A selfie of the author at the Changi pool holding a cocktail stitched with a picture of the indoor waterfall.
Changi Airport in Singapore is my favorite airport to have a long layover.
  • Forbes Travel Guide named Singapore's Changi Airport the world's most luxurious for 2024.
  • The airport offers unique amenities like a pool, a free movie theater, and a butterfly garden.
  • The amenity-heavy airport is my favorite place to spend a long layover.

Forbes Travel Guide named Singapore's Changi Airport the world's most luxurious airport for 2024 — and I couldn't agree more.

I spent hours inside the expansive airport in early 2023 and found it to be the best layover spot when flying across the world. Considering Singapore as a country is uber-fancy with its designer stores and artsy gardens, it makes sense the airport was built to match.

Need a nap after a 12-hour flight? There are dedicated sleeping lounges. Hungry for authentic Asian cuisine? Try the indoor street market. And that's just scratching the surface — there's also a pool, a movie theater, and a butterfly garden, among myriad other unique amenities.

Most of the fun is in the transit area, where airline passengers wait between flights. Some of the entertainment, like the famous rain vortex, live outside this area and will require passengers to clear immigration to explore.

I've stopped at other top-tier airports during my world travels. While Doha airport's glass-roofed passenger train and Tokyo Narita's observation deck were impressive, nothing comes close to Changi.

Changi’s luxury is spread across four terminals.
outside Singapore Changi airport
Changi Airport.

The Changi Skytrain connects terminals 1, 2, and 3, while Terminal 4 can be accessed via bus.

Most of the airport's main attractions are located in Terminals 1 and 3, where I spent most of my time. Terminal 2 was closed during my visit, but it has reopened with a digital waterfall and sky that mirrors the time of day.

I enjoyed a movie at the free cinema.
Inside the movie theater with Encanto playing on the screen.
Inside the movie theater with Encanto playing on the screen.

Among the easiest ways to pass the time at Changi is Terminal 3's free movie theater, complete with cushioned chairs and a big silver screen.

No ticket is needed — but you will have to settle for whatever movie is playing at the time. During my visit, films including Encanto, Venom II, and Fantastic Beasts were shown on a loop.

Changi houses 1,000 live butterflies.
The butterfly garden in Changi's terminal 3 with flowers and plants.
The butterfly garden was huge and warm.

There is no shortage of greenery throughout the airport, which is maintained by a team of horticulturalists.

One of the main beauty staples inside the transit area is the butterfly garden. Terminal 3's two-floor enclosure hosts 1,000 butterflies that represent nearly 50 species.

I could watch colorful butterflies snacking on fruit while some were cocooned, waiting to hatch.

You can nap in special sleeping areas.
The snooze lounge in Terminal 4 at Changi International Airport.
The snooze lounge in Terminal 4 at Changi International Airport.

While I was too busy exploring to sleep, tired passengers could use the airport's "Free Snooze Lounges," available in every terminal.

The 27/4 space is intended for short naps. For those who want a more private or longer sleeping experience, Changi has lounges and transit-area hotels with nap rooms available for a fee.

Changi is among the few airports in the world with an outdoor pool.
Changi airport's airside pool at the Aerotel in terminal 1.
Only a few other airports have a pool, like in Punta Cana and New York.

One of Changi's on-site hotels is Aerotel, which is inside Terminal 1. Transit passengers can book a room or pay about $20 for access to the outdoor pool and hot tub. This was my favorite plane-watching spot.

The pool deck overlooks the tarmac, is full of lush greenery and chairs, and hosts a bar, showers, and a gym. The pool opens at 12, but hotel guests can access it earlier.

You can eat authentic Asian food from the indoor market.
The feast of food I ordered from different shops in the Singapore food street.
My favorite dishes were the laksa (bottom left bowl) and the soup dumplings (middle bottom).

There is no shortage of food inside Changi, but my favorite spot is the Singapore Food Street in Terminal 3. Over a dozen individual stalls serve food from countries like Vietnam, China, and Singapore.

I ordered a feast for myself and my travel companions, including dumplings, meat skewers, noodles, vegetables, and Singapore's famous laksa. Everything was delicious.

For those who prefer an American meal, there is a Burger King and a Subway neighboring the market.

There is no shortage of luxury shopping.
The Louis Vuitton store at Singapore's Changi International Airport.
Changi has a Luitton Vuitton store in Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.

I don't have a single designer item in my closet, but that doesn't mean I wasn't impressed with the myriad duty-free luxury stores throughout Changi.

There were beautiful Louis Vitton shops, complete with grand entrances and colorful lighting. Customers could also shop at stores like Dior, Swarvoski, and Gucci.

I preferred the more local shops, like TWG Tea, where I bought some tea to take home to my family.

Changi’s most famous attraction is Jewel.
The rain vortex in Jewel with the monorail riding past.
In my opinion, the AirTrain between terminals 2 and 3 is the best way to view the waterfall.

Changi hosts Jewel, a giant amusement park-like garden area with activities, food, and shopping. Flyers will have to leave the transit area to explore Jewel and then reenter the airport before their connecting flight — though some people visit Jewel as a day trip from the city.

The main attraction in Jewel is the rain vortex, which is seven stories high and the world's tallest indoor waterfall.

Jewel houses a Canopy Park with games and scenery.
A view of the Jewel hedge maze from above.
A view of the Jewel hedge maze.

Customers visiting Jewel can use the booths or kiosks to book tickets to the various attractions, including a hedge maze, a ropes course, and a topiary walk.

The activities can be fun for adults but are more geared toward kids, so Jewel is a perfect place to spend time with children during a long layover.

Underneath the airport is a 'carnival.'
One of the shops in Changi's
One of the shops in Changi's "underground carnival" in Terminal 3.

One thing I was surprised to find at Changi is an "underground carnival."

There were restaurants, a playground, and huge stores with souvenirs. Locals told me they also do their grocery shopping here.

There's always something to do.
Changi's terminal 1 Louis Vuitton store.
The decor throughout Changi was beatiful.

Once you exhaust the main attractions, there are niche perks scattered around the airport. Terminal 3 has a koi pond and a four-story slide, for example.

There is also a set of bikes that flyers can use for exercise while simultaneously charging their phone.

Plus, flyers with long layovers can take advantage of the free tours available — passengers just need to register and meet minimum layover time requirements.

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