the baggage stub with the barcode and tracking numbers in the event that your baggage is misplaced.

For those who are not familiar with these Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) automation, roving passenger service agents will be on hand to assist.

After your baggage is tagged, bring it to the Automated Bag Drop. Scan your boarding pass and passport. Here you r photo is captured and matched against the photo in your passport before your luggage is accepted.

Shop and Dine at Changi Airport Terminal 4 Landside

The public area of the departure hall will offer retail and dining options. The airport will have over 80 retail and F&B outlets. Also look out for the “Hey, Ah Chek!” installation by Singaporean artist Chong Fah Cheong. Take a seat in the trishaw and take a photo together with the mother and son who are carrying baskets filled with fresh produce from their marketing. This figurative bronze sculpture represents a scene of the 1950s and 60s recognised by many Singaporeans.

GST Tourist Refund booth is located at Row 3. Foreign visitors can process their GST refunds here before checking-in their baggage. Automated booths are available for self-service processing.

Changi Airport Terminal 4 Departures

After checking-in, proceed to the automated immigration. There is only one central entrance for immigration at the south of the terminal.

Only checked-in travellers with a valid boarding pass departing Singapore can access this entry point (pictured above). Your passport and boarding pass will be inspected before you can proceed to the Automated immigration Gate.

The 18 Automated Immigration Gates are available to Singaporeans, Permanent Residents and passengers who have registered with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. You also have to be at least six years old. The other passengers can still proceed to one of the 26 manned immigration counters.

To use the Automated Immigration Gate, open your passport to the page with your photo and your details and insert into passport scanner and wait for your photo to be taken. The Automated Immigration Gate uses a dual facial and thumbprint biometric recignition system. Your photo is captured and matched against the one in your passport.

Next scan the bar code on your boarding pass at the boarding pass scanner above the passport scanner. Once it is accepted, the gantry will open so you can proceed.

Place your thumb at the scanner and wait for the gantry to open so you can proceed to the security checks.

Changi Airport Terminal 4 will be implementing a centralised security check immediately after clearing immigration. This differs from the other three terminals where security is conducted at the departure gates. The 70m x 5m long immersive LED wall above the security screening area has 17 different immersive content capsules. Each capsule lasts two to four minutes and showcases Singapore’s skyline, ASEAN landmarks and also a whimsical animated clip of suitcases produced by Moment Factory, a Montreal-based multimedia entertainment studio specialising in creating immersive and engaging experiences.

Here’s good news for frequent travellers. Now you can leave everything in your hand-carry. No need to remove your laptops or tablets. That can really slow down the whole security scanning process. But you still have to remove your jackets and boots and no keys, coins or mobile phones in your pockets please. The usual liquids, aerosol and gels restrictions have to be adhered to.

Changi Airport will introduce computed tomography at all the security lanes. It uses advanced 3D screening technology.

Body scanner machines that use millimetre wave technology will detect both metallic and non-metallic items. The data will be analysed by a computer algorithm. Any concealed item can be zoomed in to check the item. This technology has been certified safe and poses no known health and safety risk. It utilises low-power non-ionising form of electromagnetic technology.

Be Entertained at Changi Airport Terminal 4 Airside

Once you clear security, there is another GST Cash Refund counter as well as iShop Changi where you can pick up your pre-purchased items.

Shopping starts once you clear security checks. The integrated duty-free zone offers both liquor & tobacco and cosmetics & perfumes products all in one place instead of visiting multiple stores.

There is also going to be a craft beer section and we are looking forward to visiting that.

Look out for the Travelling Family. This installation in the departure transit hall is the work of Swiss artist Kurt Metzler. Kurt travelled through Changi Airport with his family in 2009 reminding of his time in New York while waiting for his flight back to Zurich. He sketched the people in the moment at the departure transit hall and wanted to portray the same observations of hectic, excitement and elegance all at once through his aluminium sculptures. This is his fourth artwork in Singapore.

