European discount airlines can be a smart way to move between cities, but the bargain only works when the fare matches the way you travel. I focus on the parts that change the final bill most: baggage rules, airport choice, seat fees, and the kind of routes each carrier does best. If you are flying from the UK, this guide will help you spot the difference between a genuinely cheap trip and a ticket that only looks cheap at first glance.
The main things that decide the final fare
- A low-cost ticket is usually just the seat and the flight; bags, seats and airport extras can change the total quickly.
- Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, Vueling, Eurowings, Transavia and Jet2 are the names I compare first on short-haul European routes.
- The baggage allowance is the fastest way to tell whether a fare suits a light packer or a suitcase traveller.
- For short city breaks, budget airlines often win; for families, tight connections or heavy luggage, a more inclusive fare can be better value.
- I always compare the final basket, not the headline price, because that is where the real difference shows up.
What low-cost flying in Europe really buys you
Low-cost carriers, or LCCs, keep the base fare low by unbundling the trip. The fare gets you from A to B, while extras such as checked bags, seat selection, priority boarding and sometimes even airport services are added separately. That business model is why the cheapest ticket can change fast once you stop travelling like a minimalist.
In airline jargon, ancillary revenue is the money earned from those extras. That is not a bad thing by itself; it simply means I have to decide which add-ons are genuinely useful and which ones are only there because the booking flow nudges me toward them.
I also check the airport pair, not just the city names. A very cheap ticket into a remote airport can be a poor choice if the rail link is slow, the taxi is expensive, or the schedule forces an overnight stay. Once that is clear, the next step is to compare the carriers that usually matter most from the UK.
Which airlines I compare first from the UK
When I am booking a short-haul trip, I usually start with the airlines below because they are the ones that most often shape European route choices. None of them is the right answer for every journey, and that is exactly the point: the best fit depends on your bag, your airport and how much flexibility you want.
| Airline | What it does well | When I would choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | Huge route coverage and usually the sharpest headline fares. | When I can travel with one small bag and I care more about price than extras. |
| easyJet | Strong UK city-break network and straightforward short-haul flying. | When I want a low-friction option from a major UK airport and a slightly roomier free cabin bag. |
| Wizz Air | Competitive prices on Central and Eastern European routes. | When the destination matches its network and I am packing light. |
| Vueling | Useful for Spain-focused trips and Iberian connections. | When I am planning a Barcelona, Madrid or wider Spain itinerary. |
| Eurowings | Flexible fare families and a mixed short-haul network. | When I want to pay once for the amount of luggage space I actually need. |
| Transavia | Holiday and leisure routes, especially France and the Netherlands. | When I book luggage in advance and want a predictable short-haul product. |
| Jet2 | More generous hand-luggage structure and a very UK-friendly leisure model. | When I am travelling with family or I want simplicity over the absolute lowest headline fare. |
If I were heading to Scandinavia or the Baltic states, I would also check Norwegian and airBaltic. They are not my default comparison for every European trip, but on the right route they can be a better fit than a stricter ultra-low-cost carrier. The next thing I look at is the part that changes the price most often: baggage.
How baggage rules decide the real price
This is where budget flying becomes practical rather than theoretical. The underseat bag is the cheapest part of the journey because it is already built into most basic fares; the overhead bag is where many airlines start charging, and that is usually where the final price gap appears.
