Flying long distances can often be one of the most expensive parts of any trip, especially when you’re heading to an exotic destination. That’s why we were intrigued when we came across Scoot Airlines—an affordable option for long-haul flights across Southeast Asia, Australia, and even a few destinations in Europe and the Middle East. We took multiple flights with them, ranging from short hops to long international journeys, and now we’re here to share whether the bargain ticket prices are worth the trade-offs in comfort.

Booking Your Flight with Scoot

Booking a flight on Scoot is generally a straightforward process, although their website could use some improvements. Despite some glitches and slow responses, the site does provide a clear overview of available flights and their prices, making it easy to compare options. One tip is to create an account with Scoot’s frequent flyer program, KrisFlyer, as it seems to improve the website’s performance.

We recommend booking directly through Scoot rather than third-party sites to ensure a smoother experience with potential flight cancellations or delays. This way, you’re more likely to receive a refund or assistance with rebooking.

Check-In Experience

One of the most confusing parts of flying with Scoot was the check-in process. While you can check in online via their mobile app, you won’t actually receive a boarding pass until you visit the check-in desk at the airport. This is despite having no bags to drop off. Although the airline has recently rolled out a digital boarding pass feature for flights departing from Singapore, this was not available for our trips, and we had to wait in line at the check-in desk.

This hiccup means we recommend arriving a bit earlier than usual to allow for the extra time spent at check-in.

In-Flight Experience

Standard Fares: What’s Included?

When you book a standard fare with Scoot, you’re really just paying for a seat. Everything else, from meals to entertainment, comes as an additional cost. While this may seem frustrating, it’s a reflection of the low prices Scoot offers.

Entertainment options were limited to a few games and a flight map, and we found it difficult to get the entertainment portal to work. You can pay extra for Wi-Fi, but since the basic features didn’t function well, we didn’t feel it was worth the cost.

Cabin and Seating

On the positive side, the cabins were clean, and the seating was spacious enough for a low-cost airline. We appreciated the windows that darkened automatically to help adjust to the time zone of our destination, which is a great feature for minimizing jet lag.

While the seating was comfortable initially, the lack of space over a long period made it necessary to stretch more frequently than we would with other airlines. If you’re tall or need more legroom, consider booking a seat near the emergency exit or in the first row of the middle section.

Meals and Drinks

Scoot does not provide free meals or drinks on long-haul flights. You can purchase snacks or meals during the flight, but it’s best to pre-book meals up to 72 hours in advance. This ensures availability and can save you money. If you have dietary restrictions, like needing halal meals, pre-ordering is especially important.

While you technically can bring your own food, we don’t recommend overloading your carry-on with meals, as this is against Scoot’s policy. If you do bring small snacks like sandwiches, you should be fine, but avoid large meals.

Pros and Cons of Scoot

Pros:

• Affordable ticket prices allow you to spend more on your destination
• Friendly and professional cabin crew
• Clean aircraft and amenities
• Good legroom and spacious seating (for a budget airline)

Cons:

• Clunky check-in process
• Lack of in-flight entertainment options
• No complimentary meals or drinks
• Comfort level declines on long flights

Would We Recommend Scoot Airlines?

After flying with Scoot across multiple cities and continents, whether we recommend the airline depends on your priorities. If comfort and convenience are at the top of your list, you might want to look into higher-end carriers that offer more amenities. Families with young children, in particular, may find Scoot’s lack of in-flight entertainment and food service a bit challenging.

However, if you’re willing to sacrifice some comforts for an incredibly affordable ticket, Scoot is a great option. You might need to pay extra for meals, bring your own blanket, and get up to stretch more often, but the money you save on flights can help you stay at your destination longer or experience more activities.

For us, the savings Scoot offered allowed us to extend our time in Southeast Asia, which was a significant factor in why we would choose them again in the future. If you’re on a budget and willing to trade luxury for savings, flying with Scoot is definitely worth considering.