Singapore Airlines Begins Construction on Expanded Melbourne Lounge

Construction has officially begun on Singapore Airlines' brand-new SilverKris Lounge at Melbourne Airport (MEL). The project will relocate the carrier's premium passenger facility out of its windowless basement in Terminal 2 and onto the third floor of the international departures terminal, expanding its footprint by 30 percent.

The new 792-square-meter lounge will sit above Gates 10 and 11, taking over the space previously occupied by Swissport's Aspire Lounge. For over a decade, premium travellers have endured the windowless, lower-level basement lounge, which was last refurbished in 2013 and often dubbed the "dungeon" by frequent flyers. Moving upstairs gives guests expansive natural light and sweeping corner views of the active airfield. Swissport has temporarily relocated its Aspire Lounge elsewhere in the terminal ahead of opening its own new facility next year.

Designed in collaboration with Singapore-based architecture firm Ong and Ong, the facility will accommodate up to 170 passengers across separate first-class and business-class wings. The design draws directly from the airline's flagship Changi Airport lounges, incorporating a signature 3D batik wall at the entrance and bespoke wingback chairs. Inside, guests will find productivity pods, showers, a central U-shaped bar, and a live cooking station with an open kitchen. To prevent disruption, the existing basement lounge will remain fully open until the new space is ready to welcome guests later this year.

The terminal upgrade coincides with the airline's 55th anniversary of flying to Victoria's capital and its recent resumption of daily Airbus A380 services. Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Jim Parashos noted that the expansion aligns with the airport's wider master plan. Parashos said, "This upgrade forms part of Melbourne Airport's $4.5 billion international terminal expansion which will provide airlines, like Singapore Airlines, with the necessary infrastructure to expand operations here in Melbourne." He added, "Singapore Airlines premium travellers will have one of the best lounge seats in the house, complete with sweeping airfield views and an experience befitting of the airline's premium inflight product and service."

The airline currently operates five daily departures from Melbourne to Singapore. Expanding lounge capacity is crucial for managing passenger flow during peak departure windows. Singapore Airlines Regional Vice President South West Pacific Foo Chai Woo stated, "Since our first flight from Singapore to Melbourne in 1971, we have invested in and grown our operations, with five daily flights now operating between the Lion City and Victoria's capital." The airline's current lounge development program has recently completed similar premium refreshes at Perth and Sydney.