| Airline | Free bag | Bigger cabin bag or note |
|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | One small personal bag, 40 x 30 x 20 cm. | A 10 kg cabin bag, 55 x 40 x 20 cm, is tied to Priority & 2 Cabin Bags. |
| easyJet | One small under-seat cabin bag, 45 x 36 x 20 cm, up to 15 kg. | Larger cabin-bag options depend on the fare or add-on you book. |
| Wizz Air | One carry-on bag, 40 x 30 x 20 cm, up to 10 kg. | A trolley bag, 55 x 40 x 23 cm, is available with Wizz Priority. |
| Vueling | One under-seat bag, 40 x 30 x 20 cm. | If the bag is too large at the gate, the fee can jump to 60-75 EUR per item and flight. |
| Eurowings | One small under-seat bag, 40 x 30 x 25 cm, included in BASIC. | A larger cabin bag, 55 x 40 x 23 cm and 8 kg, can be added for a surcharge. |
| Transavia | One piece of hand luggage, 40 x 30 x 20 cm, is always allowed in the cabin. | A cabin bag, 55 x 40 x 25 cm, must be booked in advance and can weigh up to 10 kg. |
| Jet2 | One small under-seat bag plus 10 kg hand luggage. | The main hand-luggage piece can measure 56 x 45 x 25 cm, which is generous for this price band. |
The pattern is simple: some airlines are friendly to a slightly larger cabin bag, while others charge quickly as soon as you move beyond a small personal item. I measure my bag before I open the booking page, because that single habit prevents most unpleasant surprises. Once the luggage rules are clear, I turn to the smaller extras that quietly move the fare upward.
The extra charges I always price in
Seat selection, priority boarding and airport check-in are not always worth paying for, but they matter more than the marketing suggests. If I ignore them, I end up comparing a bare-bones fare with a more useful one from another airline, and that comparison is misleading.
- Seat selection matters when I am travelling with someone, need an aisle seat, or want to avoid being split up. On a short hop, I often skip it unless comfort is clearly worth the fee.
- Checked baggage should be added early if I know I need it. In most cases, the booking flow is cheaper than paying later at the airport.
- Online check-in is not optional in practice. I make sure the airline app or web check-in is done before I leave home, because airport fixes are where cheap fares become annoying.
- Priority boarding is only useful if I actually have a bigger cabin bag or I care about overhead space. It is a convenience purchase, not a default one.
- Self-transfer risk is easy to underestimate. If I build my own connection with separate tickets, I assume the airlines will not protect me if the first flight is late.
- Ground transport is part of the ticket price in real life. A remote airport can erase the saving if the train, coach or taxi is expensive.
When these extras stay small, budget carriers are hard to beat. When they stack up, a slightly pricier fare can be the better buy. That is the point where I stop asking only “which flight is cheapest?” and start asking whether the trip itself is still simple.
When a budget airline is the wrong tool for the trip
I am very happy to use a low-cost carrier for a clean point-to-point journey, but there are trips where I stop forcing it. If I am carrying winter clothes, a second bag, or equipment that does not compress well, the savings often disappear. The same is true when I need flexibility, because change fees and awkward airport timing can be more irritating than the fare is worth.
- Family travel can get expensive quickly once you add seat selection, extra bags and the need to sit together.
- Business trips often need flexibility, and that is where a slightly fuller fare can be better value than a stripped-back ticket.
- Tight self-transfers are risky because the airline usually will not protect a connection between separate bookings.
- Remote airports are only a bargain if the onward journey is cheap and easy.
- Trips with bulky luggage usually favour a more inclusive fare, especially if the bag is going to trigger add-ons anyway.
If any of those points apply, I do not force a budget option just because the headline number looks clever. The more honest comparison is often between a low-cost fare plus extras and a more inclusive ticket that already solves the problem. That leads naturally to the rule I use when two fares look close.
The rule I use when two fares look close
My rule is simple: if the cheapest option only wins before I add bags, seats and ground transport, I keep looking. A fare is useful only when it works for the way I actually travel, not for a fantasy version of my packing habits.
- One small bag only means I can compare the strictest carriers with confidence.
- An easy airport often matters more than a tiny saving on the fare itself.
- No risky self-transfer keeps the trip from becoming a liability.
- No surprise baggage charge is one of the fastest ways to keep a budget fare genuinely cheap.
- A schedule that fits the trip is worth paying for when the flight times protect the first and last day.
That is the standard I use on UK-Europe bookings, and it saves me from turning a bargain into a nuisance. The cheapest European flight is the one that still feels cheap after the last fee, the last transfer and the last minute of stress are counted.
