DALLAS — Three months before Changi Airport's (SIN) largest facility's full reopening, a Star Alliance airline United Airlines (UA) has relocated its Singapore operations back to Terminal 2 after three years.

The airport authority has gradually reopened Terminal 2, the largest facility, after significant growth in passenger traffic recovery due to border relaxations in the middle of 2022. Consequently, several airlines such as Ethiopian Airlines (ET), Lufthansa (LH), and Swiss (LX) have started moving to renovated sections of the terminal.

According to mainlymiles.com, UA resumed flying to and from SIN's Terminal 2 on July 20, 2023, after its last flight from the location in March 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UA suspended its operations in Singapore for over two years, and on January 7, 2022, it resumed operations at T3 upon its return to Changi.

Departure processing takes place at Row 5, which is a recently renovated area located next to Door 3 for departures.

Flight Schedule between San Francisco and Singapore

At the moment, UA uses Boeing 787-9 aircraft to fly two times per day between Singapore and San Francisco. The flights from Changi International Airport (SIN) depart at 08:45 and 21:00 hrs and reach San Francisco (SFO) at 09:05 and 21:20 hrs respectively. Flights from San Francisco (SFO) depart at 11:20 and 22:55 and reach Changi International Airport (SIN) at 18:45 and 06:15 hrs respectively.

Business Class customers and Star Alliance Gold passengers who fly on United's flights can now access the SATS Premier Lounge in Terminal 2 due to the airline's relocation from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2. Additionally, the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge has been reopened for departing United Airlines Economy or Premium Economy Class passengers, and the SilverKris Lounges in Terminal 2 are available for Business Class travelers.

While check-in for United still happens in Terminal 2, passengers have the option to board the SkyTrain and reach the more modern SIA lounge facilities in Terminal 3 in just 10 minutes.

Airlines Now Using Changi's T2

Following its post-COVID-19 reopening, United Airlines has joined more recent entrants like Ethiopian Airlines (ET) and Malaysia Airlines (MH) as the 12th carrier to operate at Changi Airport's Terminal 2.

Other airlines that fly out of Changi Airport's T2 include Singapore Airlines (SQ), Air India (AI), Air India Express (IX), Royal Brunei Airlines (BI), Lufthansa (LH), Swiss International Air Lines (LX), Sichuan Airlines (3U), Air Macau (NX), and Firefly (FY).

All airlines using the facilities previous to COVID-19 are expected to gradually relocate back after Terminal 2 completely reopens by October 2023. All four airlines are planning to move their operations to T2 later this year: ANA (NH), Indigo (6E), which is presently based at T1, Etihad Airways (EY), which is based at T3, and LOT Polish (LO), which is not currently based at Changi. 

Currently undergoing a complete facelift, Changi Airport's T2 has already reopened the southern arrivals and departures area, which CAG says boasts a “contemporary design concept… inspired by elements of nature.”

Changi's T2 will fully reopen by October 2023.

New dining options in a bigger space with improved runway views will be part of ongoing improvements to the transit area.

The facility will eventually be the biggest at the airport once the northern wing of Terminal 2 is entirely built out, with a capacity for 28 million passengers annually - 5 million more than before the restoration.

The project will increase Changi's annual passenger capacity to 90 million by adding 15,500 square meters to the terminal's floor space.

This will ensure the smooth functioning of the airport's passenger operations until Terminal 5 opens in the middle of the 2030s.

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Featured image: The revamped southern section of the T2 departures hall. Photo: Changi Airport Group