You may need to travel on a budget and need to know the best budget airlines in Europe. Based on recent ranking, the best European budget airline right now is EasyJet. There are other couples of the cheap airline you can fly both domestic and international routes with, we will be giving you the list of these airlines shortly in the next paragraph
15 Best Budget Airlines In Europe Right Now [2023 Ranking]
1. EasyJet Airline
To start with the cheapest airline to fly in Europe is EasyJet Airline. British low-cost airline EasyJet, with its bloated orange lettering and colorful fleet of Airbuses, rises to the top of its class in this region. Right now, the budget airline has a wide variety of well-known vacation places all over the continent, including the Costa del Sol, the Balearic Islands, the Aegean Sea, the Adriatic Sea, and the western coast of Turkey, which is known for its year-round sunshine. However, there are a plethora of inexpensive city-to-city connections accessible; for example, flights between Hamburg, Krakow, and Budapest are very affordable.
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Flight fee for EasyJet:
Inclusion of a Carry-On Bag (but no personal item)
For a bag to be checked at the airport, you should expect to pay around $40.
Prepaid online checked luggage fee: From ยฃ6.99
Booking your seat: starting at $1.99
Dinners and snacks cost from ยฃ2 to ยฃ9.50. (Discounted if purchased online beforehand)
Pricing: $2.50โ$3 for nonalcoholic beverages; $4.50โ$8.50 for alcoholic beverages
Adding a checked bag and choosing your seat will add at least ยฃ18 to the overall price of a round trip, or around 30% more.
2. Norwegian Air Shuttle Airline
The best budget European airline cannot be mentioned without referencing Norwegian Air Shuttle. Norwegian Air Shuttle has done an excellent job of expanding to destinations all throughout Europe and beyond, building on its extensive network of flights throughout Norway. Travelers with the Oslo-based flier may anticipate the pinnacle of service, since it was rated the number one budget pick in all of Europe last year, and the carrier’s adorable small red-and-white jets now service locations like Dubai and Bangkok in addition to Bergen and Trondheim.
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3. Blue Air Airline
Blue Air, Romania’s main airline, is a semi-low-cost option with 23 planes serving nearly 60 European and Israeli destinations. The airline’s primary hub is located at Henri Coandฤ International Airport in Bucharest, with other hubs in Cyprus, Turin, and the airports in Bacฤu, Cluj, and Iaลi, all in Romania.
They codeshare with other airlines like Alitalia, AirItaly, Cyprus Airways, and Sky Express to broaden their reach and set themselves apart from others of a similar size.
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The average age of their fleet is 21 years old, according to airfleets.com, and they expect to replace most of it with brand new 737-MAX8s by the end of 2019 (though this date may alter due to the model’s current grounded status). Therefore, onboard amenities like WiFi and entertainment systems should not be relied upon.
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However, compared to newer jets that have been altered to improve passenger capacity, the seats on older flights tend to be wider and more luxurious.
Carry-on bags for travelers with Light price tickets are restricted to dimensions of 55 by 40 by 20 centimeters (10 by 16 by 8 inches) and no personal goods are permitted. For an extra price, you can check up to four bags, though the maximum size and associated fees change from route to route.
Blue Air provides complimentary snacks and beverages and hot meals for purchase in advance and onboard (though sometimes these are free as wellโyou can verify each route online), but these offerings vary by route.
Light price upgrades also include access to a lounge, reserved seats, and priority boarding, in addition to meals and checked bags. The main problems with Blue Air appear to be related to the booking process.
There are often technical difficulties with the site, and it isn’t always included in flight aggregators (and even then, the prices don’t always match). Inconveniently, the ability to check in online varies by route.
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The Cost of Flying Blue Air:
In-cabin bag: Up to 2.2 tons (22 lb (but no personal item)
The airport shop purchased checked bags: for as little as โฌ60 depending on distance and load
Online prepayment for checked bags: price starts at โฌ10 depending on distance and load
Choosing Your Seats: Depending on the path taken.
Food: Varies with travel plan
The availability of complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages varies per route.
Beer, wine, and liquor: Is Route-Dependent
If you want to choose your seats in advance and bring a suitcase with you, you may expect to pay an additional โฌ20-25 (or around 25% more) for a round trip.
4. NIKI Airline
Even though Austrian Grand Prix star Nikki Lauda founded his own airline in 2003, his company has not achieved the same level of success as the driver himself, remaining in fourth place here.
