2026 layover guide
Singapore (SIN) connection time
At Singapore Changi Airport, plan on at least 1 h 15 min for a same-terminal connection, 1 h 25 min if you change terminals. Here's why, step by step.
Verified Oct 17, 2026By Steven MoHow we check Report a correction
Comfortable: 1 h 45 min
By Skytrain or airside bus, inside security
Inside security, by Skytrain or airside bus
Quick answer
Plan on at least 1 h 15 min for a same-terminal connection at SIN, 1 h 25 min if you change terminals. You stay inside security for domestic connections.
- Same terminal
- 1 h 15 min (comfortable: 1 h 45 min)
- Changing terminals
- 1 h 25 min by Skytrain or airside bus
- Hub airlines
- Singapore Airlines
How long a layover do I need?
- Get off the plane and walk to your next gate25 min
- Transfer security screening20 min
- Be at the gate before boarding closes15 min
- Buffer for a small delay15 min
Our estimate, rounded up, not the airline's official minimum connection time. If both flights are on one ticket, the airline will rebook you if a delay makes you miss the second one. How we calculate this
Recommended layovers at SIN
Our estimates for common connections, rounded up. Comfortable times leave room for a late arrival.
| Connection | MinimumRecommended minimum |
|---|---|
Same terminal, no passport control Transfer security where required | 1 h 15 min Comfortable: 1 h 45 min |
Changing terminals By Skytrain or airside bus | 1 h 25 min Comfortable: 2 h |
Separate tickets with checked bags No protection if you miss it | 2 h 15 min Comfortable: 3 h |
Airlines' official minimum connection times can be shorter: if you booked both flights on one ticket, the airline has already checked that the connection is legal and will rebook you if a delay makes you miss it.
Getting around SIN
Terminals
Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Changing terminals
Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are linked airside by the free Skytrain; Terminal 4 is reached by an airside shuttle bus. Security screening happens at the boarding gate.
Passport control and transfers
Transit passengers stay airside and don't pass Singapore immigration.
Tips for connecting at SIN
- •The Jewel complex is outside immigration, so visiting it means clearing immigration.
Plan your trip through SIN
The airport guide, and the bag rules for the airlines you're likely to connect on here.
SIN connection FAQ
Airlines set their own official minimums at SIN and only sell connections that meet them, so a one-ticket itinerary is always "legal". In practice we recommend at least 1 h 15 min for a same-terminal connection and 1 h 25 min when you change terminals.
Other airports
Sources
Last verified Oct 17, 2026. Terminals and connection rules change, so check your airline's connection instructions before a tight layover.
Read how we collect and check this data, or tell us if something's out of date.
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