Odds are you only look at flight timings and price when booking your weekends away. But when two airlines come out even, how are you going to choose between them? Since this is Singapore, what better way than by picking your flight based on who has the best on-board grub? We sampled the food available on the Singapore-Bangkok route of four low-cost carriers, to see who came out on top.

AirAsia

Best for: Value-for-money meals

Typical menu items
Destination-specific—in this case, a good mix of local Singaporean fare like chicken rice ($5.90) and classic Thai dishes like basil fried chicken with rice ($5.80).

Specials
Expect seasonal items for festive periods like Hari Raya as well as locally-relevant products like made-in-Thailand banana chips ($2.30). 

What we tried

• Thai green curry chicken with rice (only available pre-booked, $5)
• Basil fried chicken with rice ($5.80)
• Mango sticky rice ($4.60)

Presentation
Standard aluminium cases—solid, but unremarkable.

What we liked
Much cheaper than the rest; generous portions; and a decent level of spice.

What we didn’t
Nothing, really.

Overall
It’s hard to argue with prices like that.

Rating
√√√√√

Tigerair

Best for: Great-tasting SEA dishes

Typical menu items
Singaporean and Southeast Asian signatures like mutton biryani ($12) and oriental chicken stew ($12). Plus a solitary Thai red vegetable curry ($12).

Specials
Only occasionally do they offer specials. The last one they had was during Christmas—a roast turkey with cranberry sauce. 

What we tried

• Hainanese chicken rice ($12)
• Nyonya chicken rice ($12)
• Nasi lemak ($12)
• Smoky chicken sandwich ($12)

Presentation
Comes in a plastic-sealed black container. It’s neatly arranged, at least.

What we liked
Umami-heavy, tender chicken in the nasi lemak; juicy meat in the chicken rice.

What we didn’t
Mushy rice; tough sandwich bread; spice overload with the Nyonya chicken rice.

Overall
They don’t scrimp on flavors; but you’re best sticking to the signature dishes.

Rating
√√√√

Jetstar

Best for: Damn good Indian creations

Typical menu items
A mix of local Singaporean choices, international options and Thai dishes. Don’t expect a wide range to choose from.

Specials
Festive season-dependent. During Songkran, there’ll be a pad thai dish on offer.

What we tried

• Chicken rice ($12)
• Udon noodles with shrimp ($12)
• Thai green vegetable curry ($12)
• Chicken tikka masala ($12)

Presentation
Neat, tidy and efficiently organized. Kind of like Singapore.

What we liked
The green vegetable curry and chicken rice were good; the chicken tikka masala even better.

What we didn’t
It was a hearty portion, but the udon noodles with shrimp lacked in flavor compared to the rest. 

Overall
Limiting their options does at least mean more attention to the ones they have. Go for Indian if you’re at all in the mood.

Rating
√√√

Scoot

Best for: Variety + healthy options

Typical menu items
Unless you’re pre-ordering your food (you have more local and international choices then), the focus is on Western favorites, although there’s also a Thai red curry with mixed brown rice ($12).

Specials
Not so much; though they did have turkey on offer at Christmas.

What we tried

• Beef bourguignon pasta stew ($12)
• Beef kway teow (only available pre-booked as a combo meal, $17)
• Tom yam fried rice (only available pre-booked as a combo meal, $21.99)
• Roast beef with caramelized onions wrap ($9)

Presentation
If they’re not covered with aluminium foil, they’re sealed with peel-off plastic. We struggled with the latter.

What we liked
The “healthier option” labelling is a nice touch; the beef bourguignon was ambitious but impressive.

What we didn’t
It’s pretty pricey (relatively speaking); and the noodles and rice were a bit limp.

Overall
Hard to fault the variety—especially if you pre-order—but we say pick their Western options over other items.

Rating
√√√