But considering how many low-cost airlines are now flying throughout the continent, that’s already an impressive feat, and NIKI is doing everything it can to disprove the stereotypes associated with budget travel by including free checked bags and meals with every ticket.
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How To Find Cheap Flight In Europe:
Watch the video below to find out how you can get the best deal on your next flight booking:
5. Wizz Airline
Wizz Air, one of the more recent low-cost European airlines, took off in 2003 and has since gone on to serve a wide variety of locations, including the bustling city of Azerbaijan, Baku, the fashion hub of Tel Aviv, and the sunny reaches of Malaga on the Costa del Sol, to mention a few.
The airline has found success by targeting minor airports and smaller cities, where it can charge its customers lower fares by avoiding the escalating costs associated with operating in these areas.
6. TUIย Airline
The TUI Group, the largest leisure, travel, and tourism corporation in the world, owns not just one but six European airlines under the TUI brand. The largest, TUI Airways of the United Kingdom, operates out of 22 airports throughout the country and serves more than 80 domestic and international destinations with a fleet of 60+ Boeing planes of varied sizes and kinds.
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TUI Airways, together with its sibling airlines TUI fly Belgium, TUI flies Germany, TUI flies the Netherlands, TUI fly Nordic in Stockholm, and France’s Corsair International focuses on tailor-made vacation packages while also providing excellent flight-only prices to top European destinations.
This snapshot is from a search for flights from Antwerp to Florence on TUI fly Deutschland and shows how prices drop dramatically closer to departure. You can save a lot of money if you’re willing to be flexible and make a last-minute reservation.
TUI is not a low-cost carrier in the conventional sense, and reservations that consist solely of flights incur additional fees. Since sister airlines have varying prices, we’ll use TUI Airways of the United Kingdom as an example. If you’re merely taking a flight, your carry-on bag can’t be bigger than 55 by 40 by 20 inches (including the handles and wheels) and can only weigh up to 10 kilograms (22 pounds).
For a charge, you can check up to three bags weighing a total of 23 kilograms (50.7 pounds). Prices vary by route, but a recent online search for a flight from Manchester to Venice showed a price tag of ยฃ40 to ยฃ58 for each bag, so it’s not cheap, and opting to check your luggage at the airport will always cost you quite a bit more.
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You can upgrade your flight reservation to include extras like a choice of seats in advance, a bulkhead seat, or an extra two inches of legroom by selecting an “Extra Legroom” seat.
You can upgrade your reservation to include extras like a choice of seats in advance, a bulkhead seat, or an extra two inches of legroom in the form of an “Extra Legroom” seat. In the air, passengers can purchase snacks, light meals, soft drinks, and a large selection of alcoholic beverages from a predetermined menu (certain things are complimentary on long-haul flights).
Long-haul flights with a travel time of more than seven hours typically include in-flight entertainment like movies, music, and games on seatback devices. Sadly, there is currently no method to access the internet during a journey on a TUI Airways trip.
TUI Airways’ Premium Club program is an attractive perk since it allows you to upgrade your economy ticket to TUI’s equivalent of business class for a little additional fee (depending on your route and when you buy).
There is a significant difference between the two classes, with business class passengers receiving extras including a duvet and pillow for overnight flights, free meals, beverages, and tea service, priority check-in, and bag drop, fast-track security, and lounge access in the United Kingdom.
However, if you’ve lucked out and found an extremely inexpensive base cost, it can be worth it to upgrade to Premium Club on longer trips (even if it isn’t offered on shorter and medium-haul flights).
Flight Charges from TUI Airways (UK):
In-cabin bag: Up to 2.2 tons (22 lb (but no personal item)
Airport shop purchased checked bags: Costly, albeit this varies with distance and cargo.
Online prepayment for checked bags: The cost is high and might fluctuate according on the distance and the amount of cargo.
Choosing Your Seats: Costs start at ยฃ19 for adults and ยฃ9 for children (one example: a flight from Manchester to Venice).
Meals and snacks cost from ยฃ1.30 and ยฃ6.50
Drinks without alcohol cost between ยฃ1.60 and ยฃ2.50.
Prices range from ยฃ6 to ยฃ21 for alcoholic beverages.
If you want to guarantee a certain seat and bring a suitcase on your flight, the total price of your round-trip might easily exceed twice the price of the base fare.
7. Germanwings Airline
Germanwings’ orange and red striped Airbuses now fly to places in Germany, Northern England, Scandinavia, Spain, Italy, and even Morocco, thanks to a slew of new short-haul routes added by Lufthansa, its parent company.
