Which Airline Should I Fly With?

You’re booking your holiday and there are a lot of things to consider. One of the first questions you’ll likely ask yourself is ‘which airline should I fly with?’ The tight-wad that’s built into you will be screaming whichever is cheapest, but the cheapest price isn’t necessarily the best way to go when it comes to travelling abroad.

Each airline offers different perks that means some airlines will suit your travel style better than others. For a very short flight, it may not make much difference but for others it can really make or break your experience and hinder a happy start to your holiday. All airlines have their pros and cons, so, we’ve put together a handy guide to help you answer the inevitable question; which airline should I fly with?!

Ryanair

Best for: Basic service and cheap prices; plain and simple

Ryanair has hit the press so frequently over the past few years that it’s become perhaps the best known budget airline here, although not always for positive reasons. They are known for sneaky, excessive charges for every possible extra under the sun. They also tend to fly to smaller airports to keep their fees down. Ryanair do however boast a pretty good punctuality record compared to other airlines but customer service (or lack thereof) may leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

Choose Ryanair: If you are hell bent on securing the cheapest prices for a truly no frills service. You will need to be prepared to travel slightly further from the airport to your accommodation, so always double check if this will cause unnecessary costs. You will also need to get your hand luggage packing skills down to a fine art to avoid exceeding their extremely small carry-on limitations, or face high charges for hold luggage. Ensure you check in online and print your board passes for a fail-safe flight.

EasyJet

Best for: Carry-on luggage only and low fees

Easyjet are the next contenders in the budget airline market place. They tend to be more favoured by the public thanks to their more transparent and upfront approach to ticket prices and added extras. Their fleet of aircraft are generally regarded as more comfortable with less on board sales to contend with and they tend to fly direct to major airports, too. Generally, the level of service offered by easyJet is preferred over competing airlines.

Choose easyJet: If you want to fly low-cost but prefer a better all-round experience, rather than just a cheap price. Depending on the length of your trip, you may prefer to fly hand-luggage only as there are no weight restrictions however the fees for checked luggage aren’t too expensive.

Check out our hand luggage guide for tips and tricks to travel light!

Monarch

Best for: Relatively low cost flights to the Mediterranean and customer service

Monarch are a bit of a middle ground airline. They package themselves as a low cost carrier, which in essence is true, just not quite as low cost as EasyJet or Ryanair. You will be subjected to various additional extras sales tactics in the booking process, including the choices to pay for additional leg room or seat selection. One area that Monarch do fall short in however is punctuality so be aware that you may be subjected to minor delays. Generally though, Monarch will get you where you want to be without breaking the bank.

Choose Monarch: If they are offering the best prices and flight times for Mediterranean destinations. Generally, they’re not the preferred first choice but certainly worth considering. In terms of luggage, Monarch’s hand luggage dimensions match EasyJet so they are fairly generous.

Virgin

Best for: In-flight entertainment on long haul flights

Virgin has been a household name for many, many years, thanks in large part to owner and business entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson. Virgin is often the go to airline for flights to Florida however it’s a good all-round long haul airline serving a variety of destinations across the States and beyond.

Choose Virgin Atlantic: If you are flying long haul, generally to the USA or Oceania and in-flight entertainment is a big deal to you; you won’t be disappointed on that front.

British Airways

Best for: Mid-long haul flights although some deals can be had for short haul flights too. Keep an eye out for well discounted sales.

British Airways are a staple airline, particularly for mid-long haul destinations and are usually praised for their consistently good levels of service. Aircrafts are maintained to a good standard with regards to cleanliness and working equipment and if you travel frequently, you will likely appreciate the frequent flyer rewards.

Choose British Airways: If you want to fly with a well-respected airline with good aircraft conditions and facilities. You will need to be prepared to pay more than with a budget carrier but this is to be expected; you get what you pay for.

So, having taken a look at 5 of the most popular airlines, we hope you will find this blog useful when you start asking yourself ‘Which airline should I fly with?’ with when planning your next holiday.

Leave a comment below and let us know which is your go to airline and why?

Kerri Ware from Economy Car Hire