Low-cost and regular airlines

Low-cost carriers offer a great deal of cheap flight connections throughout all of Europe and the world, occasionally coming into collaboration with regular airlines on those longer routes. Most budget airlines that operate in Europe specialize in serving those shorter routes around the continent, frequently providing us with cheap flight tickets, especially if we book in advance.

In order to make sure that their planes are filled with passengers, most low-cost carriers focus on routes between cities that are popular tourist hubs, frequently increasing the number of connections during the winter or summer holidays. Although booking two to three months in advance is always the best option, be on the lookout for cheap last-minute deals that low-cost airlines use when there are still seats left on the plane close to the date of its departure.

One thing you should keep in mind when flying with budget carriers is that they often fly to airports located further from the city centre than regular airlines. Of course if the city has just one airport this doesn’t apply. Airports served by low-cost airlines are usually around 10 to 40 km from the city centre, but don’t fret! These airports are always easily accessible by bus, train, taxi, or other means of transportation.

There isn’t any single airline that will always offer you the best price when it comes to flight tickets. In reality, the very attractive price that low-cost airlines sway us with comes from the lack of additional comforts and services provided with the ticket. By choosing a budget carrier you trade those comforts for a cheaper ticket. For most a free drink or an extra little bit of legroom aren’t necessary, especially when prices of low-cost carriers can be several times lower than those of regular airlines on the same routes.

When travelling with low-cost airlines you need to keep some things in mind. First of all, remember that choosing budget airlines means having to pay for checked luggage. This shouldn’t be a problem though, as most airlines allow you to pack around 10 kg in your carry-on bag. Another thing is to check the price of public transport or taxis from the airport to the city centre. Since low-cost carriers fly to more distant airports, it’s good to be prepared.

Always remember, the faster you book your ticket, the lower its price will be. Another thing to consider is flexibility. If your date of departure is not fixed, be sure to check planes flying two or three days before or after your planned departure. You might find that some tickets will be way cheaper a day before, which allows you to save even more on those already attractive low fares and great deals provided by budget carriers. Use those savings to extend your trip, or even plan another weekend getaway!