There are three tiers of tickets available to passengers: Basic, Smart, and Best. The latter grants priority boarding, free checked bags, and additional legroom in addition to the other perks.
8. AirBaltic Airline
If you’re looking for a cheap flight across Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, or even Iberia, you might want to reconsider this low-cost carrier based in Latvia. Their fleet of narrow-body Bombardiers and Boeings no longer serves just the Baltic states; instead, they fly to as many as 60 destinations all over Europe, such as Malta, Milan, and Barcelona. The fact that profits are skyrocketing and additional routes to Slovakia and Dubrovnik are being planned for 2015 suggests that this top performer will be around for a while.
9. Vueling Airline
This ambitious low-cost airline first took flight in 2004, when it operated just two planes to four destinations out of its Barcelona-El Prat base. Since then, it has expanded rapidly, becoming Spain’s largest carrier in terms of both aircraft and routes.
The majority of the current fleet of 122 aircraft is the newer, more fuel-efficient Airbus 320neos.
Vueling serves nearly 130 destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East from its main hub in Barcelona and its four other hubs and 14 target cities in Spain.
The Vueling website, much like the airline’s planes, is simple to use and organized in a way that makes it easy to find information.
There are four tiers of seat selection, ranging from the cheapest at โฌ1.99 for an allocated ticket in the very last row to the most expensive at โฌ15.99 for a bulkhead seat that is 20% more spacious and includes priority boarding. While checking out, you have the option of buying the empty seat next to you.
Onboard, you can purchase a wide variety of snacks, light meals, and beverages. Vueling was the first European airline to introduce high-speed WiFi in 2014, so even though there is no in-flight entertainment, you can still get some work done.
When flying with Vueling, you can bring one suitcase weighing up to 10 kg (22 lb) and no larger than 55 cm (22 inches) by 40 cm (16 inches) by 20 cm (55 inches) together with a personal item like a handbag or briefcase and a shopping bag for use in the airport (as long as both can fit under the seat in front of you).
Vueling has a dedicated drop-off counter for pre-purchased checked baggage, saving you time in line at the airport, and the prices for these bags are very reasonable, ranging from โฌ8 for bags under 15 kilograms (33 lb) to โฌ25 for luggage over 30 kg (66.13 lb) when booked in advance online. Bear in mind that the airport’s flat โฌ50 fee still applies if you want to check a bag.
While the bare-bones Basic Fare only includes carry-on luggage, the next tier up typically offers complimentary checked bags and advanced seat selection for only about โฌ30 round-trip. A pet can be added to your online booking (a rarity) for an additional โฌ40 if you intend on bringing Fido.
Vueling’s frequent flyer program and extensive codeshare partnerships set it apart from its competitors. Members of the Vueling Club can earn Avios points and use them for discounts and award flights on Vueling flights, as well as on those of Aer Lingus, Air Italy, British Airways, Iberia, and LEVEL.
You can use your Avios points for award flights on any airline in the Oneworld Alliance. Codeshare arrangements with other airlines have substantially expanded Vueling’s already extensive global coverage. These airlines include British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Iberia, LATAM Brasil, and Qatar Airways. Customers who purchase their tickets in advance online or through the Vueling app have the option of including lounge access for an additional charge.
Flight costs with Vueling:
In-cabin bag: Your own carry-on bag, up to 10 kg (22 lb.), plus one additional item is included.
The airport shop purchased checked bags: For โฌ50
Online prepayment for checked bags: From โฌ8
Choosing Your Seats: From โฌ2
Prices for meals and snacks range between โฌ2.50 to โฌ12.
Typical prices for non-alcoholic beverages range from โฌ2.10 to โฌ3.60.
Drinks with alcohol cost between โฌ3.60 and โฌ10.50.
The cost of selecting a specific seat and checking a bag will increase your round-trip price by at least โฌ20, which is not a lot compared to the prices most airlines charge for these features but still represents roughly 25% of the total.
10. Pegasus Airlines
Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Istanbul is the hub for Pegasus Airlines, a low-cost carrier that flies mostly within Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the Middle East. In addition to winning this award from Skytrax last year, as chosen by passengers, for excellence among its European no-frills peers, the airline was also recognized as the most cost-effective of all the budget options now available on the continent.
Pegasus fees:
In-cabin bag: A personal item up to 8 kg (17.6 lb) in weight is also included.
Airport shop purchased checked bags: Prices start at โฌ20 (one way)
Online prepayment for checked bags: Depending on the route used and the time of departure, fares might start as low as โฌ7.
