Budget vs full-service airlines
The base fare is rarely the real price with budget carriers — bags, seat selection, and priority boarding all cost extra, and it adds up fast. Here's how the major carriers on our routes actually compare, not just their advertised prices.
British Airways
United Kingdom
One free checked bag on most fares, generous cabin bag allowance
Standard full-service economy, better than budget carriers, unremarkable versus peers
Mixed reputation — solid on long-haul, more delay complaints on short-haul European routes
Mid to high
Executive Club, part of the Avios points system shared with Iberia and Aer Lingus
Air France
France
One free checked bag on most fares
Solid full-service standard, well-regarded catering on longer routes
Generally reliable, occasional disruption from labor actions affecting French carriers broadly
Mid to high
Flying Blue, shared with KLM, widely regarded as one of the more flexible European programs
Lufthansa
Germany
One free checked bag on most fares, strict on cabin bag size enforcement
Consistently solid full-service standard, a reputation for operational precision
Strong reputation for on-time performance outside of periods of labor disruption
Mid to high
Miles & More, one of the older and larger European frequent flyer programs
KLM
Netherlands
One free checked bag on most fares
Solid full-service standard, efficient Amsterdam Schiphol hub connections
Generally reliable, benefits from Schiphol's efficient layout for connections
Mid to high
Flying Blue, shared with Air France
Iberia
Spain
One free checked bag on most fares
Standard full-service, strong on Spain-Latin America long-haul routes
Generally reliable on short-haul European routes
Mid
Iberia Plus, part of the shared Avios points system with British Airways
TAP Air Portugal
Portugal
One free checked bag on most fares
Standard full-service, a useful stopover option for connecting through Lisbon
Mixed reputation, more delay complaints than the larger Western European carriers
Mid
TAP Miles&Go
Swiss International Air Lines
Switzerland
One free checked bag on most fares
Premium-leaning full-service standard, priced to match
Strong reputation for reliability, similar operational culture to Lufthansa (same parent group)
High
Miles & More, shared with Lufthansa
Austrian Airlines
Austria
One free checked bag on most fares
Standard full-service, Vienna hub well-positioned for Eastern Europe connections
Generally reliable
Mid to high
Miles & More, shared with Lufthansa
SAS Scandinavian Airlines
Sweden / Denmark / Norway
One free checked bag on most fares
Clean, minimalist full-service standard, matches the broader Scandinavian design sensibility
Generally reliable outside periods of labor disruption
High, reflecting the broader Scandinavian cost level
EuroBonus
Aer Lingus
Ireland
One free checked bag on most fares
Standard full-service, useful for US pre-clearance connections through Dublin
Generally reliable on short-haul European routes
Mid
AerClub, part of the shared Avios points system
LOT Polish Airlines
Poland
One free checked bag on most fares
Standard full-service, Warsaw hub useful for Eastern Europe connections
Generally reliable
Mid, often competitive relative to Western European full-service carriers
Miles & More, shared with the Lufthansa Group programs
Ryanair
Ireland
Strict — one small personal item free, everything else (cabin and checked) is a paid add-on, and fees for oversized bags at the gate are steep
No-frills, tight seat pitch, nothing complimentary on board
Reasonable on-time performance, but a reputation for using secondary airports well outside city centers
Lowest base fares in this list, add-ons change the real total fast
No traditional frequent flyer program; a paid subscription (Prime) discounts fees instead
easyJet
United Kingdom
One small free cabin bag, larger cabin and checked bags are paid add-ons, generally more forgiving than Ryanair on enforcement
No-frills but slightly more comfortable seat pitch than Ryanair on average
Reasonable, tends to use more central airports than Ryanair
Low base fares, add-ons increase the real total
No traditional frequent flyer program
Wizz Air
Hungary
Strict — one small personal item free, everything else paid, similar model to Ryanair
No-frills, tight seat pitch
More variable reputation than the larger Western European budget carriers
Very low base fares, especially strong for Central and Eastern European routes
WIZZ Discount Club, a paid subscription reducing fees rather than a points program
Vueling
Spain
One small free cabin bag, checked and larger cabin bags are paid add-ons
No-frills, standard budget-carrier seat pitch
Reasonable on most routes, part of the larger IAG group alongside British Airways and Iberia
Low, strong for intra-Spain and Spain-to-Western-Europe routes
No dedicated program; occasional integration with Iberia Plus on connecting itineraries
Baggage policies, pricing tiers, and loyalty program details change — these are general, periodically-reviewed characterizations for planning purposes, not live fare or policy data. Always confirm current fees and rules directly with the airline before booking.