
1 October 2020
Best and worst budget airlines
Which? members took thousands of flights on budget carriers last year and ranked them on everything from value for money to boarding experience.

In this article
Not all budget airlines are created equal
Thousands of Which? members responded to our annual travel survey to determine the best and worst no-frills carriers in categories that included punctuality, seat comfort, customer service and value for money.
Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2, Wizzair, Tui and FlyBe were all ranked, with some surprising results.
Our advice? Look beyond the screamingly low fares, unless you want to pay with your sanity as well as your credit card.
Only logged-in Which? members can see our recommendations in the tables below. Try Which? to access our survey results. Already a member? Log in now to find out which budget airlines our members rates the best. See the full results of our best and worst airlines survey.
WRP | Seat comfort | Customer service | Customer score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
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★★★★★ |
★★★★★ |
79% | |
Which members loved this airline's friendly customer service and also appreciated the cabin environment and value for money. Find out which airline we’re talking about – log in or try Which? | ||||
WRP | Seat comfort | Customer service | Customer score | |
![]() |
★★★★★ |
★★★★★ |
70% | |
This carrier, which flies to more than 150 destinations, ranked highly for cabin environment and value for money. Find out which airline we’re talking about – log in or try Which? | ||||
WRP | Seat comfort | Customer service | Customer score | |
![]() |
** | ★★★★★ |
65% | |
This airline was highly rated for value for money - but was a bit less impressive for everything else. Find out which airline we're talking about – log in or try Which? | ||||
WRP | Seat comfort | Customer service | Customer score | |
![]() |
*** | ★★★★★ |
60% | |
This carrier specialises in regional routes around the UK and has had some problems but still has an average score in most areas. Find out which airline we're talking about – log in or try Which? | ||||
WRP | Seat comfort | Customer service | Customer score | |
![]() |
** | *** | 59% | |
This carrier, best known for its range of holiday destinations across Europe, rated poorly for its seat comfort and food and drink and did no better than average for everything else. Find out which airline we’re talking about – log in or try Which? | ||||
WRP | Seat comfort | Customer service | Customer score | |
![]() |
** | ** | 56% | |
At least this airline was consistent, scoring uniformly in its mediocrity across all categories, redeeming itself (marginally) for value for money. It gets you from A to B and that’s about as generous as we can be. Find out which airline we’re talking about – log in or sign up to Which?– log in or try Which? | ||||
WRP | Seat comfort | Customer service | Customer score | |
![]() |
* | ** | 44% | |
The roar of jet engines just about drowns out the sound of barrels being scraped by Which? members, with this carrier receiving one star out of five for everything but value for money. Even that only got two. Find out which airline we’re talking about - if you can't guess. – log in or try Which? | ||||
Airlines
- 1.Best and worst airlines
- 2.Best and worst budget airlines
- 3.Cheapest airlines for popular destinations
- 4.How to save on flights
- 5.Which airline has the best seats?
- 6.How to save on premium economy fares
- 7.Ten airlines rated worst for food
- 8.Best and worst airlines for premium economy
- 9.Best and worst airlines for business and first class
- 10.Carbon offsetting: How to reduce the impact of flying

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