Singapore Changi Airport Guide

Saudi travelers rarely talk about Changi Airport as just a stopover. The conversation usually turns into something closer to a sightseeing experience, since Changi Airport isn’t an ordinary airport at all, but one of the most consistently award-winning airports in the world.

This guide gets to know Changi up close: its terminals and facilities, why it keeps topping the world’s best airport rankings, along with Singapore visa requirements for Saudis and how to get from the airport into the city center.

About Singapore Changi Airport

Singapore Changi Airport, often called SIN airport after its IATA code, opened in 1981 and spans roughly 13 square kilometers, or about 1,300 hectares. More than 100 airlines operate out of Changi, running direct flights to destinations across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, making it one of the most important aviation hubs in the world and the primary base for Singapore Airlines.

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Changi Airport’s Four Terminals

Changi Airport has four main passenger terminals. Terminal 1, designed in an H-shape and covering 280,000 square meters with a capacity of 21 million passengers a year, was the airport’s only terminal for a full nine years before Terminal 2 opened on November 22, 1990, as part of the airport’s original master plan, later gaining 14 additional aerobridges during major renovation works.

Terminal 3, which opened in 2008, is home to the famous two-story Butterfly Garden, while Terminal 4, opened in 2017, is Changi’s newest and most technologically advanced terminal, relying almost entirely on self-service check-in and facial recognition systems that let passengers move through checkpoints without repeatedly presenting a passport or boarding pass. Each of Changi’s terminals even has its own custom-designed scent, giving each building a distinct sensory identity.

Terminals 1 through 3 are connected to each other and to the Jewel Changi complex via the free Changi Skytrain, while a fifth terminal is currently under construction, expected to be completed by 2030. Terminal 5 is designed by architecture firm KPF and will feature a massive rooftop solar power system that, according to the design firm, will generate enough energy not just to run the terminal itself but to power roughly 20,000 four-room apartments a year, reflecting the airport’s long-term commitment to sustainability.

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Why Changi Airport Is Considered One of the Best Airports in the World

Changi Airport has won Skytrax’s World’s Best Airport award 13 times since it opened, including eight consecutive years between 2013 and 2020, with its most recent win coming in 2025. Overall, the airport has collected more than 660 best airport awards since 1981. In 2025 alone, Changi also won World’s Best Airport Restaurant and, for the first time ever, World’s Best Airport Washrooms, along with Best Airport in Asia, topping the category for airports handling between 60 and 70 million passengers a year.

These awards aren’t just numbers on a wall, they reflect an experience that looks nothing like a typical airport. Instead of cold waiting areas, Terminal 3’s Butterfly Garden spans two floors and is home to roughly 1,000 free-flying butterflies across more than 47 species, alongside other themed gardens for cacti, water lilies, sunflowers, and orchids scattered throughout the airport. Families traveling with children will find dedicated play areas and one of the tallest slides inside any airport in the world, plus a rooftop swimming pool and a free 24-hour cinema.

This attention to detail also reflects the sheer scale of operations Changi manages without sacrificing service quality. The airport handled about 67.7 million passengers in 2024 alone, up 14.8 percent from the year before, making it one of the four busiest airports in the world. More than 100 airlines operate over 7,400 scheduled flights a week out of Changi, connecting Singapore to more than 163 cities across 49 countries, which partly explains why it keeps topping these rankings year after year despite the enormous pressure on its facilities.

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Jewel Changi

Connected directly to Terminals 1 through 3, Jewel Changi is home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, known as the Rain Vortex, standing 40 meters tall, alongside indoor gardens, shops, and restaurants, making it a destination in its own right even before you catch a flight or pick up arriving luggage.

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Changi Airport Services and Facilities

• Free snooze lounges: available around the clock in every terminal, offering comfortable seating and dim lighting to rest between flights.
• Transit sleeping rooms: a paid option for anyone wanting longer rest or more privacy during a long layover.
• Free cinema: located in Terminal 3, open 24 hours with no ticket required.
• Duty-free shopping: wide-ranging retail options spread throughout the airport.

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How to Get from Changi Airport to Singapore City Center

Singapore’s MRT subway network is the easiest and cheapest way to get from the airport into the city center, with a dedicated station right inside the airport itself. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are also available directly from the arrivals hall, a faster and more convenient option for families or anyone traveling with heavy luggage.

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Singapore Visa Requirements for Saudi Travelers

Saudi nationals can enter Singapore without a visa for tourism purposes, but every traveler must complete Singapore’s electronic arrival registration, known as the Singapore Arrival Card or SGAC, no more than three days before arrival. It’s completely free and done entirely online.

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Where to Stay Near Changi Airport and Singapore City Center

There aren’t really any major hotels immediately around Changi Airport itself, so most visitors stay in the city center, which is relatively close via the MRT. You can browse almatar’s full Singapore hotels page to compare prices. A couple of standout options:

• Hilton Singapore Orchard: sits directly on Orchard Road, reachable straight from the airport via the MRT without needing more than one line change.
• Pan Pacific Orchard Singapore: also close to Orchard Road, a good central base that’s easy to reach from the airport and from most of the city’s attractions.

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Book Your Trip Now

Now that you have a full guide to Singapore Changi Airport, use almatar’s flight search feature to compare fares.

You can also book your stay directly through almatar’s Singapore hotels page.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Changi Airport considered one of the best airports in the world?

Changi Airport has won Skytrax’s World’s Best Airport award 13 times, including eight consecutive years between 2013 and 2020 and most recently in 2025, and has collected more than 660 best airport awards since it opened in 1981.

How many terminals does Changi Airport have?

Changi Airport has four main passenger terminals connected by the free Skytrain, plus a fifth terminal currently under construction and expected to be completed by 2030.

What is Jewel Changi?

Jewel Changi is the complex connected to Changi Airport’s first three terminals, home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall at 40 meters, along with gardens, shops, and restaurants.

Do Saudi citizens need a visa to enter Singapore through Changi Airport?

No, Saudi nationals can enter Singapore visa-free, but every traveler must complete the Singapore Arrival Card online no more than three days before arrival.

How do you get from Changi Airport, also known as SIN airport, to the city center?

You can get from Changi Airport to Singapore’s city center via the MRT subway from a station inside the airport itself, or by taxi or ride-hailing app directly from the arrivals hall.