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Update: Singapore will reopen to fully vaccinated US travelers beginning Oct. 19

Chris Dong
Chris Dong
Contributor
Chris was a reporter at The Points Guy, where he covered the intersection of credit card rewards and travel. At TPG, he wrote a broad array of stories ranging from in-depth features and reports to trending travel news as it related to loyalty, card benefits and consumer behavior.
Oct. 09, 2021
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5 min read
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg / The Points Guy)
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Editor's Note

This post has been updated with additional details on visiting Singapore.
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Quick summary

U.S. travelers will soon be able to arrive or transit through iconic Changi Airport (SIN).

Beginning Oct. 19, 2021, fully vaccinated travelers from eight additional countries will be permitted to enter Singapore without the need to quarantine upon arrival. After a limited reopening to residents of Germany and Brunei last month, Singapore is expanding its "vaccinated travel lane" program to the following nations:

  • Canada
  • Denmark
  • France
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • Spain
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) made the announcement on Oct. 9, noting that only two COVID-19 cases were detected among the 1,926 people from Germany or Brunei that participated in the program thus far.

About 83% of the population in Singapore is fully vaccinated, one of the world's highest rates.

Just one day earlier, on Oct. 8, the CAAS said fully vaccinated South Korean residents would also be allowed into Singapore through the travel lane program beginning Nov. 15, 2021.

In total, 11 countries will be participating in the vaccinated travel program. Singapore authorities will initially admit up to 3,000 travelers to enter Singapore daily.

Travel requirements

Those traveling from the eight newly-announced countries will first need to apply online for a vaccinated travel pass, beginning on Oct. 12. To travel to Singapore, you must have remained within the countries under the vaccinated travel lanes for 14 consecutive days prior to departure.

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Visitors will still be required to take two PCR tests (down from four previously). A first test is required within 48 hours of departure to Singapore and a second upon arriving at Changi Airport. Only once a negative test result is received will travelers be able to leave self-isolation.

All tourists must also use the TraceTogether app for contact tracing and have mandatory travel health insurance.

Getting to Singapore (or transiting)

(Photo by viper-zero/Shutterstock)

Related: Singapore Airlines will resume popular JFK-FRA route on Nov. 2

Travelers bound for Singapore must still fly on designated vaccinated travel lane flights. These include services on Singapore Airlines between Singapore and the following cities: Amsterdam (AMS), Barcelona (BCN), Copenhagen (CPH), London (LHR), Los Angeles (LAX), Milan (MXP), New York (JFK), Paris (CDG), Seoul (ICN) and Rome (FCO).

Singapore Airlines said additional flights and frequencies will be announced in the coming days and weeks.

(Screenshot courtesy of Singapore Airlines)

Additionally, travelers will now be allowed to transit through Singapore as long as COVID-19 requirements are met and they are on a designated vaccinated travel lane flight.

If you want to use your miles to get to Singapore, you have a choice of Star Alliance partners to book with including Singapore's own KrisFlyer program, United MileagePlus and Aeroplan. If you don't have miles, KrisFlyer is a partner of all five major transferable points currencies: Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Capital One and Marriott Bonvoy.

Here are the round-trip rates for saver awards from the U.S. to Singapore:

  • Economy: 76,000 miles (80,000 miles from the East Coast)
  • Premium Economy: 130,000 miles (140,000 miles)
  • Business: 176,000 miles (184,000 miles)
  • First: 236,000 miles (240,000 miles)

Related: Singapore is reopening soon: Here's how to get there using points and miles

As the city-state seeks to rebuild its standing as an international aviation hub, that's good news for U.S. travelers looking to visit or even transit Singapore.

Singapore will not accept your CDC card

Be sure you know all the rules before applying to visit Singapore.

As first reported by the travel blog "Paddle Your Own Kanoo," Singapore, unlike almost any other country in the world, will not accept the standard proof-of-vaccination handed out to most vaccinated Americans. Singapore isn't accepting CDC cards as proof of vaccination.

Instead, you will need to come from a state that uses the Smart Health Card format. It's part of the CommonTrust Network that verifies and tracks health data for companies and countries. In New York state, for example, they use the Excelsior Pass, which incorporates Smart Health Card technology.

(Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

According to Paddle Your Own Kanoo, only the following states are using the technology so far:

Related: Some states rolling out vaccine passports

Additional reporting by Clint Henderson.

Featured image by (Photo by Ethan Steinberg / The Points Guy)
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.