Battle of the low-cost airlines: Ryanair, AirAsia or tigerair? None of them in 2014!
We all know that Ryanair is the cheapest in Europe, right? Well, not quite. Ryanair is famous for their hidden fees, and our recent research shows that they make a big impact on the final cost. In fact, when all costs are counted, there are 5 other airlines that come out cheaper in Europe: Pegasus Airlines, Air Lituanica, Vueling, germanwings and Wizz Air.
Who is the cheapest of them all in Europe?
In the research we made two lists to compare the cheapest airlines: first based on average basic prices of tickets (without fees) and second based on the prices of tickets including checked baggage fee for 20 kg bag.
Even though Ryanair is considered to be the cheapest airline, this is not true. It is second (after Pegasus Airlines) when comparing the basic fare without fees. The research shows that when the total fare is counted, including checked baggage fee for 20 kg bag, the cheapest carrier is Pegasus Airlines with a total average price of €64.64, followed by Air Lituanica (€81.36) and Vueling (€97.24). Ryanair comes in at 6th place with €100.67.
Only 4 out of 34 European low cost airlines came out with an average fare including fees under €100. Apart from those mentioned above that is germanwings with €98.99. On the other end of the list there are airlines with relatively high prices. The average flight with fees operated by Smart Wings costs €215.54, making it three times more expensive than Pegasus and more than twice the price of Ryanair.
The cheapest airlines in the world are in Asia
The cheapest airlines in the world are mainly gathered in Asia – the first place comes to Malaysian airline Firefly whose total fare including checked baggage fee is only €30.49 which is less than half of the price of the cheapest European airline Pegasus. Firefly is followed by SpiceJet (€52.24) and Onur Air (€55.70). While many would expect AirAsia to be the cheapest, it only comes in at 4th place with €60.13, popular Asian airline tigerair is ninth with €72.54. In the world comparison, Pegasus comes in at 7th place, Ryanair at 19th place only.
List of European airlines by basic average price per route
| Airline | Average price per route |
|---|---|
| Pegasus Airlines | €64.64 |
| Ryanair | €65.67 |
| Wizz Air | €70.62 |
| Volotea | €81.27 |
| Air Lituanica | €81.36 |
| Vueling | €82.24 |
| Air One | €85.74 |
| germanwings | €86.49 |
| Blue Air | €86.66 |
| easyJet | €87.44 |
| flybe | €88.08 |
| airBaltic | €97.61 |
| Norwegian Air Shuttle | €104.02 |
| Eurolot | €111.35 |
| Aer Lingus | €114.63 |
| transavia | €115.23 |
| Meridiana | €117.58 |
| Air Iceland | €118.43 |
| SunExpress | €119.83 |
| Aegean Airlines | €121.57 |
| Monarch Airlines | €122.95 |
| Thomas Cook Belgium | €131.66 |
| Jet2 | €132.67 |
| InterSky | €136.68 |
| HOP! | €141.98 |
| Germania | €159.98 |
| Jetairfly | €163.82 |
| TUIfly | €170.39 |
| Fly Thomas Cook | €173.59 |
| Corendon | €178.91 |
| WOW air | €179.98 |
| Smart Wings | €185.54 |
| Air Berlin | €188.39 |
| Condor | €210.63 |
List of European airlines by average price per route incl. 20kg baggage
| Airline | Average price per route incl. 20kg bag |
|---|---|
| Pegasus Airlines | €64.64 |
| Air Lituanica | €81.36 |
| Vueling | €97.24 |
| germanwings | €98.99 |
| Wizz Air | €100.62 |
| Ryanair | €100.67 |
| Air One | €105.74 |
| Volotea | €106.27 |
