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Changi Airport terminals and currency exchange counters

Singapore Changi (SIN) · Currency Exchange Guide · Last checked 17 October 2026

Changi Airport Currency Exchange by Terminal: T1, T2, T3 and T4

Singapore Changi is easy to use and hard to compare. Four terminals each have their own money changers, a free train links three of them, and a shuttle bus serves the fourth. Before deciding where to change money, it is helpful to know what is actually in the terminal you will land in.

An old version of this page told you that Terminals 2 and 3 offer noticeably more competition between money changers than Terminal 1. We checked it again, and that claim did not hold up. The best source we found lists two operators in each of Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and one in Terminal 4. This guide replaces the old claim with what we could confirm, stating plainly where sources disagree. Everything was last checked on 17 October 2026.

The short version

Who runs the money changers in each terminal

THAIest, a travel site that visited the airport and updated its page in November 2025, provides the most detailed breakdown by terminal. Here is what it lists:

A second site, run by an airport lounge and transfer service, names Travelex, Prosegur and UOB as providers and lists changers in the arrival and departure halls of all four terminals. It does not state which operator sits where, and it carries no date, so we treat it as a loose cross-check rather than a source for the layout.

A trade news article on Travelex says the company operated ten bureaux at Changi in Terminals 2 and 3, and signed a five-year contract running to July 2029 that adds ten more, including in Terminals 1 and 4. The article is undated, though it appears to be from around 2024. THAIest, which is newer, does not list Travelex in Terminals 1 or 4. We could not reconcile these. If you need Travelex specifically, check the airport directory or the signs when you arrive, and do not plan around one terminal.

Does the terminal really matter?

The old claim was that Terminals 2 and 3 offer better rates since there is more competition. Here is why we dropped it.

First, the lineup does not support it. On THAIest's list, Terminals 1, 2 and 3 each have two operators, so none of them stand out for competition. Terminal 4, with a single operator, is the one with the least choice.

Second, no source we found compares rates between terminals. THAIest compared UOB with Travelex at the same terminals and found small differences. Nobody we found compared Terminal 1 with Terminal 3, so we cannot tell you that one terminal beats another on price.

What the terminal does change is convenience. For example, if you land in Terminal 4, getting to a different terminal for a comparison takes a shuttle bus, so it is easier to change a small amount where you are and compare later. If you land in Terminals 1, 2 or 3 and have time, the free Skytrain makes a quick comparison easy.

Moving between terminals

The airport's own guide to transferring between terminals describes the options. All of them are free.

The airport's page says that from 6 October 2026 the Skytrain stops between midnight and 5:00 am, with a night loop shuttle covering Terminals 2, 3, 1 and 4 in the public area. The same page also has an FAQ answer about walking routes being open at all hours, which does not match the main text. If you land after midnight, check the current arrangements with the airport before you rely on any of this.

Which is better, UOB or Travelex?

There is no permanent winner, and the one detailed comparison we found says the same. THAIest recorded rates at the counters on one visit. In Terminals 2 and 3, it found Travelex better for US dollars and Canadian dollars, and UOB better for euros, pounds, Australian dollars, New Zealand dollars, Swiss francs and most other currencies. In Terminal 1, it found UOB and ChangiFX almost identical.

Treat that as a snapshot, not a ranking. The site does not state the exact date of the visit, and rates move every day. It also says the differences are small, so they matter mainly when you change a large amount. The sensible approach is the one we use everywhere: read the board for your currency, then compare it with the mid-market rate on your phone.

How much worse than the mid-market rate?

Here the sources disagree, and the disagreement is worth understanding.

THAIest compared the counters with the mid-market rate on its visit. It found the US dollar about 2.6 per cent lower, the Australian and Canadian dollars about 2.2 to 2.3 per cent lower, and the euro and pound about 1 per cent and 0.8 per cent lower. It sums up the main currencies as around 2 to 2.5 per cent lower, and says less common currencies such as the Thai baht, Indian rupee and Chinese yuan can be 5 to 10 per cent lower.

A personal finance blog published in September 2026 puts the airport gap at 3 to 8 per cent. That page describes its figures as illustrative ranges, and does not say which kiosks it checked. A third article, from MoneySmart in October 2025, says airport rates are typically 1 to 3 per cent less competitive than the city. It cites a Wise blog post for that figure, so we treat it as second-hand.

All three agree on the direction: the airport costs you more than the city. They disagree on the size. The honest range for a popular currency is "low single digits" and for a less common currency it can be much more.

