Low cost airlines around the world

What is actually classified as a low cost airline, and which are the largest low cost carriers in the world? Here you can learn more about the airlines that have taken flying on a budget to a new level.

low cost airline ryanair

What is a low cost airline?

For an airline to be classified as a low cost carrier, their main focus needs to be keeping the operating costs at the lowest level possible. Consequently, this means that your plane ticket will cost less than if you would choose to fly with another carrier. A low cost carrier, according to the global association IATA, usually works short-haul flights and point-to-point operations. They offer no loyalty programmes and aren’t a part of any of the major airline alliances.

So, how are budget airlines able to offer such low prices? The reality is that there are a number of reasons. First of all, the low price on your ticket comes from the fact that traditional amenities and services aren’t always included if you choose a low cost operator. You might have to pay extra for things such as catering on the plane and carry-on luggage. To keep the prices down, low cost carriers also normally fly to secondary airports in cities where there are more than one airport to choose from.

Budget airlines – largest operators worldwide

When it comes to the largest low cost carriers in the world, you find one American operator and one European operator in the top. American low cost carrier Southwest is actually one of the largest airlines in the world, and offers low cost flights to most parts of the US. In Europe you find Irish operator Ryanair, a well known budget airline that flies to almost every major city in the continent.

See all low cost carriers

In the following compilation you find low cost airlines worldwide, listed in an alphabetical order. You can find information about which country the airline originates from and how many airports they currently operate at – and by following each link you also find flights offered by the airline. The list is continuously updated to make sure you always have the latest information.

This list was generated on October 2024.
Airline Country
Airports
IATA
9 Air Co logo 9 Air Co China
98
AQ
Air Arabia logo Air Arabia United Arab Emirates
111
G9
33
E5
62
3O
Air Astana logo Air Astana Kazakhstan
74
KC
Air Busan logo Air Busan South Korea
53
BX
Air Cairo logo Air Cairo Egypt
101
SM
0
RV
52
IX
8
ZM
Air Seoul logo Air Seoul Canada
33
RS
Air Transat logo Air Transat Canada
98
TS
AirAsia logo AirAsia Malaysia
106
AK
28
I5
12
DJ
AirAsia X logo AirAsia X Malaysia
48
D7
Airblue logo Airblue Pakistan
16
PA
Albawings logo Albawings Russia
19
2B
Allegiant Air logo Allegiant Air United States Minor Outlying Islands
146
G4
Azul logo Azul Brazil
202
AD
Blue Air logo Blue Air Romania
106
0B
Cebgo logo Cebgo Philippines
40
DG
Cebu Pacific Air logo Cebu Pacific Air Philippines
60
5J
145
KN
Citilink logo Citilink Indonesia
72
QG
Comair logo Comair United States
6
MN
Eastar Jet logo Eastar Jet South Korea
42
ZE
EasyFly logo EasyFly Venezuela
42
VE
easyJet logo easyJet United Kingdom
200
U2
Easyjet Switzerland logo Easyjet Switzerland Switzerland
0
DS
Ernest Airlines logo Ernest Airlines Tajikistan
31
EG
Eurowings logo Eurowings Germany
214
EW
0
E2
Fastjet logo Fastjet Tanzania
18
FN
53
F8
Fly One logo Fly One Moldova
50
5F
11
5H
39
F3
Flybe logo Flybe United Kingdom
89
BE
flydubai logo flydubai United Arab Emirates
171
FZ
Flynas logo Flynas Saudi Arabia
97
XY
French Bee logo French Bee Republic of the Congo
9
BF
Frontier Airlines logo Frontier Airlines United States Minor Outlying Islands
148
F9
GoAir logo GoAir India
52
G8
Gol logo Gol Brazil
127
G3
HK Express logo HK Express Hong Kong
42
UO
65
I2
IndiGo logo IndiGo India
125
6E
Indonesia AirAsia logo Indonesia AirAsia Indonesia
42
QZ
Interjet logo Interjet Mexico
74
4O
81
J9
Jeju Air logo Jeju Air South Korea
67
7C
Jet2 logo Jet2 United Kingdom
100
LS
JetBlue logo JetBlue Airways United States
136
B6
JetSMART logo JetSMART Bosnia and Herzegovina
60
JA
Jetstar logo Jetstar Australia
45
JQ
Jetstar Asia logo Jetstar Asia Singapore
35
3K
21
GK
Jetstar Pacific logo Jetstar Pacific Vietnam
55
BL
71
RY
Jin Air logo Jin Air South Korea
52
LJ
Lanmei Airlines logo Lanmei Airlines United States
47
LQ
125
OE
Lion Air logo Lion Air Indonesia
73
JT
Lucky Air logo Lucky Air China
120
8L
Mango logo Mango South Africa
9
JE
Nok Air logo Nok Air Thailand
61
DD
13
XW
Norse logo Norse Norway
12
N0
Norwegian Air logo Norwegian Air Norway
156
DY
45
DN
146
D8
Norwegian Air UK logo Norwegian Air UK United Kingdom
43
DI
63
8Q
26
MM
Pegasus logo Pegasus Turkey
184
PC
Philippines AirAsia logo Philippines AirAsia Philippines
38
Z2
Pobeda logo Pobeda Russia
102
DP
100
DR
Ryanair logo Ryanair Ireland
280
FR
16
FA
Scoot logo Scoot Singapore
95
TR
Sky Airline logo Sky Airline Chile
52
H2
SkyUp Airlines logo SkyUp Airlines Ukraine
53
PQ
Southwest logo Southwest Airlines United States Minor Outlying Islands
124
WN
SpiceJet logo SpiceJet India
96
SG
Spirit logo Spirit Airlines United States Minor Outlying Islands
101
NK
159
9C
13
IJ
Sun Country Airlines logo Sun Country Airlines United States Minor Outlying Islands
124
SY
78
WG
Swoop logo Swoop United States
42
WO
Thai AirAsia logo Thai AirAsia Thailand
95
FD
Thai AirAsia X logo Thai AirAsia X Thailand
16
XJ
Thai Lion Air logo Thai Lion Air South Africa
60
SL
Thai Vietjet Air logo Thai Vietjet Air Thailand
26
VZ
Tigerair Australia logo Tigerair Australia Australia
13
TT
37
IT
Transavia logo Transavia Netherlands
126
HV
160
TO
T´Way Air logo T´Way Air South Korea
65
TW
83
UQ
13
JW
VietJet Air logo VietJet Air Vietnam
65
VJ
Viva Air Colombia logo Viva Air Colombia Venezuela
27
VH
Viva Air Peru logo Viva Air Peru Ukraine
15
VV
VivaAerobus logo VivaAerobus Mexico
72
VB
Volaris logo Volaris Mexico
82
Y4
Volaris Costa Rica logo Volaris Costa Rica Australia
13
Q6
Volotea logo Volotea Spain
129
V7
Vueling logo Vueling Spain
163
VY
90
PN
WestJet logo WestJet Canada
129
WS
Wingo logo Wingo Colombia
28
P5
Wings Air logo Wings Air Indonesia
132
IW
Wizz Air logo Wizz Air Hungary
228
W6
112
W9
Subject to change without notice.

Staying up-to-date with the airlines

At Airlineinformation.com you can learn all about the airlines operating around the world together with their destinations and where they operate. You will get a transparent overview of airlines with scheduled flights between any two destinations with non-stop or 1-stop flights regardless of price or availability.