Budget Airlines in Europe: Complete Guide 2026

Budget Airlines in Europe: Complete Guide 2026

Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet and more — how to find cheap flights, what the hidden fees are, and how to compare routes.

Budget airlines have transformed travel within Europe. Routes that once required a full-day train journey or an expensive legacy airline ticket can now be covered in under two hours for the price of a restaurant meal — if you book right. The catch is that the advertised fare is rarely the final price you pay. Understanding each airline's fee structure before you book is the difference between a genuine bargain and an expensive surprise.

The Major European Budget Airlines

Ryanair

Europe's largest low-cost carrier by passenger volume, operating out of secondary airports across 40+ countries. Ryanair is known for extremely low base fares and equally aggressive ancillary fees.

• Hub airports: Dublin, London Stansted, Frankfurt Hahn (not Frankfurt proper), Bergamo (not Milan Linate), Charleroi (not Brussels)
• Baggage: 1 small personal bag included (40x20x25 cm). Any cabin bag or checked bag costs extra. Prices vary by route and booking time.
• Best for: Short hops where you're traveling light. Southern Europe, Ireland, Eastern Europe.
• Avoid if: You need checked luggage, you prefer main airports, or you're connecting to other flights

easyJet

The second-largest budget carrier in Europe, typically using primary or secondary airports that are closer to city centres than Ryanair.

• Hub airports: London Gatwick, Amsterdam, Paris CDG, Milan Malpensa, Geneva, Berlin Brandenburg
• Baggage: 1 small underseat bag included. Cabin bags are chargeable unless you have easyJet Plus or a higher fare tier.
• Best for: Western Europe city pairs — London-Amsterdam, Paris-Madrid, Amsterdam-Barcelona. More generous airport locations than Ryanair.
• Differentiator: Allocated seating on all flights (included), which matters on longer routes

Wizz Air

A Hungarian-based carrier with the strongest network in Eastern and Central Europe, increasingly expanding to Western Europe and the Middle East.

• Hub airports: Budapest, Warsaw, Bucharest, Sofia, Vienna, Abu Dhabi
• Baggage: 1 small personal bag included (40x30x20 cm). Very strict on bag size checking. Cabin bags and hold luggage are additional.
• Best for: Eastern Europe, Balkans, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine (when safe to operate). Lowest base fares in its core market.
• Wizz Air Discount Club: Annual subscription (~€70–€99) that reduces bag fees and fares. Worth it if you fly frequently.

Norwegian

Scandinavian budget airline operating within and from the Nordic region. Has scaled back significantly since pre-pandemic but remains active on European routes.

• Hub airports: Oslo Gardermoen, Bergen, Stockholm Arlanda, Copenhagen
• Best for: Intra-Scandinavian routes and connections to Southern Europe from the Nordics
• Baggage: One personal item included. More airline-standard approach compared to Ryanair/Wizz.

Eurowings (Lufthansa Group)

Budget subsidiary of Lufthansa, serving leisure routes from Germany and Austria. More traditional in approach than Ryanair or Wizz.

• Hub airports: Düsseldorf, Cologne, Stuttgart, Vienna
• Best for: German-speaking travelers going to sun destinations. Better customer service than pure LCCs.

Vueling

Spanish carrier (part of IAG, same group as Iberia and British Airways) operating budget routes primarily within Europe and from Spain.

• Best for: Spanish destinations, connections within Iberia, routes to/from Balearic and Canary Islands

Transavia

KLM's budget subsidiary, strong on routes from Amsterdam and French airports.

• Best for: Amsterdam-based routes, French regional airports, North Africa connections

Hidden Fees to Watch For

Budget airline pricing is a layered system. The base fare gets you a seat. Everything else is extra.

Baggage fees are the biggest category:

• Carry-on cabin bag: €10–€50 per flight depending on airline, route, and when you add it (always cheaper at booking than at the airport)
• Checked luggage (15–20 kg): €15–€60 per flight
• Oversized/overweight bags: additional surcharges

Seat selection:

• Choosing any specific seat is typically €5–€30 per person per flight
• If you don't select, you're assigned a random seat at check-in
• On some Ryanair flights, this means you may be separated from travel companions

Check-in fees:

• Ryanair charges for airport check-in — always check in online
• Most airlines now expect online or app check-in

Payment fees:

• Some airlines add a fee for credit card payments; a debit card or specific credit cards (Ryanair's own Mastercard) may be exempt
• Always check the payment options before entering card details

Priority boarding: Usually €5–€15. On Ryanair, buying Priority also gets you a larger cabin bag allowance.

Airport transfer time: This is the hidden "cost" that isn't in the fee schedule. Secondary airports like Bergamo, Hahn, or Beauvais can add 1.5–2 hours of travel time each way. Factor this into the total journey time when comparing prices.

Booking Tips

• Book directly on the airline's website rather than via third-party aggregators. Aggregator prices are sometimes higher, and managing changes is harder.
• Use Google Flights or Skyscanner first to compare routes and dates, then book direct.
• Tuesday and Wednesday departures are typically cheaper than Friday and Sunday.
• Add bags at booking time — not later, and certainly not at the airport where fees are highest.
• Check the nearby airport — is the Milan Bergamo fare still cheaper once you add the transfer cost to Milan city?
• Clear your browser cookies or use incognito mode before searching repeatedly — some sites adjust prices based on search history (disputed, but a common practice among frequent flyers).
• Sign up for price alerts on Skyscanner or Google Flights for routes you travel regularly.

Budget Airline vs Train: When to Choose What

Budget flying is not always the cheapest or fastest option once you factor in:

• Luggage fees
• Getting to/from secondary airports
• Security and boarding time (arrive 90–120 minutes early for budget airlines)
• Potential for delays and associated missed connections

For routes under 600 km with direct train connections — London to Paris (Eurostar), Amsterdam to Brussels, Frankfurt to Cologne, Stockholm to Oslo — the train is often comparable in total journey time and increasingly competitive on price when booked in advance.

For routes where no fast rail option exists, or where the distance exceeds 800–1000 km, budget airlines are usually the clear choice on speed and price combined.