Scoot Airlines Review
One of the most affordable ways to travel around Asia and parts of Europe and Australia is to fly with Scoot Airlines, a low-cost airline established in November 2011. Some refer to it as the Little Sister of Singapore Airlines, and while it might not have all the frills that the more expensive airline has, it certainly does not lack in quality or safety.
Simply put, Scoot is a low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines.
While traveling in Australia and Asia, I flew with Scoot Airlines from Melbourne, Australia to Singapore on a long-haul flight, and then from Singapore to Taipei, Taiwan on a medium-haul flight.
What sets it apart from other Asian airlines is its high safety rating, which means it can fly into Europe and Australia, unlike other budget airlines. For example, Air Manas, Buddha Air, Nepal Airlines, and Pakistan International Airlines are all banned from flying into Europe because of safety reasons.
In 2021 and 2022, Scoot was voted the ‘World’s Best Long-Haul Low-Cost Airline‘ by Skytrax. And in 2023, it came in second place as a runner-up to Air Asia.
Because it’s a Singaporean airline, most of their flights operate to and from Singapore, though you can find flights elsewhere. Scoot Airlines currently has 20 widebody Boeing 787 Dreamlines and 40 Airbus A320 aircraft.
OUR DIRECT Verdict ON SCOOT
Scoot Airlines is a great way to travel on a low cost. Though there are no TV screens onboard, Scoot do provide entertainment to explore through your phone. There are no meals included, but you can order one in advance at an extra cost, or bring your own food. The headrests are less comfy than what you’d have on more expensive flights, so I’d pack a travel pillow.
The upgrade to Scoot Plus is worth it, or you can submit a monetary bid. You also have the option of flying in silence, or onboard a Pokémon flight! There are some great reward schemes, too.
All in all, Scoot offers a fantastic budget-friendly option to take to the skies.
Where You Can Flight Scoot
With a superb and extensive network, you’ll discover that Scoot flies across numerous destinations, mostly in Asia and with a few destinations in Australia and Europe. Scoot operates with several long-haul and multiple medium and short-haul routes, mainly across the Asian continent.
Countries include Japan, Vietnam, Australia (Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne), China, Germany (Berlin), Greece (Athens), Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Pokémon Air Adventures
Scoot strives to make sure their customers have the most remarkable experience out there, which is why, for their tenth anniversary, they curated a Pokémon-themed in-flight experience. Unfortunately, I was not flying with Scoot Airlines during this celebration, but what a unique way to travel!
You can book a flight on their new Pikachu Jet. Decorated on the exterior of the flight are pictures of Pikachu, Pichu, Shaymin, Psyduck, Lapras, Celebi, and Meganium. On board, you’ll have Pikachu Jet-themed serviettes, cups, and character prints on the overhead cabins.
Meals are Japanese-inspired and you’ll get a ‘Scootitude Surprise‘. This could be a very welcome and distracting way to fly, especially for young ones. Oh, who am I kidding… It looks like I’ll have to head back to Asia just to get a glimpse of this aircraft!
KrisFlyer
Just like any other airline, Scoot Airlines also has a frequent flyer program in partnership with the Singapore Airlines Group. It’s called the KrisFlyer, and you can earn miles when you fly with Scoot and their partner airlines (including Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia).
You can redeem these points for flights and upgrades. According to their website, you’ll get one mile for every SGD$1 spent.
You’ll also get 2.5 Elite miles for every KrisFlyer mile earned with Scoot. This helps you upgrade your KrisFlyer membership level. Rewards include upgrades and discounts on future flights.
HighFlyer
The Singapore Airlines Group has a business travel program called HighFlyer. This grants seamless business travel rewards and saves money while your employees travel. You’ll get the savings in rewards and points.
They have four membership tiers, including HighFlyer, HighFlyer Silver, HighFlyer Gold, and HighFlyer Platinum which seems very worthwhile if you have a business. As a regular traveler without a business, I prefer their Scoot Plus upgrade which I’ll speak about below.
Scoot Plus
While booking your flight, you can choose to purchase an upgrade to Scoot Plus. You’ll get priority check-in, extra legroom on a luxurious leather seat, 15kg cabin baggage and 30kg of checked baggage, complimentary food and an alcoholic drink, and in-seat power and Wi-Fi.
Keep in mind that this upgrade is only available for destinations flying on the Boeing 787 aircraft.
Upgrade Tip
Another way to upgrade to Scoot Plus is to submit a monetary bid. Before I flew with Scoot, I got an email to enter a bidding price that I was comfortable paying and to submit my bid.