Computer terminals are available throughout the transit area for travellers to surf the web just like those available in the other terminals at Changi Airport.

ATMs are available throughout the airport. These ATMs at the transit area are located just one level below Cathay Pacific’s First and Business Class lounge as well as the pay-per-use lounge managed by SATS and Plaza Premium.

Cathay Pacific Lounge covers more than 800 sqm. Cathay Pacific’s premium passengers will get a view of planes landing and departing on Runway 2 on one side and a view of the transit area on the other. The lounge features a noodle bar, main hall and work stations and relaxation rooms. The Studiolise-designed lounge is modelled after The Pier in Hong Kong International Airport, and lounges in Bangkok, Manila and Taipei. We are excited that this dedicated Cathay Pacific branded lounge is finally opening compared to the DNATA lounge in Terminal 1 that is shared by Myanmar Airways, Air France and KLM, Air Mauritius, Bangkok Airways, China Southern Airlines, Druk Air, Delta Air Lines, Finnair, Fiji Airways, Xiamen Airlines, Air Asia Red Carpet Passengers, Priority Pass, Lounge Key Credit Card Programme, Lounge Pass, Lounge Club, DINERS Credit Card, Priority Pass, Filo, Marhaba, JCB Credit Card, Dragon Pass, Lounge Buddy and No 1 Traveller.

The SATS PPG Blossom Lounge serves premium passengers of T4 airlines as well as pay-per-use passengers. The 1,100sqm lounge offers a variety of features for different passengers. The open-air pod overlooks the transit area, directly into the Heritage Zone.

The Heritage Zone

The Heritage Zone in the transit area features traditional retail and dining offerings from Singaporean brands. These stores will be located in heritage style “shophouses”. The three-storey façades of these ‘Shophouses’ replicate those that can be found in Katong and Chinatown. There are nine panels that reflect the unique architectural styles over the time period of 1880s to the 1950s from Baroque to Rococo, to Peranakan and finally to Modern Deco.

There are plenty of seats located in front of these stores. Many are equipped with USB and electrical points so that you can recharge your smartphones or other mobile devices. You can relax here and watch the Peranakan Love Story, a six-minute theatrical performance of a love story between two young adults set in the 1930s Singapore. The cast of this short film includes Singaporean artistes including Adrian Pang, Koh Chieng Mun, Amy Cheng and Benjamin Kheng. Singaporean composer and artiste Dick Lee wrote the music and provided the soundtrack. The performance is projected on a 10m x 6m LED screen that spans two shop front bays on the Peranakan façade.

Boarding Your Flight at Changi Airport Terminal 4

At the boarding gates, now you don’t have to produce your passport. You just have to scan your boarding pass and authenticate your identity by taking a photo. The facial recognition system will match your photo against the photo taken earlier at the Automated Immigration Gate.

Terminal 4 has 25 aerobridges, with 17 contact stands for narrow-body aircraft and four for wide-body aircraft.

Transiting Through Changi Airport Terminal 4

For arriving passengers, head down to arrivals or the transfer area located on the right of the Arrival Immigration Hall.

Shuttle service is provided to passengers with transfers from T1, T2 or T3. A T4 to T2 shuttle bus on the airside will take you to T2. The ride takes approximately five minutes. Security screening will be conducted at the departing gates in T1, T2 or T3 boarding your flight.

Transfer passengers do not need to clear arrival immigration or collect their bags. Passengers transferring within T4 will have to undergo transfer security screening and collect their boarding passes before proceeding to the transit area.

Changi Airport Terminal 4 Arrivals

There are 44 manned immigration counters and 16 automated gates. Arriving passengers can look out for the Petalclouds kinetic sculpture. PetalClouds span 200 metres of the Central Galleria which separates the public and transit areas.

PetalClouds can also be admired at the baggage carousel area.

Changi Airport Terminal 4 Landside

Once you have collected your baggage, you can then exit the restricted area to the public area. This is very much similar to the public arrival area at T1, T2 or T3.