Choosing Your Seats: Costing as little as $5 (USD)
Meals and snacks: โฌ2 to โฌ14
Alcoholic beverages cost between โฌ5 and โฌ9, while non-alcoholic beverages cost between โฌ1.50 and โฌ4.
An extra checked bag and seat option can be added for roughly โฌ20 round trip, which is just about 15% of the total.
11. Volotea Airline
The main hubs for the Spanish low-cost airline Volotea are located in Venice, Nantes, Bordeaux, Palermo, Strasbourg, Asturias, Verona, Toulouse, Genoa, Bilbao, Marseille, Athens, and Cagliari. Volotea provides 319 direct connections to 80 medium and small cities across 13 European nations with its 32-aircraft fleet (Boeing 717s and Airbus A319s, though they are switching to 100% Airbus over the next few years).
One personal item, such as a purse or briefcase, and one piece of checked baggage, each weighing no more than 10 kilograms (20 pounds), are permitted per passenger (22 lb). Baggage fees start at โฌ9 when booked online, โฌ50 at the counter, and โฌ60 at the gate for a 20 kg (44 lb) item (each additional kg up to 32 kg (70 lb) costs โฌ12 regardless of purchase method). Every traveler is allowed to bring five bags with them, but the total weight must not go over 50 kilograms (110 lb).
You can choose from various different amenity packages, such as extra time to select your seats, access to “First Row XL” bulkheads, early boarding, and complementary snacks. Prepared meals and drinks can be ordered in advance online or purchased from an a la carte menu aboard the ship. For the low, low price of โฌ39, you may easily add a cabin pet such as a cat or dog to your online booking. For a modest fee, passengers on select Volotea flights can use WiFi and stream entertainment packages on their own devices in flight.
Megavolotea and Megavolotea Plus are two loyalty programs offered by Volotea that frequent fliers may consider joining. Members receive a โฌ20 to โฌ35 Volotea credit on their birthday, free priority boarding, exclusive monthly promotions, free companion perks, and a โฌ10 to โฌ15 discount on all flights for an annual fee starting at โฌ49.99.
Volotea fees:
In-cabin bag: Up to 2.2 tons (22 lb (counting your personal item)
Airport shop purchased checked bags: From โฌ50
Online prepayment for checked bags: From โฌ9
Choosing Your Seats: From โฌ2
Light lunches and snacks: โฌ1.50 – โฌ7.50
Drinks that don’t include alcohol cost between โฌ2.50 and โฌ3, while alcoholic beverages cost between โฌ4.50 and โฌ5.50.
The minimum cost to add a checked bag and advance seat selection each way is โฌ22, which is almost as much as the base fare itself.
It’s important to remember to check in online in advance if you’re flying Volotea. There will be a โฌ10-โฌ30 fee for checking in at the airport ticket desk.
12. Transavia Airline
Transavia, now a low-cost commercial airline with hubs in Schiphol, Eindhoven, and Rotterdam-The Hague, originated as a charter service in 1966 and is completely owned by KLM, the Dutch flag carrier.
The majority of the current fleet of 57 planes are Boeing 737-800s, and they fly directly to 88 different cities across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. From Paris-Orly, the sibling firm Transavia France operates its own fleet of aircraft.
All passengers are restricted to bringing on board only one piece of carry-on luggage weighing up to 10 kg (22 lb) in total, with no further personal items allowed. Starting at 15 kg (33 lb) and continuing up to a maximum of 50 kg (110 lb), checked luggage are paid in five to ten kg (11 lb to 22 lb) increments, depending on the route.
Buying your ticket in advance online for a 15 kilogram (33 lb) checked bag will cost you as little as โฌ9, while buying at the airport will cost you up to โฌ45.
All food and beverages must be purchased on board the aircraft, and selecting a standard legroom seat in advance costs an additional โฌ3 for Basic Fare tickets and โฌ7 for an extra legroom seat. While there is no WiFi available, you are welcome to bring your own device to stream movies and TV shows during your journey.
Transavia has an extensive network, provides pleasant flights, and offers competitive prices and frequent discounts compared to traditional airlines. However, their costs for both tickets and standard upgrades are more than those of their rivals.
Transaviaโs fees:
In-cabin bag: Up to 2.2 tons (22 lb (no additional personal item)
Airport shop purchased checked bags: From โฌ40
Online prepayment for checked bags: From โฌ9
Choosing Your Seats: From โฌ4
The price range for snacks and light meals is โฌ1.50 to โฌ8.80.
