OK I lied. This is absolutely the last Singapore related post (I think).
I've only been playing the Credit Card Points Game for a few months, but I wish I'd done this sooner. Lounge access is one of the many perks that you get with some credit cards, so I wanted to fully use these benefits, especially since I had a few long layovers.
If you travel quite a bit, it really pays to look into certain cradit cards that focus on travel benefits. For example, American Express offers these benefits (some not trvel related but good cost savings):
Point transferrable to Travel Parters to redeem for Rewards Seats
Lounge access (AMEX Centurion Lounge and Priority Pass network of lounges - all domestic and International)
$200 Airline fee per year for certain airlines (covers incidental fees such as baggage)
$200 Hotel Credit per year for Hotel Collection and Fine Hotel branded hotels
Clear Access at Airports ($180 credit)
TSA Pre / Global Entry fee waived ($85/$100 credit)
$240 Digital streaming Credit ($20/month)
$200 Uber/Uber Eats Cash. ($15/month)
There are other credits for this card but these are the ones I typically use. AMEX's annual fee is fairly steep, but if you use most of the benefits, it cancels it out. And if you use your points and book Business Class, you will get acess for that Airline's specific lounge, which you may not normally get with AMEX's benefits. For example, since I booked the Singapore Airlinhes flight through Air Canada's site via United, I had access to both the United Polaris and the Singapore Airline's SilverKris Lounges.
There are some financial websites that can give you more targeted credit card offers that may have bigger sign up bonuses than if you go directly to the Credit Card site. One site I used was https://www.bankrate.com/ which gave me much higher sign-up bonus than the standard. You would have to spend a certain amount of money within a certain amount of time, ie. $6000 within 6 months to get that bonus. It can be easier than you realize, if you pay your monthly bills and utilities with your card. Remember it is a charge card so make sure you pay off the balance in entirety every month. I happened to go on a trip during the 6 months so it helped me with my spend requirements. Anyway, all of this made my bucket list Business Class flight (round trip) to Singapore on Singapore Airlines a reality
Anyway, one of the perks for Credit Cards is lounge access. If your card include Priority Pass, it will give you access to a network of lounges around the world. This is on top of your parent card lounges (ie AMEX Centurion Lounges).
Here are some lounges I went to both to at both Chiangi and Kuala Lumpur Airports
Plaza Premium Lounge - Chiangi Airport -Terminal 1 - Singapore
On the way to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, we hit the Jewel and Airport early so we can check out both. We had over 5 hours before our flight. With my Priority Pass, I figured I can check out two of the lounges I had access to.
The first one was the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 1.
It's actually a pretty decent lounge, and beats hanging out at the gate area. It's not really that big, but just big enough. They have private cubicle desk area complete with all the power that you need. There is a seating area with comfortable seats facing a large window with a nice view of the outside. There are shower facilties and sleep pods (subject to fees).
The food was decent. Some buffet trays with hot noodles and other dishes, plus a salad bar. A fridge with lots of canned drinks and a fancy coffee machine. A nice place to kill an hour or two. But I gotta try the next one....
SATS Premier Lounge - Chiangi Airport - Terminal 1 - Singapore
Of the two lounges I was planning to check out, the reviews seem to lean towards this one as being the better one. It was probably only marginally better. The food was much better than Plaza Premium, but not as good as others.
The seating areas were nice. Alot had nice chairs with h plenty of cushion and power outlets. A couple of fancy coffee machines. And three massage chairs that i couldn't really figure out. There are also ahower facilities. No windows in this loungue so you can feel somewhat boxed in.
The food was a bit better than Plaza Premium. Some hot plates of entrees. I forgot what was there since I did a salad. What is pretty unique is that there is a station where you can make your own laksa bowl. The have bowls with laksa noodles and condiments. You dunk the noodles in the boiling water and back into your bowl, then pour the laksa broth over the noodles. This was actually the first laksa I had ever. I must say, I wasn't inpressed. Alas, I would get better laksa later in the trip.
Kuala Lumpur Airport Lounge - Malaysia
Ok so this is a bit of a wasted section. This was a lounge I went to at the Kuala Lumpur airport, on the way back to Singapore. I forgot the name of the lounge. And when I tried to look it up on the Priority Pass Network app, it doesn't seem to exist any more!
