Flying has never been so easy- or cheap!
Want to fly to Belin for a weekend? How about Malta? Wait, you only
have a budget of €50? Not a
problem...
What does the term, “Budget Airline” mean?
Budget airlines are not as “luxurious” as major airlines
tend to be. You won’t find mini TV screens displayed behind every
headrest or free snacks or meals. Budget airlines tend to operate
on a budget themselves. Since they don’t charge very much for
tickets, many of the amenities and courtesies you may be used to on
major airlines will be missing. However, despite the lack of free
food and in-flight entertainment, the cost of your ticket will make
you forget about those free bags of mini pretzels!
Do budget
airlines fly out of the major airports?
The vast majority of budget airplanes fly out of secondary airports
located further from the city centers. However, there are a few
exceptions to this, so it is important when you book for flight to
double and triple check the airport you are flying in and out of.
Most of the airports where budget airlines are based can be as far
as two hours from the main city. It is always important to look at
a map and research transportation options to get you to and from
the airport to the city center, especially if your flight arrives
very late at night or very early in the morning, which most budget
flights normally do.
Where do you
find the best deals?
Thankfully, there are plenty of websites that highlight
the best deals in budget travel. The sites listed below will allow
you to easily navigate the web in order to find the best deals for
your budget. Remember, don’t book the first flight you see.
Searching around will often allow you to find a better deal!
Search
Engines:
Momondo
Kayak
One
Time
Airline Websites:
Ryan
Air
EasyJet
Vueling
Wizzair
Smart
Wings
P.S. Ryan Air always posts their cheapest deals every
Tuesday!
On average, how
cheap are flights?
On average, budget flights will cost anywhere from around
€10 up to €200 depending on the airline,
time of year and overall distance. Keep in mind while you are doing
online searches, sometimes flights will be listed as costing only
€1, but that doesn’t always
include tax. Tax will vary drastically, sometimes only being a few
Euros or sometimes be as much as €100.
Below are the
actual costs of some flights we've taken…
All Round Trip
Fares
- Rome, Italy - Madrid, Spain: €20
- Rome, Italy - Krakow, Poland: €90
- Budapest, Hungary - Berlin, Germany:
€34
- Paris, France - Madrid, Spain: €15
- Paris, France - Dublin, Ireland: €20
- Paris, France - Barcelona, Spain: €8
- Paris, France - Glasgow. Scotland: €33
- Rome, Italy - Prague, Czech Republic:
€135
- Rome, Italy - Malta: €50
Why can’t I pick my seats when I
buy my ticket?
Budget airlines are unique in the fact that they typically
don’t assign seats on the plane. Instead, boarding becomes a sort
of free for all as everyone rushes to board first in order to find
seats with their entire group. The rush to get on a plane and
settle into a seat can sometimes be a bit stressful, but remember,
airlines typically don’t sell more tickets than the number of seats
they have on the plane. (We hope!)
Baggage, how
much is too much?
Budget airlines are extremely strict with their baggage
allowances. If you plan to bring a bag that is even an inch larger
than their carry-on restrictions, you will need to check your bag.
In fact, sometimes the cost of checking a bag may be more expensive
than your entire flight! So, always pack as light as possible in
order to avoid increasing the cost of your ticket. In addition,
“personal” bags such as purses and laptop bags are NOT allowed in
addition to a regular carry-on bag. If you plan to travel with your
purse and a carry-on, plan on being forced to shove your purse into
your carry-on bag, no matter how packed it already is.