Review: Singapore Airlines First Class SilverKris Lounge, Changi Terminal 2

These are similar to the pods in T3, with a sleek, semi-enclosed design and a curved frame upholstered in textured fabric with brass trim accents. The walls provide acoustic and visual isolation from adjacent seats, and each pod has its own reading light and charging outlets. However, unlike the productivity pods in T3, these do not have wireless charging pads. 

If you need to take a phone call, there are two private, fully-enclosed phone booths. These can be used as workstations in a pinch, because of the table top and charging outlets, but the bar-stool seating doesn’t look too comfortable, and is probably designed that way to deter overstaying.

Dining area

The dining area has seating capacity for 60 guests, with an assortment of two-top and four-top tables. Larger parties can also choose the leather-clad banquette booth seating, which should accommodate at least five people.

The second chandelier can be found here, making full use of the higher ceiling. 

Relaxation area

The T2 lounge’s relaxation area has four semi-private resting pods. These are available on a first-come-first-serve basis, with reservations not required or taken. Passengers are “encouraged” to limit their stay to a maximum of two hours. 

Each pod is surrounded by high walls, with a sliding door for privacy. In fact, it rather reminded me of the A380 Suites, the first time I saw it. 

As good as the privacy is, there’s also a small “viewing port” for each pod. It’s presumably for emergency use, but perhaps also a reminder that using this space to join the “not-so-mile-high-club” is frowned upon. 

Each pod is equipped with an adjustable reclining armchair upholstered in Poltrona Frau leather – the same leather featured in the A380 Suites and Business Class seats – a coat rack, and a small side table with built-in charging ports.

Passengers can help themselves to pillows, blankets and eyeshades for added comfort. 

While the walls dull out the sound from the main lounge area, there’s nothing to protect you from the snoring of other guests. If getting a proper rest is a priority, you might want to head to the First Class SilverKris Lounge at T3 instead, which has four private nap rooms with proper beds. 

Playroom & nursing room

The lounge has a soundproof playroom for passengers with children. This features a Sony PlayStation 5 game console as well as a selection of “specially-selected tactile games” as an analogue alternative.

Unfortunately, the PlayStation 5 had not been installed at the time of my visit, so I couldn’t verify whether it’s the digital or disc edition (bring your own games, why not).

Other family-friendly facilities include a nursing room with an armchair, vanity area, power outlets (useful for pumps and such), and a baby changing station. 

Meeting room

Next to the bar is a meeting room which can accommodate up to six people, with video conferencing facilities and under-table charging ports.

Like the playroom, the soundproofing here is excellent, so you can video conference without guilt. 

Food & Beverage

Buffet

The buffet area in the First Class Lounge has been expanded significantly to offer a wider range of food and beverage selections, together with space for a show kitchen. 

On one side of the buffet are the cold food options, which included pastries, fruits, salad, cold cuts, cheese, bread and muffins. 

At the far end was a refrigerated area with cut fruits, sandwiches, and cakes. 

SIA now serves Movenpick ice cream in its lounges, which replaced Haagen Dazs after the pesticide scare in 2022. I find the texture of Movenpick ice cream to be too icy for my liking, which suggests that it either isn’t stored properly, or has lower milkfat to begin with. 

The hot food area had spring rolls, dim sum, Indian vegetarian and assorted Western options.

If none of the buffet options appeal to you, there’s also a selection of made-to-order items. Simply approach the counter to order, and the food will be delivered to your table (fortunately, tables are all labelled; when the First Class lounge in T3 first opened, they didn’t have table numbers for months, which made the ordering process unnecessarily tedious!)

Here’s a sampling of the items I’ve ordered over my visits. 

I really like the Hawaiian burger (I didn’t capture it in the photo, but there’s a pineapple beneath the top bun), which reminded me a bit of a McSpicy- in a good way.  The seafood fried rice also had an excellent umami kick from the XO sauce, though the prawns were tiny.

The ones I probably wouldn’t order again are the char kway teow (no wok hei, though I realise that airport lounges aren’t exactly conducive to open flames) and the spaghetti aglio olio (limp, tasteless pasta that will result in a diplomatic row with Italy).

Bar

The Signature Bar is an evolution of the popular Crystal Bar in the T3 lounge, and features a concentric ceiling that plays with light and shadow.

The bar offers barista service in the mornings from 6 a.m to 10 a.m, and bartender service in the evenings from 5.30 p.m to 1 a.m. I know these may seem somewhat restrictive — five o’clock somewhere never rang more true than at an airport — but if you spot a bartender, they’ll make a drink for you no matter what time of day it is. I understand that all-day (or at least post morning) bartender service is being mulled, so hopefully that becomes a reality soon. 

So let’s talk drinks, and for context, here’s the previous cocktail menu. 

