As more low-cost fleets take off, and more full-service airlines offer budget-friendly offshoots, standards have seriously risen. You might be surprised at what’s on offer.

This is the biz

Scoot, one of the newest fleets to hit the tarmac in Australia (although it already has a well established Asian network), flies Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s, just like Qantas.

Scoot might add a few extra seats to its fit-outs, but these planes are still high quality.

The airline also offers ScootBiz which comes with double legroom and complimentary food and movies. What’s especially clever is that you can book an economy fare and then – if you’re suddenly feeling a bit spesh and there’s room – you can upgrade to Scoot Biz once you’re on board.

The airline also has ScootinSilence (I love that), which is five rows with extra pitch, and no children under 12. Heaven (sorry kids!).

ScootinSilence promises a quiet flight in a child-free zone. Photo: Scoot

Free roaming

Then there’s the Scoot Flexiroam X microchip. When your ticket is confirmed, it comes with an ultra-thin microchip that attaches to the existing SIM in your smartphone.

This allows you to connect to the internet in up to 130 countries – and it includes a generous amount of free data (such as up to 200 photo uploads on social media). It’s free with your airline ticket.

All aboard

AirAsia’s multiple awards include taking the title for the world’s best cabin crew in the 2017 World Travel Awards. We assume that means great service, which is always a plus.

But what we love is that AirAsia is Australia’s official airline of surfing and will transport your board to and from surfing hotspots across Asia – for free. How cool is that?

AirAsia appeals to the millennial crowd, so it’s no surprise that its planes also have on-board WiFi (you do have to pay for it) to help you stay in touch 24/7.

Travelling with a surfboard? That’s no hassle on AirAsia.

That’s entertainment

Entertainment has been traditionally limited on low-cost airlines, but that’s definitely changing.

Tigerair, for example, has recently partnered with 20th Century Fox Film Corporation and Fox Networks Group so you can ease back in its swish new leather seats and watch recently released movies and TV programs.

Tigerair also has “queue jump”, which is fun-speak for priority boarding. You do have to pay (though not much) – but there’s a great sense of satisfaction in heading to the top of the queue.

Not to mention the joy of getting on board before others and jamming your bags in the overhead lockers first. We say that’s a plus.

Executive style for the cost conscious

Like Scoot, Jetstar has a business class. As we all know, a business-class ticket on a full-service airline can be mighty costly.

But this is business class for the cost-conscious, sitting somewhere between blowing the budget and just stretching it out a wee bit. It’s not Qantas but it’s pretty smart. Features include “extra-wide seats” (5.08 centimetres or two inches, but every inch counts!) and – on long haul – lots of extras such as noise-cancelling headphones.

Jetstar’s Business Hub is another good idea. If you register and have an ABN, you can buy a Flexibiz Bundle. That means, among other things, you can change to an earlier or later flight on the same day (because meetings don’t always go as planned).

You also get extra carry-on allowance, make free changes to your ticket and even cancel your flight and get a credit voucher. Which are all pluses.

Budget airlines do get a bad rap a lot of the time, but these days they’re often more low frills than no frills, with some surprising innovations.