Infrastructure of Changi Airport
is Singapore's primary international airport and a major aviation hub in the Asia-Pacific region. It is one of the commercial airports in Singapore, the other being Seletar Airport. Since the rankings for the World's Best Airport by Skytrax began in 1999, the airport was classified as the world's best twelve times, including for eight consecutive years from 2013 to 2021.
The infrastructure of Changi Airport includes passenger terminals, runways, taxiways, maintenance buildings and services, and ground support equipment. Its four current passenger terminals can handle 82 million passengers a year. When Terminal 5 is completed, it is expected to handle an additional 50 million passengers per year.
The airport is located approximately east north-east of the city's commercial centre, on a site on the easternmost point of Singapore Island.
Background
Given limited land resources in Singapore, Singapore Changi Airport was developed on reclaimed land on the eastern part of the island. As the country's primary international airport, it was designed for current needs and future expansion to double its passenger handling. Land can further be reclaimed from the sea for more runways and terminal buildings.The master plan initially involved a dual-terminal and dual-runway configuration over two phases, with provisions for another two passenger terminals. Phase 1 included the construction of Terminal 1, the first runway, 45 aircraft parking bays, support facilities and structures, including a large maintenance hangar, the first fire station, workshops and administrative offices, an airfreight complex, two cargo agents' buildings, in-flight catering kitchens, and an control tower. Phase 2 construction commenced immediately after the completion of phase 1. It included the construction of Terminal 2, the second runway, 23 additional aircraft parking bays, a second fire station, and a third cargo agents' building.
Control tower
The air traffic control tower was constructed in phase 1, sited in between the first two runways and stands at about 81 m above mean sea level. It provides aerodrome control service to aircraft landing, departing and maneuvering within the airport.Runways
Changi Airport started off with a single runway. After phase 2 was completed, it had two parallel runways of size each, designated 02L/20R and 02R/20L. 02L/20R was completed in 1981 with a displaced threshold of leaving the rest of the runway at long. 02C/20C was built completely on reclaimed land and opened with phase 2, to the east of 02L/20R. Four instrument landing systems are installed on the two runways to guide landing aircraft safely under all weather conditions. Both runways are also used by the Republic of Singapore Air Force as part of Changi Airbase.A new parallel runway 02R/20L was built to the east of 02C/20C. It was used only by the Republic of Singapore Air Force as part of Changi Air Base. Originally at a length of 2.75 km, it has been lengthened to 4 km to handle larger commercial passenger aircraft. Almost 40 km of new taxiways were built to connect the runway with the main airport. New facilities such as navigation aids, airfield lighting systems and a fire station were included.
Air traffic service communication facilities
| Service designation | Call sign | Frequencies | Hours of operation | Remarks |
| Air Control Center | Singapore Radar | 124.050 | 0000-1530 | Flow control service: arrival & departure aircraft |
| Air Control Center | Singapore Radar | 133.250 | 24 hr – 7-day | North |
| Air Control Center | Singapore Radar | 134.400 | 24 hr – 7-day | South |
| Air Control Center | Singapore Radar | 123.700 | 24 hr – 7-day | East |
| Air Control Center | Singapore Radar | 134.200 | 24 hr – 7-day | South-east |
| Approach | Singapore Changi Arrival | 119.300 | 24 hr – 7-day | Intermediate & final approach |
| Approach | Singapore Changi Approach | 120.300 | 24 hr – 7-day | Intermediate approach |
| Tower | Singapore Changi Control Tower | 118.250 | 0000-1600 | Runway 02C/20C |
| Tower | Singapore Changi Control Tower | 118.600 | 24 hr – 7-day | All departures & arrivals |
| Tower | Singapore Changi Control Tower | 118.600 | 0000-1600 | Runway 02L/20R |
| Tower | Singapore Changi Ground Movement Control | 121.725 | 0000-1700 | Aircraft east of Terminal 2 |
| Tower | Singapore Changi Ground Movement Control | 121.725 | 2100-0000 | Aircraft east of Terminal 2 |
| Tower | Singapore Changi Ground Movement Control | 121.850 | 0000-1800 | Aircraft north of Terminal 1 |
| Tower | Singapore Changi Ground Movement Control | 121.850 | 2300-0000 | Aircraft north of Terminal 1 |
