Singapore airport's luxurious Terminal 4 opened for business after 3 years of construction.

Changi Airport is hailed as the best airport in the world, so the new terminal which cost approx £550 million boasts plenty of swanky new features.

This is evident from the moment travellers arrive to check in, due to the new Fast & Seamless Travel (FAST) system at departure halls.

FAST is a fully automated process aiming to enhance the efficiency of check-in process. It includes high-tech facial scanning technology which will be used to authenticate passenger identity, removing the manual checks by staff.

There will be 50 automated bag drop machines and 65 automated check-in kiosks. Self-service options will be on offer at check-in, bag drop, immigration and boarding, but staff members will be on hand to help.

There is plenty of entertainment on offer at the new terminal to while away the time before boarding the flight.

• The stunning Heritage Zone is designed for a glimpse into the rich history and culture of Singapore with a design set to look like vintage buildings.
• Shopaholics will be delighted with a choice of more than 80 shops to explore, and foodies can taste local cuisine due to the wide array of food outlets and street food stalls.
• A digital theatre is also here. The 10mx6m LED screen transforms into a large digital stage where passengers can watch the 6-minute mini-show 'Peranakan Love Story'.
• The Immersive Wall offers beautiful images of the iconic skyline of Singapore.
• A variety of sculptures are scattered throughout the terminal, but one that is very impressive is Petalclouds, a huge kinetic sculpture seen from almost anywhere in the terminal, moving in time to classical music from Olafur Arnalds.
• The Viewing Gallery (approx 140 m2) allows for plane-spotting as guests watch aircraft take off or land on Runway 2.

Nine airlines will operate from the new terminal 4: Air Asia Group (4 airlines), Cebu Pacific, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines and Spring Airlines.

It is estimated that the new 2-storey terminal can handle up to 16M passengers annually brining the total handling capacity of the airport to the impressive 82 million.

Terminal 4 is not the only major project that is part of the expansion. Earlier this year, Changi revealed that it would be adding an amusement park to keep guests entertained while waiting for the flights.