Hand-picked deals by our pirate team
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Hand-picked deals by our pirate team
Hand-picked deals by our pirate team
Inspire me!
Hand-picked deals by our pirate team
Budget airlines: Start planning your next affordable holiday
Budget airlines, also known as low-cost carriers, are airlines that prioritise low ticket prices, especially when compared to major full-service carriers. These airlines achieve this by keeping their own costs as low as possible and passing on some of those savings to their customers, at least when selling tickets.
Typically, budget airlines reduce their operating costs by cutting back on food services, in-flight entertainment and comfort features, including reclining seats and extra legroom. In some cases, they are able to save money by primarily using secondary airports. Airlines offering budget flights may also make up for the lower prices they charge for tickets by charging more for additional services, including priority boarding and food.
Take a look at our deals for budget flights from the UK and explore some of the best holiday destinations.
Exploring the best budget airlines
There are a number of low-cost carriers offering budget flights for UK travellers. In the sections that follow, you can explore the biggest budget airlines operating in the UK and what they have to offer.
easyJet
British low-cost airline easyJet is now recognised as the largest UK airline based on the total number of passengers carried each year. The airline has its headquarters at London Luton Airport and additional operating bases in Belfast, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Flights can be booked to hundreds of destinations, and easyJet operates with an extensive fleet of Airbus aircraft. As with other budget airlines, easyJet charges for certain additional services, including large cabin bags and extra legroom. The airline is an especially popular choice for family holidays to European destinations.
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish budget airline with a UK-based subsidiary, Ryanair UK. The airline's largest base is London Stansted Airport. Ryanair operates with a fleet of more than 600 aircraft, with 15 of these aircraft belonging to Ryanair UK specifically. The majority of Ryanair planes are Boeing 737-800s.
When exploring budget flights, Ryanair offers some of the lowest ticket prices, especially for domestic travel and flights to Europe. However, the airline is known for generating a lot of its revenue from ancillary services and surcharges. Flights may lack some of the comforts travellers will experience on full-service carrier journeys, but they are a great option for reducing the cost of your trip.
Jet2.com
Jet2.com is an airline offering budget flights and is currently the third-largest airline in the UK, ranked by annual number of passengers. Based at Leeds Bradford Airport, the company is also the UK's largest tour operator. Jet2 has a fleet of more than 100 aircraft, and the majority of these are Boeing 737-800s.
As a budget airline, Jet2 offers relatively low prices by sticking to a basic in-flight experience with optional add-ons. Nevertheless, the airline has developed a strong reputation for customer service, regularly finishing as the top-ranked UK airline for customer satisfaction.
Budget airline travel tips
Budget airlines help many travellers experience wonderful, affordable holidays. However, there are some important travel tips you should take into account to get the most from cheap airlines and avoid hidden costs.
Remember to check the total price
When booking your tickets with budget airlines, it's crucial to consider the total cost of travel and not just the ticket price. Many budget airlines try to make up for the lower ticket prices by charging more for additional services, including baggage, extra legroom, meals, drinks and comfort features.
Think about the services you're going to need, and take the time to explore how much this is going to add to the total cost. You may find some budget airlines charge less for these services than others.
Try to fly on weekdays
Even budget airlines will typically charge more for flights on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, as this is when demand is at its highest. If you can be flexible regarding when you can fly, try to aim for flights on weekdays, as these are often lower-demand flights, and airlines will sell tickets for less.
The middle of the week can be especially good for deals, so aim for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays when you can. The exception to this rule is during school holidays when demand and prices often increase.
Consider flying from secondary airports
One of the best ways to reduce your airfare is to expand your search to include some secondary airports. Why not take a look at flights from Newcastle, Leeds, Bradford, Glasgow, Birmingham or Belfast? If you want to fly from London, see if you can fly from London Luton Airport instead of Heathrow or Gatwick.
Many of the best budget airlines in the UK offer regular services from these secondary airports. As demand is often lower than from the busiest airports, prices can be cheaper, too.
Try to book in advance
Booking your flights in advance can often result in lower prices. Although budget airlines will charge less than full-service carriers in general, there can still be significant variations in ticket prices based on when you book. As you get closer to the time of the flight, prices often increase, especially if demand is high.
If you know the dates you want to travel, consider locking in your tickets as soon as possible.
Look for deals for the best airlines
It's always a good idea to keep checking back for the latest deals on flights from budget airlines. This includes looking for deals that include your flights, hotel and airport transfers. In some cases, booking a package can end up being more cost-effective and more convenient.
While booking early is the most reliable way to get good deals on flights, it's also worth looking for last-minute deals, especially if you're travelling outside of the high season.
More cheap airline deals
Take a look at some of the other deals for budget flights from UK airports below:
FAQs about budget airlines
Q: What do budget airlines offer?
A: Budget airlines offer cheaper flights in exchange for missing out on some of the comforts associated with full-service carriers. A budget airline delivers low prices to customers by keeping operational costs down, which may mean less in the way of in-flight entertainment, legroom and meal options.
Q: Where is it cheapest to go on holiday?
A: Aside from domestic locations, some of the cheapest destinations to fly to from the United Kingdom include Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Poland, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands. These destinations are all well served by budget flights from major and secondary UK airports.
Q: What is the cheapest airline in the UK?
A: For domestic flights, Ryanair generally offers the lowest airfare. When it comes to international trips, prices can vary more, but cheap airlines include Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2. The cheapest of these options will change depending on your preferred destination, so it's important to explore our deals regularly.
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