| Tower | Singapore Changi Ground Movement Control | 124.300 | 1600-0000 | Start-up/push-back/taxiing of all aircraft |
| Tower | Singapore Changi Ground Movement Control | 124.300 | 0000-1600 | Aircraft west of Terminal 3 |
| Tower | Singapore Delivery | 121.650 | 24 hr – 7-day | Pre-flight check/ATC clearance |
| Tower | Singapore Changi Apron | 121.900 | 24 hr – 7-day | Vehicular movements on taxiways and runways |
Airport hotel
The Crowne Plaza Changi Airport hotel, designed by WOHA, is linked to Changi Airport Terminal 3, with Terminals 1 and 2 reachable by Skytrain located within the immediate vicinity of Changi Airport. It is nine storeys high and has 320 guest rooms. A 10-storey extension was completed in 2016, increasing the total number of rooms to 563. In 2024, the hotel was named the world's best airport hotel by Skytrax for the ninth year running.Airbus A380 operations
With Changi-based Singapore Airlines being the launch customer for the Airbus A380, works to ensure full capability in handling the large aircraft were given priority in time for its introduction in October 2007. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore spent S$60 million in upgrading the two existing terminals and airport infrastructure, including enlarged gate hold rooms, new finger piers, and extended baggage belt carousels from the normal. With these new carousels in place, the airport does not expect embarking and disembarking passengers and baggage from the A380 to take longer than it does from a Boeing 747-400, which carries fewer passengers. On 16 August 2005, Changi Airport unveiled the first of 11 specially built gates capable of handling the giant aircraft. Costing S$15 million, the gates or 'fingers' enable passengers to board the upper deck of the new 555-seater aircraft directly from the gate hold rooms. The hold rooms themselves have been enlarged and appointed to cater to the larger number of passengers aboard an A380. Beside the 11 new A380-capable gates at Terminals 1 and 2, eight more A380-capable gates were opened at Terminal 3 on 9 January 2008.Jewel Changi Airport
Announced in August 2013, Jewel is a new terminal structure that is intended as a mixed-use complex. It is situated on a 3.5-hectare site where the Terminal 1 car park used to reside. Jewel is a joint venture between Changi Airport and CapitaMalls Asia. Essentially, a new multi-storey underground car park of about 2,500 car park spaces replace the existing facilities, while an indoor garden is built above. The new building sits between the three existing terminal buildings, enabling passengers to transfer via the new complex, whilst being an attraction and shopping destination in itself. The design consists of a circular structure, reminiscent of a doughnut, with a large garden and located at the centre is the HSBC Rain Vortex. There is also a hotel of about 130 rooms as part of the project.As part of the project, Terminal 1 is expanded to allow more space for the arrival hall, baggage claim areas, and taxi bays. These enhancements increases T1's passenger handling capacity to 24 million passenger movements per annum by 2018. It opened on 17 April 2019.
Passenger terminals
Changi Airport currently has four terminals, T1, T2, T3, and T4, with a total passenger annual handling capacity of 90 million. Terminals 1, 2, and 3 are directly connected via a people mover system, with airside passengers being able to freely move between the terminals without going through immigration. Transport within and between these three terminals is also provided by people movers and the skytrain system, although it is also possible to walk between the terminals on foot for airside visitors.A former Budget Terminal, capable of handling 7 million passengers per year, was purpose-built for low-cost carriers. It was physically separated from the main terminals towards the south, where connections were possible via a free shuttle bus service to and from Terminal 2. Demolition began in 2013 to make way for a new and bigger Terminal 4.
| Terminal | Opened | Floor area | Handling capacity | Parking bays |
| Terminal 1 | | 24 million passengers | 29 16 | |
| Terminal 2 | | 28 million passengers | 35 11 | |
| JetQuay | | N/A | 0 | |
| Terminal 3 | | 22 million passengers | 28 15 | |
| Terminal 4 | | 16 million passengers | 21 8 | |
| Terminal 5 | 14 April 2025; 0 years ago TBC | TBC | 50 million passengers | 49 TBC |
| Jewel Changi Airport | | 3 million passengers | ||
| Total | 90 million passengers | 162 50 + ''TBC |
| Terminal | Opened | Closed | Floor area | Handling capacity | Parking bays |
| Former Budget Terminal | | 7 million passengers | 10 |