Are you looking to save money on your next trip? Knowing the cheapest travel airlines to fly with is as important as choosing the best destination for your journey. By conducting thorough research on the best travel airlines and considering their costs, you can avoid overspending on flights. We believe it’s your search for the cheapest travel airlines that brought you here. Don’t worry; we have put together the top cheapest airlines to travel with this year.
Over the years, travelling by air has become more popular. As the number of travellers increases, more travellers are open to the option of paying more affordable fares while skipping on other airline services that would normally increase ticket prices. This has given rise to the increase in Low-cost airlines.
The Top Cheapest Travel Airlines
With the airlines listed below you get to pay less than you usually would to travel. This means that you can have more money to spend on other aspects of your trip.
For frequent travellers, getting cheaper airlines means you can travel more, without much increase in your expenditures and also travel to destinations with usually higher ticket prices. (Airlines also offer discounts and rewards such as Discounts on baggage. These airlines also offer you flexibility in cancelling or changing your flight.)
On the flip side, travelling with budget airlines means you would have to compromise on your comfort and convenience. You might have to pay extra for your luggage, as it is not included in your ticket fee. You might also have to pay extra to choose a seat and for priority boarding. They also do not offer entertainment or food, and these must be paid for separately. These extra charges are how the airlines make up for the differences in fare.
Some of the cheapest airlines in 2024 include:
- AirAsia
- Scoot Volotea
- Flynas
- Transavia France
- IndiGo
- Vueling Airlines
- airBaltic
- Iberia Express
- Ryanair
- EasyJet fly
- Dubai
- Jet2.com
- Eurowings
- Jetstar Airways
- SKY Airline
- JetSMART Airlines
- Allegiant Air
- Jetstar Asia
- Sun Country Airlines
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Cheapest airlines in North America
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines is the third largest in the United States, based on the passengers flown. It was founded in 1947 and travels to 141 destinations. The airlines do not assign seats, so you get to sit on any empty seat depending on when you board, so it’s best to board early. They also offer two free checked bags and do not charge extra to change or cancel your flight, except if the price of the new flight is higher then you have to pay the extra. They offer a rapid reward program which earns you points based on how much you spend, instead of the distance travelled.
Air Canada Rogue
Air Canada Rogue is one of the cheapest travel airlines and is the low-budget carrier of Air Canada. It gives you the option of travelling cheaply. It is integrated into Air Canada Airlines. Air Canada Rouge mainly operates routes within Canada and to the US, Central America, and the Caribbean. They offer limited free meals, snacks and drinks depending on the length of your flight. They offer inflight entertainment which can be accessed on their website and streamed directly on your phones or other personal devices, as opposed to video monitors in front of you. You can also opt for the Rogue Premium which offers more legroom and seat recline, two free checked bags and more meal options
Other cheap Airlines in North America include:
- Avelo Airlines
- Sun Country Airlines
- Allegiant airlines
Cheapest airlines in Europe
Volotea
Volotea is one of the best low-cost airlines in Europe. They offer a Best Price Program, which means that if you book a flight with them and find another airline offering a difference of more than €10, they will match the price. They also have loyalty programs, such as MegaVolotea and MegaVoloteaplus, which give travellers perks such as discounted flights, reduced prices on luggage and seat selection, higher birthday gift vouchers, exclusive monthly offers, and the ability to make unlimited flight changes. They also offer Wi-Fi inflight for entertainment and reasonably priced drinks and snacks.
Ryanair
The European airline Ryanair is a popular budget airline that offers cheap flights across Europe. Ryanair is known for its extremely low base fares, with some flights costing as little as €10-20 one-way.
They do not offer free food, drinks, or checked luggage, so you have to pay extra for them. They also charge extra for checked bags, seat selection, priority boarding, and other services.
Passengers must check in online prior to the flight, as Ryanair charges a fee to check in at the airport. Despite its budget model, Ryanair has a relatively good record of punctual flights.
