These are the best low-cost airlines in the world, according to travelers — see the full list

Benjamin Zhang
·5 min read
1

  • Airline rating company Skytrax has released its 2024 list of the world's best low-cost airlines.

  • AirAsia was named the top low-cost airline in the world for the 15th year in a row.

  • Allegiant Air is the highest-ranked US airline on the list.

AirAsia has been named the best low-cost airline in the world according to travelers surveyed by travel industry rating company Skytrax.

Skytrax published its latest survey results in June as part of the 2024 World Airlines Awards, which named Qatar Airways the world's best airline.

Budget carriers from Europe and the UK accounted for 9 of the top 20 spots in the Skytrax rankings, compiled using feedback from travelers from over 100 countries on more than 350 airlines.

Prominent US low-cost carriers like Southwest, Spirit, and Frontier failed to crack the top 20.

Here's a closer look at the 20 best low-cost airlines in the world, according to Skytrax:

20. Sun Country Airlines

Sun Country Airlines
A Sun Country Boeing 737Sun Country Airlines

Sun Country operates a fleet of Boeing 737s from its base in Minneapolis to leisure destinations across the US, the Caribbean, and Central America.

Sun Country was the 89th-ranked carrier in Skytrax's list of 100 best airlines in the world.

19. JetStar Asia

A Jetstar Asia Airways Airbus 320 lands at Phuket airport on March 20, 2018.
A Jetstar Asia Airways Airbus 320 lands at Phuket airport on March 20, 2018.SOPA Images/Getty Images

Jetstar Asia is a Singapore-based subsidiary of Australian low-cost carrier Jetstar Airways, which is itself part of Qantas.

18. Allegiant Air

An Allegiant Airlines flight arrives at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on the morning of its reopening Apr. 14, 2023.
An Allegiant Airlines flight arrives at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Allegiant Air is the highest-ranked US-based low-cost carrier on the list in 18th position. The Las Vegas-based leisure airline operates a fleet of Airbus A320-family aircraft, although its long-awaited fleet of Boeing 737MAX aircraft is expected to arrive this year.

17. JetSMART Airlines

A white JetSmart plane with a picture of a cheetah on the tail.
A JetSMART Airlines Airbus A320neo.Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Ultra-low-cost carrier JetSMART operates a fleet of Airbus A320-family aircraft to destinations across South America from its headquarters in Santiago, Chile.

16. SKY Airline

A SKY Airline A321neo leased from Aviation Capital Group on April 12, 2024.
A SKY Airline A321neo leased from Aviation Capital Group on April 12, 2024.AP Photo/Businesswire

Sky Airline won the prize for South America's top low-cost carrier. This is the fourth time the Chilean carrier has won the award.

15. Jetstar Airways

A Jetstar passenger plane prepares for take-off at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar on Indonesia's resort island of Bali on May 13, 2023.
A Jetstar Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Bali.BAY ISMOYO/AFP via Getty Images

Jetstar, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas, was named the top low-cost carrier in Australia/Oceania. Jetstar operates a fleet of Airbus A320-family aircraft and Boeing 787 Dreamliner widebody jets.

14. Eurowings

Eurowings Airbus A320
A Eurowings Airbus A320 aircraft.INA FASSBENDER/AFP/Getty

Eurowings is the low-cost subsidiary of German's Lufthansa Group. The airline operates a fleet of Airbus A320-family aircraft to destinations across Europe and the Middle East.

13. Jet2.com

Jet2.com
A Jet2 Boeing 737.Shutterstock

Jet2 is a British low-cost airline that operates both scheduled and chartered flights to leisure destinations across Europe.

12. flyDubai

Flydubai Boeing 737.
A flyDubai Boeing 737.Flydubai

FlyDubai is Dubai's most prominent low-cost carrier. Its fleet is comprised exclusively of Boeing 737 aircraft. In 2023, the airline launched lie-flat business class suites on board its new Boeing 737MAX airliners.

11. EasyJet

An easyJet plane on the tarmac.
An easyJet Airbus A320neo.Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

EasyJet is the UK's top-rated low-cost carrier according to the latest Skytrax rankings.

10. Ryanair

Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX 8 as seen during taxiing, take off and flying phase in Eindhoven Airport EIN.
A Ryanair Boeing 737 Max 8.Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Dublin-based Ryanair is arguably the most well-known low-cost airline in the world, most famous for its laughably low prices and penny-pinching business practices. The Irish airline is also one of the world's largest operators of the Boeing 737.

9. Iberia Express

An Iberia Express Airbus A320 at El Prat Airport.
An Iberia Express Airbus A320Iberia Express

Iberia Express is the low-cost offshoot of Iberia, Spain's national carrier. As a result, it is one of the airlines that make up the International Airlines Group (IAG) alongside British Airways, Aer Lingus, and fellow Spanish low-cost carrier, Vueling.

8. airBaltic

Air Baltic Airbus A220-300 seen departing from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
AirBaltic Airbus A220-300 seen departing from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.NurPhoto/Getty Images

AirBaltic operates a fleet comprised exclusively of the Airbus A220. The Latvian low-cost carrier was one of the first airlines in the world to adopt the Canadian jet and remains one of its largest operators.

7. Vueling

Vueling Airlines airplane is seen landing at El Prat Airport
A Vueling Airbus. Thiago Prudencio/Getty Images

Vueling is Spain's largest low-cost carrier. Like the country's flag carrier, Iberia, Vueling is a subsidiary of IAG alongside British Airways and Aer Lingus.

6. IndiGo

An Indigo aircraft is parked on the tarmac at Kempegowda International airport in Bengaluru on June 1, 2024.
An Indigo Airbus aircraft is parked on the tarmac at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on June 1, 2024.IDREES MOHAMMED/Getty Images

IndiGo is India's top low-cost carrier and one of the largest operators of Airbus A320-family aircraft in the world. In 2023, the airline began experimenting with long-haul international flights with a pair of Boeing 777-300ERs leased from Turkish Airlines.

5. Transavia France

Transavia Airlines flight farting man causes emergency lands
A Transavia Airlines Boeing 737.Shutterstock

Transavia France is a low-cost subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group.

4. Flynas

Flynas Airbus A320 registration HZ-NS33 aircraft seen at Boryspil Airport in Kiev, Ukraine in 2021.
Flynas Airbus A320 registration HZ-NS33 aircraft seen at Boryspil Airport in Kiev, Ukraine in 2021.SOPA Images/Getty Images

Saudi Arabia's Flynas is the highest-rated Middle Eastern low-cost carrier in the Skytrax ranking. The airline, which launched in 2007, operates a fleet of Airbus A320 and A330 airliners.

3. Volotea

Volotea Airbus A320
A Volotea Airbus A319. InsectWorld / Shutterstock.com

Spain's Volotea is the highest-ranked of the 9 European carriers on the list. The airline operates a fleet of Airbus A320-family aircraft on flights across Europe and the Mediterranean.

2. Scoot

A Scoot Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner taking off from Osaka - Kansai Airport.
A Scoot Boeing 787 Dreamliner.Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Singapore's Scoot is a low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. The airline took home the award for the world's best long-haul low-cost airline.

1. AirAsia

airasia planes
An AirAsia Airbus A320neoMarielle Descalsota/Insider

For the 15th year in a row, AirAsia is the top low-cost carrier in the world. The Malaysia-based carrier and its subsidiaries across Southeast Asia operate an all-Airbus fleet.

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