Exploring Singapore’s Changi Airport: A World-Class Travel Experience
The narrator visits Singapore’s Changi Airport, crowned the world’s best for the 12th time, to test its title by spending a day there without a flight. They explore the airport’s amenities, including gardens, a $1.3 billion lifestyle hub, and a rooftop pool, to understand why the tiny island nation invested so much in building it.
Amenities and Attractions
Terminal one in Singapore’s airport took four years to build and was funded with private investments, featuring a train that cuts through a dome, while the Jewel area has 10 floors, with five below ground and five above, and is home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, which runs 24/7 using mostly recycled rainwater and features a 360-degree light show at night.
Singapore’s airport, Jewel, features a garden theme with tiered vegetation, 99% of which is real, and includes attractions like a canopy park, mirror and hedge mazes, and a glass bottom bridge 75 feet above the ground, offering a unique experience for visitors.
Facilities and Services
Changi Airport has amenities airside, including a transit hotel, to cater to a third of passengers who transit through without leaving the airport. The hotel offers rooms with tarmac views, a 24-hour gym, and pool, with some facilities open to the public.
The airport also features a free butterfly garden with around 1,000 butterflies from 40 different species, providing a unique experience for travelers. Additionally, the airport has a koi pond, movie theater, high-end shops, and diverse food options, making it feel like a luxury mall with its upscale offerings.
Dining and Entertainment
A food street at Changi Airport emulates a traditional 1960s Hawker Market, offering classic Singaporean dishes at affordable prices, under $10 per plate, making it a more budget-friendly option than other airport restaurants, with a variety of dishes such as soup dumplings, laksa, and chicken satay.
History and Future Developments
Changi Airport launched Terminal 3 in 2017 and later opened the $1.3 billion Jewel, earning the title of best airport in the world 10 times. However, due to COVID-19, construction on Terminal 5 was halted, and the airport lost its top ranking to Hamad International Airport.
In 2022, Changi rebounded with a significant increase in passengers and revenue, reclaiming the top title in 2023, and now aims to maintain its lead with the resumed construction of the $10 billion Terminal 5.
Investment and Impact
Singapore invested heavily in its airport due to three key reasons: it is a significant money maker, generating over a tenth of the country’s GDP and supporting 375,000 jobs; the new Terminal 5 will increase capacity by 50 million passengers, bringing in more flights and revenue; and the airport must reflect the luxury promise set by the city and its main airline, Singapore Airlines, contributing to a trend of investing in luxurious airports in Asia.
Conclusion
North American airports are locked out of top rankings, while Changi airport impresses, making it a must-add to your bucket list. With its unique amenities, attractions, and facilities, Changi Airport is a world-class travel experience that sets the standard for airports globally.
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Airside | Amenities and facilities located within the secure area of an airport, accessible to passengers who have cleared security and immigration. | Changi Airport has amenities airside, including a transit hotel, to cater to a third of passengers who transit through without leaving the airport. |
| Butterfly Garden | A specially designed enclosure for butterflies, often featuring a tropical environment and a variety of species. | The airport features a free butterfly garden with around 1,000 butterflies from 40 different species, providing a unique experience for travelers. |
| Canopy Park | A park or garden located under a canopy or a covered area, often featuring walking trails, vegetation, and recreational activities. | The Jewel area at Changi Airport features a canopy park, offering a unique experience for visitors. |
| Garden Theme | A design or architectural concept that incorporates elements of nature, such as plants, flowers, and water features, to create a peaceful and serene environment. | The Jewel area at Changi Airport features a garden theme with tiered vegetation, 99% of which is real. |
| Indoor Waterfall | A man-made waterfall located indoors, often used as a decorative feature or to create a peaceful atmosphere. | The Jewel area at Changi Airport is home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, which runs 24/7 using mostly recycled rainwater and features a 360-degree light show at night. |
| Jewel | A $1.3 billion lifestyle hub located at Changi Airport, featuring a range of amenities, attractions, and facilities, including gardens, a rooftop pool, and a canopy park. | The Jewel area at Changi Airport has 10 floors, with five below ground and five above, and is home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. |
| Koi Pond | A pond or water feature that is home to koi fish, often used as a decorative element or to create a peaceful atmosphere. | The airport features a koi pond, movie theater, high-end shops, and diverse food options, making it feel like a luxury mall with its upscale offerings. |
| Luxury Promise | A commitment or standard of quality and service that is associated with luxury brands or products, often characterized by high-end amenities, attention to detail, and exceptional customer experience. | The airport must reflect the luxury promise set by the city and its main airline, Singapore Airlines, contributing to a trend of investing in luxurious airports in Asia. |
| Transit Hotel | A hotel located within an airport, catering to passengers who are in transit and need a place to rest or stay for a short period. | Changi Airport has a transit hotel airside, offering rooms with tarmac views, a 24-hour gym, and pool, with some facilities open to the public. |
Watch The Video
Vocabulary Quiz
1. Which feature is notable for being the world’s tallest and operates 24/7 using mostly recycled rainwater?
A) Glass bottom bridge
B) Canopy park
C) World’s tallest indoor waterfall
D) Hedge maze
2. What is unique about the vegetation in the Jewel area of Changi Airport?
A) It is all artificial
B) It is only found in the canopy park
C) 99% of it is real
D) It is only on the rooftop
3. What type of garden is available for free to visitors at Changi Airport?
A) Koi pond garden
B) Free butterfly garden
C) Tiered vegetation garden
D) Canopy park garden
4. What is the purpose of building the new Terminal 5 at Changi Airport?
A) To reduce the number of flights
B) To decrease the airport’s capacity
C) To increase capacity by 50 million passengers
D) To close the current terminals
5. Why did Singapore invest heavily in its airport, according to the text?
A) Because it is a significant money loser
B) Because it wanted to reduce the number of jobs supported by the airport
C) Because it is a significant money maker and supports many jobs
D) Because it wanted to decrease the country’s GDP
Answer Key:
1. C
2. C
3. B
4. C
5. C
Grammar Focus
Grammar Focus: Using the Present Perfect Continuous Tense to Describe Ongoing Actions
Grammar Quiz:
1. By the time Changi Airport was crowned the world’s best for the 12th time, it _______ its title for over a decade.
- a) has held
- b) holds
- c) had been holding
- d) has been holding
2. The construction of Terminal 5 _______ due to COVID-19 but has since resumed.
- a) was halted
- b) has been halted
- c) had been halted
- d) is being halted
3. By 2022, Changi Airport _______ a significant increase in passengers and revenue.
- a) experiences
- b) has experienced
- c) had experienced
- d) is experiencing
4. The new Terminal 5 _______ to increase capacity by 50 million passengers.
- a) is planned
- b) has been planned
- c) was planned
- d) is being planned
5. Singapore Airlines _______ a luxury promise to its customers for years.
- a) sets
- b) has set
- c) had been setting
- d) has been setting
Answer Key:
1. d) has been holding
2. a) was halted
3. b) has experienced
4. b) has been planned
5. d) has been setting
