Batik Air Malaysia Shifts Singapore Operations from Changi Terminal 3 to Terminal 4

Batik Air Malaysia, part of the Lion Group, will soon move its Singapore operations from Changi Airport Terminal 3 to Terminal 4.

The change is effective November 2025, as previously reported by StraitsTimes.

Having flown Batik Air Malaysia multiple times on the Kuala Lumpur–Singapore route, I thought it’d be worth covering this change for frequent commuters between both cities.

At present, all Batik Air Malaysia flights to Kuala Lumpur depart from Changi Terminal 3. This setup offered two key advantages.

Singapore Changi Airport MRT Station is located in between Terminals 2 and 3

First, Terminal 3 connects directly to Jewel Changi Airport and the Changi MRT station—making access seamless without the hassle of bus transfers to Terminal 4. It also meant you could spend more time at Jewel or the main terminals before your flight.

Singapore Changi Airport Transfer // Credits: Changi Airport Group

Second, Terminal 3 houses the recently refurbished SATS Premier Lounge, which I’ve previously reviewed. To put it bluntly, the SATS Premier Lounge at Terminal 3 is leagues ahead of the BLOSSOM Lounge at Terminal 4, which remains one of the weakest lounges I’ve visited in Asia.

BLOSSOM Lounge Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4

Consequences of the Change

For most Batik Air Malaysia passengers, the terminal switch won’t make much of a difference. As a lower-cost option rather than a full-service airline, Batik Air Malaysia mainly attracts price-sensitive travellers who care more about fares than which terminal they’re flying from.

Interestingly, this move now aligns Batik Air Malaysia with AirAsia at Terminal 4. It will be worth observing if this creates any competitive pressure on ticket pricing between the two carriers.

As for the corporate travel segment, this change is unlikely to matter. The bulk of premium travellers commuting between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore still flow through Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines, given their extensive schedules, codeshare connectivity, and premium lounge networks.

Personally, I continue to use Singapore as my main long-haul hub whenever flying back to London, given the breadth of Oneworld lounge options available.

Final Thoughts

For readers of Refined Points who are frequent KL–Singapore hoppers, this update is mainly a heads-up. If you’re flying Batik Air Malaysia into Singapore with a self-transfer onto a Singapore Airlines flight or another full-service carrier, take note of the additional transfer time required when arriving at Terminal 4. Unlike Terminal 3, you’ll need to factor in bus transfers between terminals if your connecting flight departs elsewhere.

While the change won’t shake up the overall KL–Singapore shuttle market, it does highlight Changi’s strategy of consolidating budget and hybrid carriers into Terminal 4.

For most travellers, the inconvenience lies less in the flying itself and more in losing easy access to Jewel, the MRT, and the vastly superior lounges of Terminal 3.