Europe's low-cost carrier market is the most competitive in the world. A dozen airlines fight for the same passengers on the same routes, which is great news for travellers. But not all budget airlines are equal — some are genuinely cheap, some charge heavily for extras, and others have a reliability record that should give you pause.
Here's a practical ranking based on price, route network, and what you actually get.
1. Ryanair
Best for: Widest European network, lowest base fares
Ryanair is the largest airline in Europe by passenger numbers. Its route network is enormous — it flies from dozens of secondary airports across the continent to hundreds of destinations. Base fares can be startlingly low, sometimes under £10 for short hops.
The trade-off: Ryanair's ancillary fees are aggressive. Carry-on bags beyond a small personal item cost extra, as does seat selection and priority boarding. If you travel light and skip the extras, it's hard to beat. If you pack a standard cabin bag, factor in those fees before comparing prices.
2. Wizz Air
Best for: Eastern Europe and the Middle East
Wizz Air is the dominant low-cost carrier in Central and Eastern Europe. It's particularly strong on routes out of Poland, Hungary, Romania, and across to the UK and Western Europe. It also has a growing Middle East operation under Wizz Air Abu Dhabi.
Fares are competitive, and the Wizz Discount Club membership can make frequent travellers' costs meaningfully lower. Like Ryanair, luggage fees are where they make their margins.
3. easyJet
Best for: More civilised experience, main airports
easyJet flies into primary airports more often than Ryanair — think London Gatwick instead of Stansted, or Paris CDG instead of Beauvais. For passengers who value not adding a 90-minute bus transfer, this matters.
Fares are generally slightly higher than Ryanair, but the product is more straightforward. One free carry-on bag is included as standard, which removes a common source of frustration.
4. Vueling
Best for: Spain and Southern Europe
Vueling is Spain's main low-cost carrier, with a strong hub at Barcelona El Prat. If you're routing through or to Spain, France, or Italy, Vueling often has competitive options. As an IAG group airline (the same parent as British Airways and Iberia), it can sometimes appear in multi-leg bookings alongside its sister carriers.
5. Transavia
Best for: France and the Netherlands
Transavia operates under both Air France (in France) and KLM (in the Netherlands). It covers leisure routes across Southern Europe and North Africa. Fares are competitive on its core routes, and its parent airline backing adds a layer of reliability.
6. Norwegian
Best for: Scandinavia and some transatlantic routes
Norwegian's short-haul European network connects Scandinavia with the rest of Europe at budget prices. It previously operated cheap transatlantic routes but scaled those back. What remains is a solid Scandinavian-focused low-cost operation.
7. Pegasus Airlines
Best for: Turkey and the wider region
Pegasus is Türkiye's main low-cost carrier, and its fares out of Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (the budget airport) are frequently excellent value. It's a top choice for flights across Türkiye itself and connecting to the Middle East and Central Asia.
A Note on "Budget"
Budget doesn't mean bad. Ryanair's on-time performance has historically been among the best in Europe precisely because it prioritises turnaround speed. The key is understanding what you're buying — low base fares plus modular add-ons — and pricing the total trip cost before comparing.
At AirHuntr, we track promotions across all of these carriers. When a flash sale drops Wizz Air fares to single digits or Ryanair opens a new route at introductory prices, we publish it.
Want to catch the next sale before it sells out? Follow AirHuntr for real-time airline deal alerts.
