Review: Dnata Lounge (Terminal 1) at Singapore Changi

Review: Dnata Lounge (Terminal 1) at Singapore Changi

Singapore airport offers a wide selection of contract lounges with at least one at each of its four terminals. One of the companies that operates lounges at the airport is the Emirati company Dnata (Dubai National Air Transport Association).

There are two Dnata lounges at the airport – one in terminal 1 and one in terminal 3. Before taking a KLM flight to Bali back in January, I had a chance to pay a visit to the lounge in terminal 1.

Continue reading this review to see what it was like.

Location, Opening Hours & Access

The Dnata Lounge at Singapore Changi airport terminal 1 is located near D-gates, one floor above the main departures level. You can access it using a set of escalators that can be found across from a Burberry store.

Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1
Changi airport terminal 1.
Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1
Escalators to the lounge floor.

The lounge is open 24 hours a day, and it can be accessed with Priority Pass and other similar memberships, as well as when flying in business class or holding an elite status with a number of different airlines.

Some of the airlines that send their premium passengers to this lounge include Air France, Air Mauritius, Delta Air Lines, KLM, and Xiamen Airlines.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1
Entrance into the lounge.

Lounge Tour

Rather than having an entrance door, the Dnata Lounge at Changi airport terminal 1 featured a fairly large open reception desk.

On the other side of the wall separating the reception desk from the lounge itself, there was – besides some artwork – a magazine rack with a variety of newspapers and magazines.

The area near reception also included half-a-dozen or so sofa chairs.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Reception
Reception area.

Turning left at the reception, there was a quiet room with benches and sofa chairs which was darker than the rest of the lounge.

Separately from that, there was a dining area with dining tables with chairs and benches, as well as some counter-height seating. The buffet counter itself was located across from the wall separating the reception desk from the lounge.

The lounge’s restrooms could be found here as well.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Quiet Sleeping Room
Quiet room.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Dining Area
Dining area.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Dining Room
Counter in the dining area.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Dining Area
Tables in the dining area.

Continuing from the dining area towards the other end of the lounge, there was a self-service drink station, as well as a staffed bar. Seating in the bar area consisted of a couple of high-top tables and chairs, as well as pairs of sofa chairs arranged around coffee tables.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Hudsons Coffee
Bar.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Cafe
Seating in the cafe area.

Past the bar area was the main seating area of the lounge. This area consisted entirely of sofa chairs, mainly in long rows across the width of the lounge.

Each seat had its own power outlet (and there was no shortage of power outlets in the rest of the lounge either).

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Seating
The lounging are featured rows of sofa chairs.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Seating
Colorful sofa chairs.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Power Outlets
Each of the seats had its own power outlet.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Overview
The main seating area was split into two parts by a floor-to-ceiling partition.

Finally, at the very back of the lounge were an area with a snacks and drinks counter, a pair of counter-height communal tables with eight chairs each, as well as a meeting room.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Snacks and Drinks Area
Snacks and drinks area.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Meeting Room
Counter in the snacks and drinks area, and a meeting room.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Snacks and Drinks Area
Snacks and drinks counter.

Food and Drinks

Food and drinks in the lounge could be found in the snack area at the very back of the lounge and in the dining and bar area near the lounge’s entrance.

Starting with the snack area, there were a coffee machine and a selection of Dilmah teas. There were also canned juices, both canned soda and a soda dispenser, as well as four different brands of beer – Tiger, Asahi, Sapporo, and Heineken.

Finally, there were some wines and four kinds of liquor.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Coffee
Coffee.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Tea
Tea.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Soft Drinks and Beer
Canned soft drinks and beer.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Soda
Soda.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Liquor and Wines
Liquor and wines.

As for snacks, there were pretzels, nuts, and cookies.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Snacks
Snacks.

The same drinks and snacks as in the area above were on offer in the dining and bar area.

However, there were also many other items to eat, of course. And, while I didn’t attempt to do so, I believe one could also get cafe and cocktails made by the bar.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Soda and Cucumber Water
Soda and cucumber water.

The dining area buffet included some lighter items such as sandwiches, bread, salads, and cup noodles.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Sandwiches
Sandwiches.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Bread
Bread.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Salads
Salads.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Instant Noodles
Instant Noodles

Then, there were chicken sliders, carrot cakes, as well as more substantial hot meals including butter chicken curry with rice, beef stew with mashed potatoes, and penne.

There was also cream of tomato and basil soup.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Seating Curry
Butter chicken curry with rice.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Chicken Sliders and Car
Chicken sliders and carrot cake.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Soup
Cream of tomato and basil soup.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Hot Meals
Beef stew and mashed potatoes.
Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Hot Meals
Penne and baby carrots.

Finally, there were apple crumble cakes, chocolate brownies, and some whole fruits.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Changi Terminal 1 Desserts and Fruits
Desserts and fruits.

Dnata Lounge Singapore Terminal 1 Summary

The Dnata Lounge in Changi airport terminal 1 offered plenty of seating and was not too crowded during my visit. As such, combined with the abundance of power outlets, it provided for a nice place to get some work done.

The drinks and food on offer in the lounge were decent as well. While they were nothing to write home about, there were enough options to keep travelers from getting thirsty and hungry.

Overall, I would not hesitate to visit the lounge again if I needed to get some work done.

Looking at the lounge from the point of view of a business class passenger, it was mediocre. However, looking at it as a Priority Pass member, the lounge was above average.

1 thought on “Review: Dnata Lounge (Terminal 1) at Singapore Changi”

  1. Hi,
    Is it allowed staying overnight at this Dnata Lounge because of early connecting flight the next day?
    Anybody ever tried?
    Thank you in advance for your input.

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