OneWorld lounges in Singapore Airport SIN T1

(Also see OneWorld lounges in LHR London Heathrow)

“I am travelling on Qantas from Singapore’s Changi Airport terminal 1. Which is the best lounge?”

This question appears almost every other day on Facebook, so here’s what I believe is the definitive answer, in order, for a OneWorld frequent flyer, based on exhaustive testing. This is for terminal one only - the terminal Qantas flies into. There are other choices in other terminals, but good luck with that.

My assumption is that you have OneWorld status of some type. Qantas Platinum is OneWorld Emerald. Armed with that OneWorld status, you can visit any of the below lounges. (With one exception).

Qantas First Lounge - your first choice

You can only get in here if you are Platinum or above; or if you have a First Class ticket.

As a relatively small lounge, it can get very busy: particularly when QF1/QF2 land. They are Airbus 380s, full of people, all of whom jump straight into the lounge for the 45 minutes they’re on the ground. As a result, it gets full, fast - and you may be turned away. (If you’re not on those flights - avoid that 45 minute window).

It’s a good lounge - excellent and fast Asian food, from an à la carte menu, delivered to your table, a good range of drinks, and frankly, the best Qantas lounge on the network in my humble opinion. Service is great; the people who staff the lounge are excellent and attentive. It can be busy, but it is buzzing and friendly.

The showers are very nice, too. It’s a winner. If you can get in.

And, I think this was the Qantas take on a Singapore Sling.

Qatar - exclusivity, if you can get in

Qatar has a premium lounge in Singapore. You can only get into this one if you are flying business or first class with a OneWorld airline. If you’re “just” a Platinum with an economy ticket, you don’t get in.

It has what’s described as an excellent à la carte menu. I had the chicken satay (below) and the salmon. They were okay. But okay.

If you’re a beer fan, you won’t like this lounge; if you want to charge your devices on the table while having dinner, you can’t. I found it very quiet; hard to relax in, and a bit odd. But a number of other people think it’s the best place ever. Not me.

British Airways - your quiet choice

Got kicked out of the Qantas First lounge because it was at capacity? Not able to get into the Qantas First lounge because you’re only Qantas Gold or OneWorld Sapphire?

Personally, I’d come here. The British Airways flights don’t leave at the same time as the Qantas flights, so you’ll typically find that this lounge is quite nice and quiet.

The food selection is fine (it’s a buffet for you, not a sit-down meal). It’s a quiet lounge with plenty of space. It has things from the UK in it. It is a good lounge.

The Qantas Business Lounge - busy but welcoming

It’s been quite some time since I’ve been in this lounge, but it can be very busy (especially in the QF1/QF2 times). It has a decent bar, some good buffet food, and almost too much seating.

You will certainly be able to get in here - it’s bright, lively and a decent place to be.

The Emirates Lounge

I’ve never been to the Emirates Lounge in Singapore (it’s very close to the Qatar one). But, if you’re flying Qantas - and if it’s open - then you can also visit this one as well, as part of the agreement between the two airlines. In reality, that’s not always as smooth as it sounds.

I’m sure it’s very nice, as most Emirates lounges are.

The Food Court

Outside the lounges, there are two food places which are worth your while to know about. One is outside the Qantas First lounge, and has a range of restaurants. The other is downstairs, and is closer to the feel of a hawker centre, with noodles and breakfast sets and all that. They’re relatively cheap, and frankly, sometimes you just want a sweet coffee and kaya toast. Shhh.

Bonus feature: “I am travelling from Singapore terminal 4. I am in OneWorld. Which is the best lounge?”

Terminal 4 is a terminal with Cathay Pacific in it, and - hey - you get access to the Cathay Pacific lounge. The bad news is… it’s in terminal 4.

Bonus bonus feature: “I am travelling from Singapore terminal 5. Which is the best lounge?”

No you’re not.