The ultimate list of ALL budget airlines in Europe
Yep, you’ll have to wear a zillion layers of clothes, fold your legs under your armpits for a few hours, and pay for anything that even remotely resembles luxury, but hey… don’t knock a £15 flight, right?! Every now and then I park my luxury princess-ego and exchange it for the hustling go-getter who will gladly compromise a bit of luxury if that means nicer meals, more adventures and better hotels at my destination, by flying a budget airline.
If you’re an avid budget airlines abuser like me (<3 you Ryanair), you’ll LOVE this ultimate list of ALL budget airlines in Europe.
By ExploristaTeam.
Let’s start of by saying that the trick to flying with low cost airlines is booking on time. Sure, there’s lots of last minute deals, but if you really need to be somewhere on a specific date… you better book ASAP. However: the best deals are to be found when you have a plans-free weekend and don’t care where you’re going: there’s always a dirt cheap ticket to somewhere, my frugal friend.
The best-known low-cost airlines in Europe are Ryanair (Ireland), easyJet (Great Britain), Norwegian (Norway), Vueling (Spain) and Wizz Air (Hungary). They fly in and out of most European countries. Some traditional carriers have a low cost daughter-airline. Well-known examples are Transavia, Air France-KLM, Lufthansa and Germanwings. It might be worth checking those out.
Low-cost airlines from A to Z:
Northern-Europe
Blue1
Home country: Finland
Destinations: Scandinavia, Birmingham and Marseille.
Website: Blue1
Norwegian
Home country: Norway
Destinations: Scandinavia, Southern Europe, US and Bangkok.
Website: Norwegian
WOW air
Home country: IJsland
Destinations: US, Spain, Ierland, Great Britain, France, Italy, Austria, Poland en Lithuania.
Website: WOW air
Eastern-Europe
Blue Air
Home country: Romania
Destinations: Great Britain, Greece, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Romania, Ireland, Italy, Sweden and Turkey.
Website: Blue Air
SmartWings
Home country: Czech-Republic
Destinations: Great Britain, Greece, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Romania, Ukraine, Czech-Republic, Poland, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Dubai.
Website: SmartWings
Wizz Air
Home country: Hungary
Destinations: Europe, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia.
Website: Wizz Air
Southern Europe
Atlasjet
Home country: Turkey
Destinations: Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Bodrum, Canakkale, Dalaman, Edremit, Ercan, Isparta, Istanbul, İzmir, Trabzon, Gaziantep (only flights within Turkey).
Website: Atlasjet
Blue Panorama Airlines
Home country: Italy
Destinations: Bergamo, Milan, Genova, Verona, Venice, Bologna, Anconda, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Perugia, Reggio C., Tirana.
Website: Blue Panorama Airlines
Pegasus Airlines
Home country: Turkey
Destinations: Western Europe and Northern Europe.
Website: Pegasus Airlines
SunExpress
Home country: Turkey
Destinations: Austria, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Morocco, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey.
Website: SunExpress
Volotea
Home country: Spain
Destinations: Southern Europe and Western Europe.
Website: SunExpress
Vueling
Home country: Spain
Destinations: Northern Europe, Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, parts of Africa, Russia and the Middle East.
Website: Vueling
Western Europe
Aer Lingus
Home country: Ireland
Destinations: Europe, Northern America, Middle East, Australia, Asia.
Website: Aer Lingus
Air Berlin
Home country: Germany
Destinations: Africa, Europe, Northern America, Middle East, Asia.
Website: Air Berlin
CityJet
Home country: Ireland
Destinations: France, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Great Britain.
Website: CityJet
Condor
Home country: Germany
Destinations: Northern America, Southern America, Europe, parts of Africa, Asia, parts of Australia, Russia.
Website: Condor
Corendon Airlines
Thuisland: The Netherlands/Turkey
Vliegt naar: Portugal, Marokko, Tunesië, Macedonië, Bulgarije, Griekenland, Turkije, Israël, Egypte.
Website: Corendon
TUI
Home country: The Netherlands
Destinations: Europe, Northern America, Caribbean, Latin-America, Middle East and Asia.
Website: TUI
easyJet
Home country: UK
Destinations: Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe.
Website: easyJet
FlyBE
Home country: UK
Destinations: Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe.
Website: FlyBE
Germanwings
Home country: Germany
Destinations: Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe.
Website: Germanwings
Jet2.com
Home country: UK
Destinations: Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, New York City.
Website: Jet2.com
Loganair
Home country: Scotland
Destinations: Great Britain and Ireland.
Website: Loganair
Meridiana
Home country: Italy
Destinations: Italy, parts of Southern America, parts of Africa, Turkey, Moldova, Russia.
Website: Meridiana
Monarch Airlines
Home country: UK
Destinations: Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, Canary Islands.
Website: Monarch Airlines
Niki
Home country: Austria
Destinations: Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe.
Website: Niki
Ryanair
Home country: Ireland
Destinations: Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe.
Website: Ryanair
Thomson
Home country: UK
Destinations: Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, Central America.
Website: Thomson
Transavia
Home country: The Netherlands
Destinations: Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, parts of Africa, Dubai.
Website: Transavia
Advantages of low-cost airlines
+ Cheap tickets
Low-cost airlines are usually HELLA cheap. Cheaper than traditional airlines anyway. I regularly spot tickets £20 flights to Norway from London. And a return ticket Amsterdam – London can be booked for a hundred euros less than on traditional airlines, which will save you five hundred euros if you travel with a group of five.
+ Cheaper parking
Low-cost airlines usually fly from smaller (regional) airports. Generally parking is cheaper at smaller airports than it is at larger airports, which saves parking costs.
+ Sightseeing
Sure, a budget flight will usually not drop you off at the most central airport. This means you’ll have to arrange for transport, which will cost you more, but this does not have to count as wasted money. The bus from London Stansted Airport to the city centre of London gives you a good impression of the vibrant city. Consider it a cheap alternative to the hop-on-hop-off bus (without actually being able to hop off, though, but hey).
Disadvantages of low-cost airlines
– Service
The service that low-cost airlines offer is usually less than you will get at a traditional airline. A meal or a drink is usually not included in your flight leg space is a vague memory in your mind. It’s not necessarily bad service, but there’s just no frills attached. Low-cost airlines do offer supplementary products and services, but this will cost you.
– Distance airport-city
Low-cost airlines usually fly to smaller airports that are located outside of the city. This is cheaper for them, but is less practical for the traveler due to the time it takes to get from the airport to the city. Before you purchase a ticket it is helpful to check where it is exactly you are flying to. Ryanair advertises for example with destinations such as Dusseldorf and Brussels, whilst in fact the airports are located nearby Weeze and Charleroi.
– Extra costs
Flying budget means flying with hand luggage. Extra costs for checked lugagge can drive up the price of your ticket, keep that in mind. You’ll also almost always pay extra for payment methods, even if there literally is no other option. If you’re flying Ryanair: PRINT YOUR BOARDING PASS (or download the app on your phone)… if not you’ll end up paying £45 to get someone at the airport to print it off for you.
Be mindful of these things and you’ll have a great time!
About the co-author:
Fleur was born twenty years ago in Harderwijk (yes, they have dolphins there) and decided at age sixteen she would move abroad for a year. She has settled now, but her wanderlust is far from over. She loves writing, photography and singing off key in the shower. Blogs at http://missjoesten.nl, has a grand imagination and is secretly Scandinavian. Follow her here: http://instagram.com/fleurjoesten
What is your favourite budget airline in Europe?