Europe is incredibly easy to navigate around and this is partly due to some of the budget airlines available. These airlines offer extremely affordable fares between major cities allowing you to hop around and see so much more. In this article, we’ll give you some ideas of airlines you could consider using. It’s often worth keeping an eye out for deals or booking in advance to get the best prices. You can also use comparison websites such as WayAway, KIWI or Google Flights to search across different airlines.
So without further ado, here are some of the best budget airlines to use in Europe.
easyJet
Offering connections between 33 countries and 156 airports it’s “easy” to use easyJet to get around Europe. This recognisable and vibrant orange airline provides fantastic fares at a very low cost. Keep an eye out for their deals and also book in advance to get the best prices.
easyJet is great for those travelling on a budget as you can take hand luggage on the plane for no extra cost. The luggage also isn’t weight restricted and is of a generous size. If you’re travelling light then this allows you to fly without paying extra for checked luggage. Should you need a large bag then it’s possible to pay extra for checked luggage which ranges from 15kg up to 32kg, but these can sometimes by more than the price of your basic fare.
For regular travellers, you may want to consider getting easyJet Plus which provides various benefits including an additional cabin bag, free seat selection, speedy boarding and various other extras.
Eurowings
Eurowings is part the Lufthansa group and based in Cologne, Germany. The airline offers flights between 150 destinations including major cities in Europe. When travelling you get 8kg of hand luggage included which can just about suffice if you’re travelling light and on a budget. You can also use Eurowings to travel between select destinations beyond Europe too.
The fare options available include Basic, Smart and BIZclass. With basic you can only take 8kg hand luggage and would have to pay a free should you want to change your flight. Whilst the Smart fare includes 23kg checked luggage, a seating choice, snack and a drink, and BIZclass includes even more benefits.
Also possible is to collect air miles using various frequent flyer programmes including Miles and More and their Boomerang Club. Find out more.
Vueling
With Vueling you’ll find routes between 133 destinations. To identify the best prices on their site look out for the yellow labels.
They have various fare options including Basic, Optima, Family and TimeFlex. As can be expected the Basic option will be the cheapest but comes without a checked bag, has less flexibility and no extras. Optima comes with a checked bag and free seat selection. Family offers priority boarding if you have a child under 2 years old. And TimeFlex allows you to Fast track security, priority board and they have some flexibility on flight changes. The main hand luggage allowance for Vueling is 10kg and you can also take a second smaller item with you too.
For those regular travellers, you can also join Avios where you can collect points.
Ryanair
Ryanair offers some the cheapest fares around Europe with flights for sometimes less than £10 each way. Their network consists of routes between 200 destinations in 34 countries. When booking and to get the cheapest prices look out for deals and plan well in advance.
With the basic fare you can take a small wheelie suitcase or bag with you, although this may have to be put in the hold. There is also the option of Plus, Flexi Plus and Family Plus which offer various benefits such as priority boarding, extra cabin bags, fast track security and checked luggage. See the full details of what each of these fares includes.
Ryanair is generally a good airline as long as you follow their strict rules regarding luggage, and either printing your ticket or having it on your phone prior to arrival. They do also have a habit of changing their rules so always check the latest when booking.
Wizz Air
Founded in 2003 Wizz Air was created by a group of experts in the airline industry. The airline provides flight between 44 countries and 146 destinations in Europe and also to some destinations in the Middle East. As well as flying to major airports they also fly to smaller airports. This is part of their strategy to offer a wide range of flight options and for an equally low fare.
Wizz Air have various fare options including Basic, Wizz Go and Wizz Plus. The Basic fare is the cheapest but provides less benefits, whilst the Wizz Plus is the most comprehensive.
Summary
These are some of the main budget airlines to consider. To get the best fares we recommend booking well in advance and also to avoid peak dates such as around school breaks. Other cheap ways to get around Europe includes using a bus service such as Flixbus, or using Trains. You can find and compare trains using a service such as Omio.
If you’re ready to start booking then you can also use the widget below to search for connections. Once you get into the search results you should then adjust the filters either by budget or airline.
Please note: Prices in this article are subject to change. Please be sure to check the official airline website for the most up to date information when booking. Although we do our best to suggest quality services should you have an issue we’re not liable for any damages that is caused.