| easyJet | €107.44 |
| flybe | €110.08 |
| Blue Air | €111.66 |
| Norwegian Air Shuttle | €116.02 |
| Meridiana | €117.58 |
| Air Iceland | €118.43 |
| SunExpress | €119.83 |
| airBaltic | €122.60 |
| Thomas Cook Belgium | €131.66 |
| transavia | €135.23 |
| InterSky | €136.68 |
| Aer Lingus | €139.63 |
| Eurolot | €141.35 |
| Aegean Airlines | €141.57 |
| Jet2 | €144.67 |
| Monarch Airlines | €144.95 |
| HOP! | €156.98 |
| Germania | €159.98 |
| Jetairfly | €168.82 |
| TUIfly | €170.39 |
| Fly Thomas Cook | €173.59 |
| Corendon | €178.91 |
| WOW air | €197.98 |
| Air Berlin | €203.39 |
| Condor | €210.63 |
| Smart Wings | €215.54 |
List of all low-cost airlines by basic average price per route
| Airline | Average price per route |
|---|---|
| Firefly | €30.49 |
| VivaAerobus | €47.40 |
| Air Asia | €49.63 |
| SpiceJet | €52.24 |
| FastJet | €52.95 |
| Onur Air | €55.70 |
| Atlasjet | €62.49 |
| tigerair | €63.04 |
| Pegasus Airlines | €64.64 |
| Ryanair | €65.67 |
| IndiGo Air | €68.37 |
| Peach | €70.01 |
| Wizz Air | €70.62 |
| Jetstar | €77.49 |
| Allegiant Air | €78.60 |
| Volotea | €81.27 |
| Air Lituanica | €81.36 |
| Vueling | €82.24 |
| Spring Airlines | €83.92 |
| Air One | €85.74 |
| germanwings | €86.49 |
| Blue Air | €86.66 |
| easyJet | €87.44 |
| flybe | €88.08 |
| Spirit Airlines | €97.35 |
| airBaltic | €97.61 |
| Volaris | €98.77 |
| Bangkok Airways | €99.25 |
| Norwegian Air Shuttle | €104.02 |
| Southwest Airlines | €109.54 |
| Eurolot | €111.35 |
| Aer Lingus | €114.63 |
| transavia | €115.23 |
| Meridiana | €117.58 |
| Air Iceland | €118.43 |
| SunExpress | €119.83 |
| Air India Express | €120.86 |
| Aegean Airlines | €121.57 |
| Monarch Airlines | €122.95 |
| Scoot | €123.43 |
| Thomas Cook Belgium | €131.66 |
| Jet2 | €132.67 |
| AirTran | €134.67 |
| El Al | €134.96 |
| InterSky | €136.68 |
| Air Arabia | €138.34 |
| Porter Airlines | €140.31 |
| HOP! | €141.98 |
| Flydubai | €142.18 |
| Blue Panorama Airlines | €142.36 |
| Jazeera Airways | €154.90 |
| Virgin America | €155.55 |
| Germania | €159.98 |
| Jetairfly | €163.82 |
| airblue | €166.31 |
| Nas Air | €170.28 |
| TUIfly | €170.39 |
| Fly Thomas Cook | €173.59 |
| West Jet | €177.88 |
| Corendon | €178.91 |
| WOW air | €179.98 |
| Smart Wings | €185.54 |
| Air Berlin | €188.39 |
| Condor | €210.63 |
List of all low-cost airlines by average price per route incl. 20kg baggage
| Airline | Average price per route incl. 20kg bag |
|---|---|
| Firefly | €30.49 |
| SpiceJet | €52.24 |
| Onur Air | €55.70 |
| Air Asia | €60.13 |
| FastJet | €60.25 |
| Atlasjet | €62.49 |
| Pegasus Airlines | €64.64 |
| IndiGo Air | €68.37 |
| tigerair | €72.54 |
| VivaAerobus | €76.40 |
| Air Lituanica | €81.36 |
| Peach | €84.51 |
| Spring Airlines | €90.21 |
| Vueling | €97.24 |
| Volaris | €98.77 |
| germanwings | €98.99 |
| Bangkok Airways | €99.25 |
| Wizz Air | €100.62 |
| Ryanair | €100.67 |
| Jetstar | €101.49 |
| Air One | €105.74 |
| Volotea | €106.27 |
| easyJet | €107.44 |
| Southwest Airlines | €109.54 |
| flybe | €110.08 |
| Blue Air | €111.66 |
| Spirit Airlines | €115.85 |
| Norwegian Air Shuttle | €116.02 |
| Meridiana | €117.58 |
| Allegiant Air | €117.60 |
| Air Iceland | €118.43 |
| SunExpress | €119.83 |
| Air India Express | €120.86 |
| airBaltic | €122.60 |
| Thomas Cook Belgium | €131.66 |
| El Al | €134.96 |
| transavia | €135.23 |
| Scoot | €136.43 |
| InterSky | €136.68 |
