Travellers are facing full body scans, increased security and more expensive flights with the government announcing a $200 million plan to beef up airport defence against extremists.
The controversial scanners will start appearing in airports next year alongside an increased number of police and sniffer dogs amid a wider security presence.
"No nation can afford to be complacent when it comes to security," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.
"The government's highest priority is the safety and security of Australians."
Part of the impetus for the spending comes from the attempted Christmas Day attack on a North-West Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit by the so-called underpants bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.
The government's recently released aviation white paper also called for increased security measures in the air and at airports.
In a lengthy list of measures, Mr Rudd also committed the government to providing $32 million to introduce security screening at regional airports.
This particular measure has been floated by the government previously but no money has ever been promised for the scheme.
Opposition transport spokesman Warren Truss questioned whether the $32 million would be enough for airports that might include communities like Dubbo in NSW, Carnarvon in Western Australia and Weipa in Far North Queensland.
"The government's proposed support for regional airports to assist with screening upgrades is welcome but still only about a third of the estimated $100 million needed to prepare at least 20 airports for mandatory screening," Mr Truss said.
Sources inside major airlines said it was almost certain ticket prices would rise as part of a "flow through" despite the government's significant spending.
A Qantas spokeswoman told AAP the legacy carrier would "work closely with the government" on the project.
Singapore Airlines regional vice president Subash Menon said the airline was comfortable with the changes.
"The government is acting in a reasonable and enlightened manner. This is a positive development," Mr Menon told AAP.
He said it was difficult to make a snap decision about whether the money was enough to fulfill all the promises.
"It's hard to say whether it's enough but it looks like it is going to the right places.
"With all that is happening you can't be too safe."
Civil liberties groups raised concerns about the introduction of full body screening calling for the technology to be capable of changing images from naked bodies to diagrams.
The Queensland Council for Civil Liberties suggested passengers should be able to opt out of scanning and choose a pat down instead.
"The government understands the privacy concerns some travellers may have with body-scanning technologies and will implement appropriate privacy and facilitation measures to mitigate these concerns," Mr Rudd said.
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