Ryanair also offers Flexi Plus ticket, which gives you perks such as priority boarding, and two
carry-on bags, and you can reserve your seat in the cabin. You can also change your flight time, destination, and departure airport within a day of your original ticket at absolutely no extra cost. The Ryanair Family Plus allows you to sit together with your kids. Family Plus passengers get priority boarding, as well as two carry-on bags and two checked bags (up to 44 pounds each) included in their ticket price.
Other cheap Airlines in Europe include Easyjet, Transavia France, Vueling Airlines, airBaltic and Iberia Express
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Cheapest airlines in Asia-Pacific
AirAsia
AirAsia is one of the cheapest airlines in Asia. They have a wide range of routes and travel to various destinations across the continent. When travelling with AirAsia using their fare ticket, you can get a carry-on bag of up to 7kg for free, as well as a small personal item like a purse or laptop bag. You would have to pay extra for checked bags, and meals, as well as for date or name changes.
Other low-cost airlines from Asia include Scoot, IndiGo, Jetstar Asia, Peach and West Air
Cheapest airlines in South America
JetSMART Airlines
The South American airline JetSMART is a low-cost airline founded in 2017. JetSMART allows you to bring a carry-on bag for free, and you can add checked baggage or oversized items like sports equipment and musical instruments for an additional fee. They also offer pet travel, allowing you to bring your pets for an additional fee.
Other low-cost airlines from South America include SKY Airline, Gol, Clic and Flybondi
Cheapest airlines in Africa
LIFT
Lift Airlines is a South African airline that operates domestic routes, such as Johannesburg and Cape Town. The airline is considered one of the cheapest in Africa. They offer flexible flights based on demand and also have flexible change and cancellation fees. As long as change or cancellation requests are made 24 hours before flying, the date of travel can be changed. Travellers can cancel their flights and receive airline credit. They also offer a premium program where Premium travellers get priority boarding, guaranteed window and aisle seats, and complimentary meals and drinks. They offer dog-friendly flights, allowing you to travel with your pets.
Other low-cost African airlines include FlySafair and Fastjet.
Cheapest airlines in the Middle East
Flynas
Among the cheapest travel airlines in the Middle East, Flynas is considered a low-budget airline from Saudi Arabia, operating over 1,500 flights per week to 35 local and 53 international airports. You can also pay for additional low-cost services, such as pre-ordered meals and extra cabin baggage. Passengers are allowed one cabin bag that meets the size and weight specifications. If it doesn’t, you may have to pay extra. They do not offer free meals and drinks, but these are available for purchase during the flight.
Other cheap flights from the Middle East include flyDubai, Air Arabia, flyadeal and Jazeera Airways
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Tips for when travelling with cheap airlines
Travelling with a budget airline usually comes with the expectation of less comfort, here are some things you can do to enhance your experience and have a smooth flight
- Compare flights: Using Apps like Skyscanner and Google Flights allows you to compare flights from different airlines. With these apps you have access to check out different routes, travel dates and airlines available and you can make a choice on what suits you best.
- Carry-ons are your friends: If you’re an over-packer you might not like this tip but it’s necessary. Low-cost airlines usually charge extra for checked luggage, so you might want to stick to carry-ons which contain just your essentials, in order to avoid paying extra.
- Watch out for hidden fees: Low-budget flights charge extra for checking in bags, in-flight food, printing boarding passes and choice of seat. Ensure to read the fine print to see if your ticket contains any hidden costs.
- Bring your own snacks: To avoid spending too much on snacks and drinks, you can bring your own snacks for the flight. You can also take an empty water bottle which you can fill after passing security, in case you get thirsty during the flight
- Ensure your bag is not oversized or overweight: You will be required to pay extra for oversized or overweight bags.
- Check the location of the airport: Most low-cost airlines tend to operate from small airports which are usually away from the main city. Check the transportation costs of going to and from the airport and if you can assess public transportation to it.