| Aer Lingus | €139.63 |
| Eurolot | €141.35 |
| Aegean Airlines | €141.57 |
| Air Arabia | €142.34 |
| Jet2 | €144.67 |
| Monarch Airlines | €144.95 |
| Flydubai | €152.18 |
| AirTran | €152.67 |
| Jazeera Airways | €154.90 |
| HOP! | €156.98 |
| Porter Airlines | €159.31 |
| Germania | €159.98 |
| Blue Panorama Airlines | €162.36 |
| airblue | €166.31 |
| Jetairfly | €168.82 |
| Nas Air | €170.28 |
| TUIfly | €170.39 |
| Virgin America | €173.55 |
| Fly Thomas Cook | €173.59 |
| West Jet | €177.88 |
| Corendon | €178.91 |
| WOW air | €197.98 |
| Air Berlin | €203.39 |
| Condor | €210.63 |
| Smart Wings | €215.54 |
Methodology
Average ticket price is based on one-way flights operated by stated airlines. The average prices were calculated from more than 3,220,000 prices of flights operated in the future (June 2014 and later) searched by WhichAirline.com users.
Petra Vaškových, Jun 11, 2014
Comments
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illonno
about 4 years ago
I admit that Firefly fare is much cheaper than other airline in the world sometime it can further cheapest to £8.9 including 20kg baggage allowances and light refreshments its whole subsidiaries of Malaysia Airlines and its really convenient to fly with Firefly.
Andrew CJ
about 4 years ago
I highly doubt your methodology. What about other Filipino airlines like Cebu Pacific and the Malaysian Malindo Air? They are fierce competitors for AirAsia even.
Charles Rogers
about 4 years ago
Would love to know if you have done a similar comparison for the African Airlines that would be very interesting
Jerry J
about 4 years ago
Flight Asia Airlines and disappear never to be seen or heard of again. The price is right.
Howard L.
about 4 years ago
Cost per route? What a ridiculous comparison. Some of these airlines that don't fly more than 200 miles are being compared to airlines flying more than 1,000. Cost per seat mile is the only valid comparison.
Michael Rapp
about 4 years ago
.....and where is Cebu Pacific and other Philippine low cost airlines?
richard
about 4 years ago
i never heard of any of airlines
stefan strehl
about 4 years ago
air berlin is an absolut desaster in passenger services, handling of complaints, food and drinks quality inflight, seat distances in economy, pricing etc.etc.
i flew with air asia many times, nicer staff onboard, better food quality, leather seats, super passenger service, much lower prices etc.etc. makes air berlin looks like an 'micky mouse' operation......they are anyhow as good as bankrupt and without etihad's finicial support they would be toast long time ago!
David Cooper
about 4 years ago
With the greatest respect, you put Air Berlin in the 'low cost airline' bracket, but how many low cost airlines do you know offer 23kgs of free hold luggage, a free drink and snack on board, are members of the OneWorld Alliance and offer business class flat-beds on their long-haul network.
I personally wouldn't class Air Berlin as a low cost airline
Richard turner
about 4 years ago
Firstly how many of your users use Air Lituanica they only operate one aircraft which is a regional Embraer. Also when has El Al been a low cost airline they are the national airline of Israel. Also HOP is another that is not classed as low cost they were formally called Air France Regional operating flights to feeder Airports like Paris etc. Also isn't Aer Lingus the national airline of Ireland?