Anyway, it was a small lounge and nothing special, yet it was still better than hanging around at the gate because there was free food and drink. It was probably the smalles lounge I've been in. It's still miles better than the Aspire lounge in San Diego International Airport.
This whole trip, I was addicted to curry puffs, and the one at this lounge was pretty good. I gorged on a lot of them. Thank you, mysterious lounge
Marhaba Lounge - Terminal 3 - Chiangi Airport - Singapore
On the flight back to the US, I had about 8 hours to kill at the airport. The good thing with Chaingi, there's so much to do to pass time. Anyway, I decided to hit one more lounge before I go to the crown jewel of a lounge, the SilverKris Lounge by Singapore Airlines.
In the meantime, I hit Marhaba lounge.
It's a small decent lounge. Pretty small compared to the others but still has plenty of seating and tables.
The food looks pretty decent. A lot of chinese dishes including dumplings. I was saving my appetite for the SilverKris lounge, but I had a few bites of dessert. Nice large window with views and the tables had a bunch of power outlets. No bathrooms in the lounge, you have to use the airport bathrooms.
SilverKris Lounge (Singapore Airlines) - Terminal 3 - Chiangi Airport - SIngapore
One of the perks of Business Class is that you are entitled to stay at the SilverKris lounge. I heard it has been expanded recently. When you enter, there is a left and right section, with the left section being the expanded. There is also a separate First Class Section but obviously I was not able to check that out.
The lounge is utterly magnificent. Pretty much the best lounge for the whole trip, although the United Polaris Lounge in San Francisco comes a close second. Lots of seating and the furniture is pretty pristine. I beleive there are sleep pods and shower facilities.
Both the left and right section have a food/buffet area with drinks. The left hand area has better food selection since it's tje expanded area. Lots of different entrees on hot plates, mostly chinese dishes such as noodles and dim sum. There's a vast array of desserts. There's a fridge with lots of canned drinks. Lots of alcoholic beverages and a bar area.
The highlight for me was the live laksa station
The laksa was pretty good, and it probably ruined my appetite for when I was on the plane since i was still full.
So after spending probably a good 4 hours at the SilverKris Lounge (mostly working on the website as I launched it during my trip), I head to my flight back home.
It was a somber walk to the plane...
Singapore Airlines Business Class Food Review - Return Flight (SIN - SFO)
This is just a highlight of the food on the flight back to the US on Singapore Airlines Business class. Nothing more really has to be said about the flight itself because the service was outstanding. It just a nice touch that they know your last name and greet you with it. The return flight, I think I slept better.
Now onto the food since it's the highlight of the flight.
Dinner started with a nice salad with chicken.
I believe it had a light vinaigrette. It was a sizeable appetizer and very nice.
Since this is Singapore Airlines, gotta have satay.
The chicken satay was really nice. Nice char and smokey flavor. The peanut sauce was great too
On to the main course. I did the Book the Cook option and ordered my meal well in advance. I chose the Lobster Thermidor
It was good, but I think I preferred the baked lobster that I had on the flight going to Singapore. It was lobster chunks in sauce, for which the sauce I was kinda "meh" on. Coupled with the fact that I had too much to eat at the SilverKris lounge, and the appetizers right before this plate were sizeable, I was too full to fully enjoy this meal.
But I still had room for dessert. And I thoroughly enjoyed this, whatever this was called. It was sort of a light ice cream cake.
So about 4 hours left into the flight, they started serving lunch. I guess they go by the time in the states since it's probably technically lunchtime.
Appetizer is a nice crab salad with tamago (egg).
This was really nice. It was cold and refreshing. The crab was tasty and the tamago was firm and had a good texture.
The main entree was rack of lamb.
It was a two bone lamb chop and it was oh so delicious. It was cooked to a nice medium rare, and it wasn't that gamey. It had a nice char to it. the vegetables were nicely cooked. I thoroughly enjoyed it, more than the Lobster Thermidor
And it ends with a nice. blueberry cake.
Thus ends my bucket list flight with Singapore Airlines Business Class. Hopefully the planets will align and I can make another trip like this, but this is a box checked.
Back to reality.....