Prices range from โฌ2.80 to โฌ4 for soft drinks and โฌ4 to โฌ5.50 for alcoholic beverages.
The expenses associated with selecting a certain seat in advance and bringing a bag along will increase the total by at least โฌ24, or almost 25%.
13. FlyBe Airline
FlyBe has become well-known among UK vacationers because of the emphasis it places on connecting smaller airports in England, Scotland, and Wales with famous tourist spots on the European mainland during the summer.
Consequently, there are a plethora of connections to Spain and France, with cities like Alicante and Ibiza serving as the most popular destinations in the summer and Grenoble, Chambery, and Lyon serving as the most popular skiing gateways when snow falls in the Three Valleys, Chamonix, and the pistes of the Espace Killy.
14. Onur Air Airline
Even if you’ve traveled the world over, chances are you haven’t heard of Onur Air, a Turkish low-cost airline, until now. This is due to the fact that the majority of their current route schedule flies within Turkey, linking the massive Istanbul Ataturk International Airport to a wide variety of exciting destinations, such as the lively Bodrum on the Aegean Sea and the city of Malatya in Eastern Anatolia. Now that Onur has added service to Kosovo, Germany, and Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, and is ranked a respectable tenth on this list, it is an airline worth keeping an eye on.
15. WOW Air Airline
WOW Air, based in Iceland, appears to have been impressing passengers over the past few years, as it climbed to a solid seventh place in 2014 on Skytrax’s list of the finest low-cost airlines now plying the skies over Europe.
Good news for those who have been longing to relax in the soothing mineral waters of the Blue Lagoon, down shots of brennivin schnapps in Reykjavik’s nightclubs, or venture out into the country’s countryside to marvel at the beautiful, unpronounceable volcanic peaks.
Which Airline Is Cheapest In Europe?
The cheapest airline in Europe right now is the EasyJet airline.
What Is The Best Airline To Fly To Europe?
The best airline to fly to Europe right now is Turkish Airlines.
Which Airline Is The Most Affordable In Europe?
The most affordable airline in Europe right now is Easyjet Airline.
What Is The Cheapest Time Of Year To Travel To Europe?
Flights to Europe tend to be less expensive in the late fall and winter, specifically between the middle of October and the middle of March (though fares can spike in December). Midweek flights, especially on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, are typically the most cost-effective.
How Many Low-Cost Airlines Are In Europe?
Currently, Europe is home to 62 low-cost carriers, although that figure is sure to fluctuate.
What Days Are The Cheapest To Fly In Europe?
According to airfare comparison website FareCompare, the best days to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday, while Friday and Sunday are more expensive. Weekends are the most popular times for leisure travelers to take to the skies, with many vacations beginning on Friday or extending through Sunday.
What Are Cheap Airlines Called In Europe?
Inexpensive-cost airlines, often known as no-frills, bargain, or budget airlines, provide low fares by skimping on amenities that most other airlines provide to their customers.
Are Low-Cost Airlines Safe?
Yes! Budget airlines are no less safe than any other airline. While they do cut corners to save money, they know that cutting corners on safety could completely ruin their business. Some of their cost-cutting measures even increase safety, such as the reliance on one type of aircraft across the fleet.
Is Emirates A Low-Cost Airline?
Yes! Emirates is a business based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, that employs a low-cost business model. Since every other airline pays taxes, Emirates has an immediate cost advantage thanks to the fact that it does not operate in the same jurisdiction.
Why Low-Cost Airlines Are So Popular?
By using newer, more fuel-efficient planes that can fly for longer without refueling, implementing shorter turnaround times to maximize flying time, avoiding expensive airports in major cities, hiring younger staff at lower pay, and so on, low-cost airlines are able to significantly reduce ticket prices.
Conclusion
It is in Europe, maybe more than anywhere else, that the advent of low-cost airlines has completely altered the travel landscape. Airports in the UK, Germany, France, Turkey, and Scandinavia, to name a few, now see a plethora of airlines taking off with signs advertising the lowest possible fares, making possible vacations that were once only dreams: beach vacations on the Costa del Sol, ski trips to the French Alps, and last-minute trips to Baku and Bratislava.
But which low-cost carrier offers the best value for money, and which airline is the most popular with budget-conscious passengers? To find out, Hopper checked the 2014 edition of the prestigious Skytrax airline awards, which detail the best low-cost airlines in European skies based on votes cast by actual passengers.
