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 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
Jetstar Asia is a Singapore-based subsidiary of Australian low-cost carrier Jetstar Airways, which is itself part of Qantas.
18. Allegiant Air
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
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
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
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 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 is a British low-cost airline that operates both scheduled and chartered flights to leisure destinations across Europe.
12. 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
EasyJet is the UK’s top-rated low-cost carrier according to the latest Skytrax rankings.
10. Ryanair
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
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
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 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
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 France is a low-cost subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group.
4. Flynas
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
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
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
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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