If my bid was successful, I would have been upgraded 24 hours before departure.Â
If the bid was not successful, I would have received a refund.
For example, I ended up giving it a shot and bid SGD$10. Unfortunately, my bid was not successful, but I did not lose any money!
Another option Scoot provides is to pay for a seat in the front row of the plane (called Scoot Stretch). This might be worth the extra cash, especially if you have longer legs!
Scoot-in-Silence
Scoot Airlines believes that for some, silence is key – which is why they have a ‘Scoot-in-Silence’ portion of their aircraft, for anyone aged 12 and up. This is for those of you who wish to travel in silence, in a dedicated, quiet cabin.
You’ll get wider legroom, adjustable headrests, and fewer distractions. Best of all, you’ll get early disembarkation.
Scoot-in-Silence is only available on the Dreamline aircraft. If you’re someone who works remotely like me, this is the best way to get work done without any of the distractions that come with the economy rows.
Meals on Board
For a regular ticket without Scoot Plus, meals are not included on the flight. This is a common occurrence with low-cost aircraft.
The good news is you can either bring your food on the flight or pre-purchase meals. They’re able to accommodate halal or vegetarian meals, but you must confirm your dietary restrictions before the flight.
Scoot Lounge Access
You also have the option to purchase Scoot Lounge Access before your flight. They’ll email the entry voucher at least three days before your departure flight. You must bring the voucher with your boarding pass for entry to the lounge.
If you are a KrisFlyer Elite Gold or a Star Alliance Gold member, you have access to the Scoot Lounge. Keep in mind that lounge access is dependent on the airport and your KrisFlyer status. Regular customers do not have access to the lounges.
My Experience Flying Scoot
I flew from Melbourne to Singapore on an 8-hour flight, on a Singapore Airlines Boeing 772 aircraft. My original flight was supposed to be on a Scoot aircraft; however, several days before departure I received an email from Scoot confirming that the aircraft was undergoing engine maintenance.
To ensure on-time performance, they chartered a Singapore Airlines flight. I was enthralled by the surprise upgrade to a more luxurious aircraft. They also put me in an aisle seat for the long-haul flight.
I checked into my flight on the app the night before my flight, dropped my bag three hours before departure, and went through security with enough time for a coffee before my flight.
The best part about switching to this aircraft was the on-board entertainment, which is something you don’t get with Scoot Airlines. That’s one of the biggest downsides to flying with this low-cost carrier, but it’s just more of an excuse to bring a book!
On my 5-hour flight from Singapore to Taipei, I flew on a Scoot TR 202. Luckily, I had an aisle seat again. This was comfortable for a medium-haul flight, even if there was a noticeable difference in legroom from my previous flight with Singapore Airlines and no onboard entertainment screen.
Fortunately, Scoot Airlines has begun providing entertainment that you can connect to through your phone or iPad.
I decided to purchase a meal at the Taipei airport instead of purchasing an on-board meal for the short flight. The seats felt a little less comfortable than the long-haul flight with Singapore Airlines, though that was expected with the budget airline.
The only thing I would have preferred would have been to have a comfier headrest, though I could have solved that myself by bringing my travel pillow. They provide blankets and other items for a small fee.
Both of my flights departed on time and arrived on time. Boarding and exiting the aircraft was seamless, and getting my checked bag was easy.
All in all, these were two very seamless, stress-free flights that gave me a great impression of Scoot and Singapore Airlines. It was a wonderful way to end my adventure in Australia and begin my adventure in Taiwan.
How to Book Scoot Airlines
Booking a flight using the Scoot Airlines website is seamless. Enter the departure airport and arrival airport, if you want round-trip or one-way, and the date you want to depart.
The website asks you to log into your KrisFlyer account if you have one. If not, it will give you the time and price of the flight. I set the website to USD, though you can select from nearly every currency in the world.
The booking process also gives you the option to upgrade to Scoot Plus for an additional fee. You also have the choice to add FLEX to your ticket, which is there in case your plans change and you need to reschedule your flight or get a refund.
Conclusion
All in all, I would recommend flying Scoot Airlines. It’s worth the low cost you pay, even if it lacks the entertainment, meals, and other accessories like blankets and earplugs that other aircraft have.
Next time, I will likely travel on a Scoot Plus ticket to have a bit more comfort. On the other hand, the money saved is well worth needing to prepare a bit more in terms of bringing meals and other comfort items like a travel pillow.