Singapore’s Changi Airport is about to go through yet another transformation with the opening of Terminal 4 later this year. This will shortly be followed by the introduction of a huge new shopping and entertainment complex, called Jewell, which will sit beside the existing Terminal 3. Changi has never settled for being simply the World’s best airport, it continues to lift the bar, break new boundaries and just keep getting better and better.
For retirees and long stay visitors throughout Asia, Singapore’ Changi Airport is often the most essential hub within the region. Servicing 59 million passengers on 360,000 international flights every year, it handles over 100 airlines, who in turn connect 380 cities in 90 countries. No matter where you are, your nearest airport probably has a flight connection to Singapore.
And why is this important? Well if you live in Asia, it means you’re not only close to World Class Healthcare, but you’re also able to travel back quickly to Australia (or wherever is original home is) should the need arise.
The Awards keep coming…
Changi has won more than 500 “World Best Airport” awards since opening, including ‘Business Traveller’ Magazines version for the past 28 years in a row. The highly regarded, social media driven, Skytrax Awards have made it their number one for the past 5 years.
Being Government owned, its importance to the national economy has ensured that no expense has been spared on the airport itself, and just as importantly, the infrastructure around it.
Changi Airport Terminal
So what makes it so special?
Changi Airport
Terminal 4
Future Expansion
Plans are already underway to build Terminal 5 and a third runway. This future expansion will be built on reclaimed land, and add yet another 50 million to the airport’s capacity.
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines
In other developing news, Scoot Airlines and Tigerair (both owned by Singapore Airlines) have merged under the Scoot brand. Australian’s will be familiar with both airlines and the value for money they represent on trips to Asia and around the region. Plans for the future are ambitious, with an expected doubling of the fleet size and the introduction of new routes, including the United States for the first time.
The $1.2 Trillion spending spree
It’s not just Changi that’s growing. Globally there are plans to spend over a trillion dollars on airport upgrades and expansions as demand grows rapidly, especially from countries such as China. It’s no surprise that half this spending will be in Asia. Hong Kong, China and South Korea all have aggressive plans, and as we have reported previously, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is set for a $4.36 Billion upgrade through 2021.
Then there’s Australia. Whilst plans are a little more modest in most States, all major cities are looking to build capacity and improve the passenger experience. Sydney’s second airport, once it’s finally opened, will clearly be a major contributor to this growth.
