A question that pops up a bit within the frequent flyer community is which is the best lounge for food in T1 Changi when you are flying business with Qantas and are platinum?
In Changi, passengers are spoilt for choice – if you are a Oneworld emerald travelling in business or higher cabin and on a Qantas flight number on Qantas metal then you are in for a treat with Qantas First Class Lounge, Emirates Lounge and Qatar Lounge all available to you. (Remember Emirates is not part of Oneworld but has an agreement with Qantas, while Qatar is for business/first passengers on Oneworld flights – so yes not all three are open to everyone at once necessarily).
First things first – all three lounges are top lounges. Qatar and Emirates are hybrid business/first lounges while Qantas have a separate business lounge and Qantas First Lounge.
But which is best lounge for food in T1 Changi? And would it sway you to visit?
I have visited the Qatar Lounge Singapore, Emirates Lounge Singapore and Qantas First Lounge Singapore recently in 2025 to explore the food. I have collated my experience of each lounge so you can take a look at the food and help you decide which lounge to make a beeline for next time you are in T1 Changi.
Buffet vs A la carte dining experience
One of the first differences between the lounges is the buffet vs A la carte dining experience. Some people love a formal dining experience before a flight, whereas other prefer a more relaxed setting. The Qantas First Lounge has a focus on A la carte dining with a large part of the lounge made up of formal dining seating. The Qatar Lounge is a hybrid with both A la carte dining and a buffet, while the Emirates Lounge offers a buffet and no formal dining area but lots of relaxed seating. However, while A la carte dining in lounges is associated with an enhanced premium experience, don’t discount the Emirates or Qatar lounges just because they have a buffet (I know some may not feel a buffet is a premium experience). However I found the food to be good quality, providing variety, and the buffets were clean with many attentive staff.
Let’s take a look at each of the lounges
Emirates Lounge Singapore
The Emirates Lounge Singapore has both hot and cold buffets with nicely presented dishes providing a premium experience for a buffet service. The choice of dishes is fairly extensive across both the buffets with the food presented well and flavoursome. The cold buffet presented the foods on individual plates I didn’t feel at all like I was missing out on a premium experience without having a sit down dining experience with an A la carte menu. I actually quite liked relaxing in one of the seats facing the tarmac and having the flexibility to taste a few different dishes (while only having small amounts). My favourite was the beef cheek, rosemary carrots, and the vegetable sticks with dips. The dishes had inspiration from a range of cultural backgrounds.
For full range of food available see food and nutrition review of Emirates Lounge Singapore.
Nutrition comment: 9/10
Qatar Lounge Singapore
The Qatar Lounge Singapore had an impressive cold buffet to compliment its A la carte dining menu. The buffet had salad, cheeses, cold meats, dips, vegetable sticks and desserts. The dining menu had starters, mains, sushi and a dessert – it wasn’t a huge menu but I liked how this menu provided a range of small and larger meals – I love how this can be well tailored to your appetite. The menu was influenced by a a number of cuisines, generally with one dish drawing inspiration from a different cuisine e.g. Japanese, Malaysian, Italian etc. The cold buffet had some middle eastern flavours with the dips. I tried the satay skewers and the seared salmon from the dining menu – both were delicious.
For full menu and review see food and nutrition review of Qatar Airways Premium Lounge Singapore.
Nutrition comment: 9/10
Qantas First Lounge Singapore
The Qantas First Lounge Singapore is A la carte dining offering a menu with Southeast Asian flavours. You can still find Salt n Pepper Squid, a Qantas First Lounge staple (and frequent flyer favourite). I liked the regional influences on the menu – I thought the variety across the menu was great. I tried the prawn wontons, chicken wings and the bossam short rib. The flavours were nice but I found the wings a bit heavy before my flight.
For the menu and food and nutrition review see food and nutrition review of Qantas First Lounge Singapore.
Nutrition comment: 7/10
What’s the final verdict? Is Emirates, Qatar or Qantas the best lounge for food in T1 Changi Airport, Singapore?
So overall – best lounge for food in T1 Changi? To be fair all three lounges were impressive in terms of their food offerings and provide a premium food experience. While it might sounds like first world problems to some, the lounge experience before a flight is an important part of the journey for many. With the choice of lounges available for access for some passengers it can be a question then of which one do I choose. I did enjoy each of them in their own way with all three slightly different in terms of the food experience and menu flavours (I know this could be said of most lounges). My personal preference would be the Qatar lounge. I really liked the buffet complimenting the A la Carte menu – to me it felt like the best of both worlds coming together to provide a flexible and tailored lounge experience.
Regardless of whether you choose the Emirates, Qatar or Qantas First lounge in T1 Changi to visit, remember it is always great to eat nutritious, good quality food before a flight, listen to your appetite and consider you body clock and what timezone it is on. Diet is so important while travelling and can have an impact on how you feel – so don’t underestimate the ability of good nutrition to assist you on your journey.
I am flying back through Changi Airport, Singapore in February 2026 and I look forward to visiting the Qatar and Qantas First lounge again to further explore their food offerings.
