SINGAPORE: Changi Airport Terminal 3 will get a major upgrade to handle more passengers, Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow announced on Wednesday (Apr 29).
Speaking at the Changi Airline Awards at Shangri-La Singapore, Mr Siow said the tender for the works will be called in the second half of the year.
"This is likely to be our last major airport upgrade before Terminal 5 (T5) is ready," he said.
The main objective is to improve passenger throughput capacity – the maximum number of passengers an airport can handle within a given period – particularly during peak hours.
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"We know that between now and T5, our
The upgrade will also bring in more digital technology and robotics for self-service check-in, security screening and toilet cleaning. Some of these will serve as testbeds for solutions to be rolled out at scale when T5 opens.
"T5 will take roughly another 10 years before it becomes a reality. In the meantime, Singapore will continue to invest in our existing terminals to keep them up to date," Mr Siow said.
When the first phase of T5 is completed in the mid-2030s, it will be able to handle about 50 million passengers annually – expanding the airport's capacity by over 50 per cent to 140 million.
In 2024, Changi Airport Group announced plans to invest S$3 billion (US$2.35 billion) over six years to upgrade terminals 1 to 4. This includes the addition of Skytrain cars to carry more passengers between terminals, larger immigration halls and more check-in facilities.
Mr Siow also addressed the impact of the ongoing Middle East conflict on global aviation. Jet fuel prices have climbed as the crisis weighs on global oil supply, prompting some airlines to cancel flights and impose surcharges.
Singapore responded by working with airlines to launch more than 90 alternative flights from Changi last month to destinations including Europe and Australia.
"This arrangement benefits all parties," said Mr Siow. "Airlines reduce the impact of the flight disruptions, even temporarily. Changi optimises the use of our airport capacity and our
On cargo, Mr Siow said the sector was growing. More than half a million tonnes of air freight passed through Changi in the first quarter of 2026 – up nearly eight per cent from a year earlier – making Singapore the ninth busiest air cargo hub in the world.
Singapore is also bringing in more air freight partners to complement existing operators such as DHL, FedEx, UPS and SF Group, with an eye on key routes between Australia and Asia.
"Therefore, notwithstanding the immediate challenges, the long-term trajectory for aviation continues to be upward," Mr Siow said.
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Speaking at the Changi Airline Awards at Shangri-La Singapore, Mr Siow said the tender for the works will be called in the second half of the year.
"This is likely to be our last major airport upgrade before Terminal 5 (T5) is ready," he said.
The main objective is to improve passenger throughput capacity – the maximum number of passengers an airport can handle within a given period – particularly during peak hours.
CNA Games
Show More Show Less
"We know that between now and T5, our
The upgrade will also bring in more digital technology and robotics for self-service check-in, security screening and toilet cleaning. Some of these will serve as testbeds for solutions to be rolled out at scale when T5 opens.
"T5 will take roughly another 10 years before it becomes a reality. In the meantime, Singapore will continue to invest in our existing terminals to keep them up to date," Mr Siow said.
When the first phase of T5 is completed in the mid-2030s, it will be able to handle about 50 million passengers annually – expanding the airport's capacity by over 50 per cent to 140 million.
In 2024, Changi Airport Group announced plans to invest S$3 billion (US$2.35 billion) over six years to upgrade terminals 1 to 4. This includes the addition of Skytrain cars to carry more passengers between terminals, larger immigration halls and more check-in facilities.
NAVIGATING MIDDLE EAST DISRUPTIONS
Mr Siow also addressed the impact of the ongoing Middle East conflict on global aviation. Jet fuel prices have climbed as the crisis weighs on global oil supply, prompting some airlines to cancel flights and impose surcharges.
Singapore responded by working with airlines to launch more than 90 alternative flights from Changi last month to destinations including Europe and Australia.
"This arrangement benefits all parties," said Mr Siow. "Airlines reduce the impact of the flight disruptions, even temporarily. Changi optimises the use of our airport capacity and our
On cargo, Mr Siow said the sector was growing. More than half a million tonnes of air freight passed through Changi in the first quarter of 2026 – up nearly eight per cent from a year earlier – making Singapore the ninth busiest air cargo hub in the world.
Singapore is also bringing in more air freight partners to complement existing operators such as DHL, FedEx, UPS and SF Group, with an eye on key routes between Australia and Asia.
"Therefore, notwithstanding the immediate challenges, the long-term trajectory for aviation continues to be upward," Mr Siow said.
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