Buy before you fly

Changi Airport is pulling out all the stops to get travellers to spend at the transport hub, with new boutiques and a revamped shopping campaign

- Sarah Stanley

Travel, for many people, begins at the airport, where passengers—the excited, nervous and blasé—exchange goodbyes and await their flights.

But airports have evolved beyond their core function as transport hubs to also serve as life-style and shopping destinations.

Travel booking platform Booking.com's 2025 Travel Predictions found that 71 per cent of Asia-Pacific (Apac) travellers are interested in discovering airports with unique experiences and facilities. The same survey indicated that around 44 per cent of Apac travellers would consider visiting a destination based on the quality of its airport.

"Today, airports are no longer just transit points but destinations in their own right," says Mr Anthony Lu, regional director of South-east Asia and China at Booking.com.

"When airports go beyond functionality to truly impress, they do more than just improve the travel experience. They make the destination more memorable and appealing, encouraging travellers to return and share their experiences with others."

Top airports around the world include Hamad International Airport in Doha and Incheon International Airport in Seoul, which regularly vie with Changi Airport for the top spot on global rankings, such as an annual list by Britain-based consultancy Skytrax. In 2024, Changi Airport placed second on the list.

CHANGI AIRPORT'S RETAIL GROWTH

To stand out amid the competition, Changi Airport has undergone a slew of upgrades in the past five years.

Airport retail complex Jewel Changi Airport, which has the Rain Vortex—the world's tallest indoor waterfall at 40m high—and attractions like the 14,000 sq m Canopy Park, opened to much anticipation in April 2019.