Classic? Yes. Boring? Also yes. You could find these at any bar, anywhere in the world, and it’s not like they were particularly well-executed either. I once asked the bartender to recommend a cocktail and she said “sorry sir, I don’t drink”, which says all you need to know. 

The new list? Night and day. The new list of tipples are far more interesting, and presented a lot more attractively. I’d say my two favourites are the Bee’s Knees (gin with yuzu and honey marmalade) and Hibiscus Tea Sour (bourbon, hibiscus and earl grey).

On to wines, and remember that champagne wall you walked past when entering the lounge? It’s stocked with bottles of Champagne Geoffroy Expression Brut, 2007 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires and 2013 Piper Heidsieck Rare.

During the initial weeks, all three were served, but during my latest visit I learned that the Charles Heidsieck is now a T3 exclusive (even though they display it in T2, they don’t serve it), and the Piper Heidsieck Rare a T2 exclusive- no doubt giving you even more reason to terminal hop! Both of these are excellent champagnes to be serving in what I’ve said is basically a frequent flyer lounge, and you have to applaud SIA for doing that. 

On the opposite side of the bar is a fully-stocked self-serve drinks area.

To the left is a Kirin beer tap (no self-pouring machines here though), as well as a machine which dispenses wines in 30ml, 60ml and 90ml portions, allowing you to create your own tasting flight. Options include:

• 2023 Martinborough Vineyard Home Block Chardonnay
• Joseph Drouhin – Pouilly-Fuisse
• 2021 Giant Steps ‘Fatal Shore’ Pinot Noir
• 2021 Tenuta di Biserno Il Pino
• 2015 Château Magnan La Gaffelière
• 2018 La Pleiade Heathcote Shiraz

There is also a small selection of self-pour spirits, though everything else you could need can be found at the bar.

In the middle is a sparkling water tap, as well as self-pour champagne featuring the labels I mentioned earlier.

To the right is the popular fresh orange juicer, alongside a couple of bean-to-brew coffee machines and TWG teabags. 

Over in the fridge are Schweppes mixers, canned Perrier in various flavours, Marigold juice, Cass and Tiger Beer, Coke (Zero, Original and Diet), Sprite and 330ml bottles of Evian (I remember the uproar when this was replaced for a brief period with cartons of Ice Mountain). 

A secondary refreshment area can be found near the playroom, though this only has tea and hot towels. 

Wi-Fi & Power

The Wi-Fi network at the SilverKris Lounge delivered speeds of 24 Mbps down and 25 Mbps up. While that’s sufficient for everyday use, it’s an area where Singapore Airlines could meaningfully improve, given that it badly lags behind the triple-digit speeds over at the Qantas Lounge in T1.

Universal power outlets with USB-A and USB-C ports are in plentiful supply throughout the lounge. You’ll find them built into side tables, nestled under countertops, and basically everywhere. 

Wireless charging pads have also been installed, and SIA says these now support “fast charging”. 

I’m not sure what the exact power rating is, but using the Ampere app, I clocked a peak wireless charging speed of 8.7W (2,080 mA, 4.17V). That’s a big improvement over the pads in T3, which maxed out at a mere 1.8W (460 mA, 3.98V).

Toilets & Showers

Separate male and female restrooms can be found at the rear of the lounge. These are equipped with TOTO washlets and Lalique Neroli amenities.

But the real improvement is outside the restrooms. The previous First Class SilverKris Lounge had one longstanding annoyance: the lack of private shower suites. Instead, two shower rooms were built inside each of the male and female restrooms, creating more of a locker room feel.

That’s finally been rectified, with four unisex ensuite shower rooms featuring GROHE and TOTO fixtures, Dyson hairdryers and Lalique Neroli amenities. 

Unfortunately, the wall-mounted shampoo and body gel are still unbranded, which feels like a missed opportunity. I can imagine that many brands would leap at the opportunity to have their products featured in a place like this. 

There is also one additional handicapped accessible bathroom with a roll-in shower.

I should point out that the shower suites in T2 are smaller than the ones in T3, and you won’t have quite as much space for luggage. If you need extra space to stretch out, T3 might be the better option.

Conclusion

With consolidated operations at T5 still a decade away, Singapore Airlines needed to invest heavily in its T2 lounges if it was to shake the “poor cousin” label.

And shake it it has. The new First Class SilverKris Lounge at T2 is an excellent facility that addresses many longstanding pain points of its predecessor, bringing it on par with its T3 counterpart – and arguably better, in some ways.

If you want a spacious shower or private nap room (or simply prefer Charles Heidsieck Blanc Des Millenaires to Piper Heidsieck Rare!), then T3 is still the place to go. But otherwise, there’s no longer a need to actively avoid the T2 lounge, as was the case before. 

What do you think of the new First Class SilverKris Lounge?