3hr stop over in SIN - duty free/lounge access?

[pat25d]

Hi All,

First time transiting through Singapore Airport and I have a couple of questions.

We arrive from Hanoi at 17:30 and then leave for Sydney at 20:30.

Will we be able to access the Gold lounge in that time frame? Also where would be the best place to buy some duty free spirits? Hanoi or Singapore?

 

[moa999]

Plenty of time to visit the Krisflyer Gold lounge (note no showers)

You will need to buy d/f in Singapore as otherwise it will be confiscated at the gate check.
At SIN you need to provide them with your boarding pass when buying the spirits and you will collect it at a table inside the gate pen just before boarding.

(Note the only other way to do it which is possible with timeframe if flights are on time is to buy in Hanoi, exit immigration in Singapore, then check a bag containing the Hanoi duty free. I suspect Hanoi might be cheaper than Singapore, but both are far cheaper than Sydney)

 

[smit0847]

Plenty of time to visit the Krisflyer Gold lounge (note no showers)

You will need to buy d/f in Singapore as otherwise it will be confiscated at the gate check.
At SIN you need to provide them with your boarding pass when buying the spirits and you will collect it at a table inside the gate pen just before boarding.

(Note the only other way to do it which is possible with timeframe if flights are on time is to buy in Hanoi, exit immigration in Singapore, then check a bag containing the Hanoi duty free. I suspect Hanoi might be cheaper than Singapore, but both are far cheaper than Sydney)

Hanoi is slightly cheaper than SIN, both are significantly cheaper than SYD.

(LAX is the cheapest DF Ive ever seen).

 

[Awesom Andy]

Assuming the flights are on time, 3 hours is plenty of time to reclaim your luggage in SIN, and repacking them with duty-free from HAN. Otherwise, purchase in SIN 60 or 90 mins (IIRC?) before flight departure, and they'll deliver them to the gate. Pick them up at the gate after the security check-point. (SIN has security check-points at the gates). I hope someone else has better memory than I do, and confirm on the timing required for duty free purchases in SIN for AU destinations.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

If it were me I see it as a no brainer - diff in cost bw HAN and SIN is gonna be a buck or 2 tops - why waste valuable time to penny pinch when there is free plonk on offer in SIN lounge.

Head to d/f immediately on landing in SIN - make your purchase - then make your way to lounge.

What do you value your time at? Even on vacation my time is way too valuable to be wasting collecting luggage / repacking etc - life way too short to waste time like that - well IMHO I should say.

 

[serfty]

You may not even need to reclaim your luggage in SIN!

IIRC, If you go to an airside transfer desk with your documentation, they'll arrange for your luggage to be checked onward without you even seeing it.

 

[pat25d]

You may not even need to reclaim your luggage in SIN! (IIRC,) If you go to an airside transfer desk with your documentation, they'll arrange for your luggage to be checked onward without you even seeing it.

It is booked as a single ticket HAN-SIN-SYD so I assumed our bags would be checked the whole way through anyway.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I found Dan Murphy's to be cheaper than some duty free. Be judicious with your time