Is "0% commission" really free?

No. A "0% commission" sign usually means the money changer does not add a separate fee, and earns its margin through the rate instead. THAIest says so as well: the changers charge no commission and the margin is built into the rate. A counter can advertise no commission and still give you a worse rate than one that does charge a fee, so compare what you will receive.

ChangiFX: ordering online and collecting at the airport

Changi Recommends, the airport's directory of shops and services, also runs an online exchange called ChangiFX. According to the ChangiFX page, you place an order online and collect the cash at a Changi Recommends booth in the departure hall (Level 2, public area) of any of the four terminals. The service is run by Changi Travel Exchange Pte Ltd and describes itself as licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

The conditions on that page are specific:

The page also says its rates are often better than airport counters and can rival city money changers. That is the operator describing itself, and we found no independent comparison, so we cannot confirm it. Because collection starts from 6:00 pm, ChangiFX is not a replacement for the counters when you land and need cash now.

Opening hours

Several sources describe the money changers as open around the clock. A Travelex trade article says its bureaux operate around the clock, and the lounge-service site says Travelex runs 24 hours a day. THAIest says the changers are "supposed to be open 24 hours". We could not find a published opening time for each UOB branch. Treat 24-hour service as likely but not guaranteed, particularly for the smaller branches, and ask at the counter if you land very late.

ATMs and card payments

One airport-services site names DBS, OCBC and HSBC machines at Changi, says withdrawals typically run from SGD 1,000 to 2,000 per transaction, and says fees range from nothing to SGD 8 depending on the operator. This comes from one undated page, so use it as a rough guide and check the fee on the screen before you confirm.

Wherever you use a card, choose to pay in Singapore dollars if the terminal offers a choice. Paying in your home currency is Dynamic Currency Conversion, and our DCC guide explains why it usually costs more. For the wider decision between cash, cards and ATMs, our guide to ATMs versus forex cards covers the trade-offs.

A worked example of why the board matters

These numbers are made up to show the method, not real Changi rates. Say the mid-market rate on your phone shows that one unit of your home currency equals 1.00 Singapore dollar. Counter A offers 0.975 and Counter B offers 0.985. Counter A is 2.5 per cent below the mid-market rate, and Counter B is 1.5 per cent below it.

On 500 units, Counter A pays you 487.50 Singapore dollars and Counter B pays you 492.50. That is a difference of 5 dollars. The gap grows with the amount, which is why comparing matters most when the sum is big.

How much to change at the airport

Change enough for the first few hours: transport, a meal, and anything that only takes cash. Compare the city options once you have time. The MoneySmart article gives similar advice: use airport changers for smaller, urgent sums and save the bulk for a city changer.

If you plan to ride the MRT, THAIest notes that you need to reach Terminal 2 or 3 from Terminal 4 by bus first, and suggests changing money later. Our Jewel Changi currency exchange guide covers the money changers at Jewel, and our GST refund guide is worth reading if you plan to shop.

Common mistakes

What we could not confirm

A simple plan

  1. Check the mid-market rate on your phone before you land.
  2. Change only what you need for the first few hours.
  3. If you are in Terminal 1, 2 or 3 and have time, compare the boards at two counters.
  4. If you land in Terminal 4, change a small amount there and compare later.
  5. Choose Singapore dollars if any machine asks which currency to charge.

FAQ

Which Changi terminal has the best exchange rates?
We could not find evidence that any terminal beats another. Each of Terminals 1, 2 and 3 has two operators on the best source we found, and Terminal 4 has one. Compare the boards on the day.

Is UOB or Travelex cheaper at Changi?
It depends on the currency and the day. One snapshot found Travelex better for US and Canadian dollars and UOB better for most others, but rates change daily.

Are the money changers at Changi open 24 hours?
Travelex's bureaux are described as 24-hour in two sources, and THAIest says the changers are supposed to be open all day. We could not confirm hours for each UOB branch.

Can I order money in advance for Changi?
Yes, through ChangiFX. Orders run from SGD 100 to SGD 4,999 per day, and collection starts from 6:00 pm. It is non-refundable, so check the conditions on the ChangiFX page before you order.

Sources and how we checked them

Checked on 17 October 2026. Where we call something confirmed, at least two of these sources agree. None are the airport operator's rate boards, and several are commercial sites.

Editorial note: The counter, rate and airport information in this guide is editorial and is not paid for. Rates and fees change, so confirm the final rate at the counter before exchanging.

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