I flew from Florida to Italy for $260 using budget airlines. My first flight was cheap, but my experience felt anything but.

I’m a fan of discount carriers and have often flown with Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant, and other low-cost, no-frill options. However, those flights have always been within the Americas and fairly short.

I was skeptical about taking an eight-hour journey across the Atlantic with a budget airline. But when I saw Norse Atlantic’s budget-friendly flights from my home in Orlando to London, I couldn’t resist.

So, I gave the low-cost airline a try in Economy Light for the first leg of a recent trip to Italy.

I spent $196 on the Norse flights from Orlando to London, then booked a flight from London to Venice with budget airline easyJet for $64.

I was shocked to learn that, despite offering an impressively low price tag for an international flight, Norse’s in-flight experience well exceeded anything I’ve found on other budget-friendly airlines.

I ended up paying to check a bag, but I’d be able to easily avoid this next time.

At the time of my trip, my Economy Light ticket only included a personal item, so I had to pay extra to bring another bag.

I’d planned to bring my smaller suitcase onto the plane, but it came in over the 22-pound carry-on weight limit. I had to pay $75 to check it into the cargo hold.

Fortunately, Economy Light tickets now include a personal item and carry-on, making it an even better deal. Next time, I’ll definitely pack lighter and take advantage of that.

Right off the bat, I was impressed by my Norse flight.

Boarding my overnight flight in Orlando, I was surprised to see that the plane was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. (Turns out, this is exclusively what Norse Atlantic flies.)

After years of flying in paper-thin seats on other discount carriers, I expected a scaled-back cabin with extremely limited legroom and undersized tray tables.

Instead, I was met with plush reclining seats and the type of ample storage normally reserved for higher-priced airlines.

My seat in economy offered in-seat entertainment and charging ports.

I hadn’t expected to have conveniences like an entertainment screen or charging ports on board, so I was pleasantly surprised.

As a relatively average height person at 5’7″, I felt relatively comfortable — or as comfortable as I can feel in coach.

Norse also offers a more expensive premium seating option for those seeking more space, but I was content with my seat.

I didn’t get complimentary food, but some of it was available for purchase.

One thing that did make Norse feel like a budget airline was the reminder that food and drinks were not included in my ticket price.

Instead, I had an in-flight menu with a decent array of options, from fries to pasta dishes, that were available for purchase.

However, as my flight didn’t depart until nearly 9 p.m., I had already eaten dinner and didn’t sample any of the onboard cuisine.

I lost my checked bag in London, but Norse’s customer service helped resolve the situation flawlessly.

When I arrived at London Gatwick, the airport was evacuated due to a bomb scare. Once the airport reopened, I was unable to locate my checked bag, which was misplaced during this crisis, and I had to continue on to Italy without it.

Losing your clothing and belongings in another country is a stressful experience, but I felt calmer once I emailed Norse’s customer support for help. My communications with airline representatives were swift and attentive.

Soon, Norse located my bag and had it shipped directly to my house in Orlando. This attention to detail allowed me to enjoy my vacation despite the mishap.

From London, I flew a different budget airline, easyJet, to reach my destination in Italy.

I was even more impressed by Norse after I hopped on an easyJet plane for the second leg of my journey, which would take me from London to Venice.

To me, this made the difference in quality between Norse Atlantic and some of its other budget competitors even more obvious.

My trip with easyJet was efficient and cheap, but it lacked some amenities my Norse flight offered.

To be fair, this flight was only two hours compared to the Norse one, which was four times as long. It also wasn’t transatlantic.

Still, easyJet’s seats were stiff and not nearly as comfortable. I’m not sure I would’ve wanted to stay in them any longer than I did.

The plane didn’t seem to have many frills, and our seatbacks didn’t have screens with onboard entertainment options.

All in all, my experience on easyJet reminded me of flying with American discount carriers, like Spirit. Even so, the flight was cheap and got me to my destination right on time.

In total, I spent only $260 to fly from Orlando to Venice — and I’d do it again.

I had a decent experience with both airlines, but Norse Atlantic especially blew me away with its comfy seats and amenities on my transatlantic route.

Although my flight was cheap, my experience felt anything but.

It’s definitely easier to handle a long plane ride when you’re comfortable, and I appreciated the onboard entertainment and comfy seats.

Honestly, even if my travel experience wasn’t great, I still think the bargain price I paid for a transatlantic flight ($196) would’ve made the journey well worthwhile.

Prices vary, but I’ve generally found that Norse Atlantic flights from Orlando to London tend to be hundreds of dollars cheaper than direct flights from other airlines.

Based on those numbers and my great experience, I’m now likely to fly with this airline time and time again.

The post I flew from Florida to Italy for $260 using budget airlines. My first flight was cheap, but my experience felt anything but. appeared first on Business Insider.