Cheap Flights Within Europe
The cheapest way to fly between European cities is usually a low-cost airline's base fare with one small bag. Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, Eurowings and Norwegian all sell fares that include only an under-seat bag and charge for everything else, so compare the total with the bags you need, not the headline fare.
Low cost airlines in Europe
Each line below is taken from the airline's own baggage page on 17 September 2026. Fees move with route and date; the structure does not.
- Ryanair. Free with every fare: Small bag (must fit under the seat); Larger cabin bag: "Priority & 2 Cabin Bags", €/£12.49 to €/£36 when booked with the flight; Checked bag: 10 kg €/£10.49 to €/£44.99, 20 kg €/£21.49 to €/£59.99, both cheaper online than at the airport.
- easyJet. Free with every fare: One small under-seat bag, 45 x 36 x 20 cm, up to 15 kg; Larger cabin bag: Large cabin bag, 56 x 45 x 25 cm, paid; £60 if added at the gate; Checked bag: Hold luggage sold separately.
- Wizz Air. Free with every fare: Carry-on bag, 40 x 30 x 20 cm, up to 10 kg; Larger cabin bag: Trolley bag, 55 x 40 x 23 cm, up to 10 kg, "for purchase with WIZZ Priority"; Checked bag: 10, 20, 26 or 32 kg, for purchase.
- Eurowings. Free with every fare: Small under-seat bag, 40 x 30 x 25 cm, in the Basic fare; Larger cabin bag: Large cabin bag, 55 x 40 x 23 cm, 8 kg, from €18 / £16 on Basic, included in Smart; Checked bag: Up to 23 kg, "save up to 50%" booking online.
- Norwegian. Free with every fare: Under-seat bag, 30 x 40 x 20 cm, 10 kg on LowFare; Larger cabin bag: Overhead bag, 55 x 40 x 23 cm, included on LowFare+ and Flex (10 kg and 15 kg combined); Checked bag: Sold separately.
Vueling, Transavia and Volotea run the same model, a small bag in the fare and paid extras above it; check the figures on their baggage pages before you book, as their sites did not load when this table was compiled.
Which is the cheapest airline in Europe?
There is no single answer, and anyone who gives you one is selling the headline fare. The base fare on every carrier above buys a seat and one small bag. From there the price you pay depends on three things: whether you need a second cabin bag (Ryanair's is €/£12.49 to €/£36 booked with the flight, Eurowings' is from €18 / £16, Wizz's comes with Priority), whether you need a checked bag, and where you add them. Every airline in the table charges more at the airport than online, and the gate is the most expensive place of all: Ryanair lists €/£46 to €/£75 for a bag that turns up at the boarding gate without being paid for, and easyJet lists £60 for a large cabin bag added at the gate.
So the cheapest airline for you is the one whose total, with your bags added online, is lowest on your date. On many routes that is Ryanair; on others easyJet, Wizz Air or a full-service carrier's lowest fare, once bags are counted, comes out level.
How to find cheap flights within Europe
- Price the whole trip, not the fare. Add the bags you need before comparing airlines. A €19 fare with a €36 cabin bag is a €55 flight.
- Fly midweek and off-peak. Low-cost pricing is demand-based; the same seat costs more on a Friday evening or a Sunday night.
- Check which airport you are landing at. Low-cost carriers use secondary airports that are named after a city they are not in. Add the transfer to the price and the journey time.
- Search one-way in both directions. Low-cost fares are sold per direction, so two different airlines out and back is often cheaper than a return on one.
- Add bags online, never at the gate. The table above is the reason.
- Watch the fare rules. Ryanair charges €/£55 to check in at the airport instead of online (€/£30 from Spain, €/£40 from Austria); it is on the same fees page as the bags.
Flights between European countries: what to check
ID. Carry your passport or national identity card even inside the Schengen area; airlines check identity at the gate regardless of border rules.
Liquids. Containers of up to 100 ml in one transparent resealable bag, up to a litre in total, is still the standard at most European airports (Eurowings publishes the same rule on its hand-baggage page).
Separate tickets. Two one-way tickets on two airlines are two contracts: a delay on the first does not protect the second. Leave a real gap between them, and read the connecting flights guide before you book a self-transfer.
The small bag rule is enforced. Every airline in the table measures at the gate. The dimensions are on the airline's page, and the fee for getting it wrong is on the same page.
Prefer to spread the cost? Laters.com lets you book flights within Europe now and pay later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do European low-cost airlines include a cabin bag?
A small under-seat bag, yes, on every airline in the table. An overhead-locker bag is an extra on Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and Eurowings' Basic fare, and included on Eurowings Smart and Norwegian LowFare+ and Flex.
Is it cheaper to book one-way flights within Europe?
Usually no dearer: low-cost carriers price each direction separately, so a return is two one-ways. That lets you mix airlines out and back.
Can I fly within Europe with two different airlines on one trip?
Yes, but on separate tickets each airline is responsible only for its own flight. Allow time between them and hold a bag that fits both airlines' rules.
What counts as an under-seat bag?
Each airline publishes exact dimensions, from Wizz Air's 40 x 30 x 20 cm to easyJet's 45 x 36 x 20 cm. Measure the bag with its wheels and handles; the airlines do.
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