The discount airline revolution is hardly limited to the United States. The arrival of Ireland-based Ryanair and British easyJet changed the face of European air travel in much the same way that Southwest and JetBlue have done stateside. With new airlines now proliferating in the South Pacific and Asia, the rise of discounters is a global phenomenon. We've put together a list of the best-known and most reliable international discount airlines -- but before we get to those, here are a few tips to help you get around the world for minimal cost and hassle.1. Particularly for newer airlines, route maps may change with some frequency. Keep tabs on new routes and changes on each airline's Web site.
2. For those discounters that do not issue seat assignments, expect a slightly less orderly "line" at the gate than you might find in the U.S., on Southwest for example. The European character's less stringent premium on personal space can create something more akin to a soccer mob crush than a proper "queue."
3. As in the U.S., many international discounters fly to and from small alternate airports. If you are not familiar with overseas airport codes and names, do your homework so your connections, lodgings, and transport to and from the airport go smoothly.
Poll: Are Discount Airlines Overrated?4. Especially at larger airports, discounters can sometimes host gates located in nooks and crannies of the airport. If you are flying into a large airport on a major airline to connect to a discounter flight, check out the airport map to get a sense of how far it might be to your gate, and how to get there using airport transport systems (monorail, buses, etc).
5. Not all discount airlines are shoestring operations; Ryanair is said to be one of the world's most profitable airlines at present. However, you should be aware of the financial condition of your chosen airline when purchasing tickets, especially in the fast-growing Asian market, where a shakeout is predicted by many analysts.
6. Very few discounters have baggage agreements with major carriers, so if you are making a connection to or from another airline, you may have to collect your bags at the luggage carousel, and then recheck them for your next flight.7. Additionally, luggage restrictions may vary on discount airlines; short-haul carriers tend not to accommodate larger items -- and many discounters now charge fees to check any luggage at all.
8. No-frills often means exactly that -- expect to pay extra for food and even water in flight.
U.S. Discount Airlines9. Most international discounters (and many domestic discounters as well) sell on a first-come, first-served basis, with the lowest fares selling first.
10. While the European rail system is favored by many European visitors, don't assume that the train is always going to be cheaper; many international discount airlines offer astoundingly low fares, such as Ryanair's frequent 2 GBP fare sales. For a head-to-head comparison, see Europe -- By Plane or By Train?
11. U.S. discounters sometimes fail to appear on the major booking sites, and this is even more true of international discounters, particularly in Asia. The only way to find and purchase many of these fares will be by monitoring the airline Web site.
Several sites allow you to search multiple discount airlines simultaneously; here are a few of the best and most popular:
Skip to: Asia | U.K. and Ireland | Europe | Canada | Australia and New Zealand
ASIA
Air AsiaHub: Kuala Lumpur
Route Map
Tip: First and longest-standing Asian discounter
Jet AirwaysHubs: Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai
Tip: India's leading discounter
Jetstar AirwaysHub: Singapore
Route Map
Tip: Subsidiary of Qantas; serves Asia and Australia
Kingfisher AirlinesHubs: Bangalore, Mumbai
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Tip: Another Indian discounter
SpiceJetHub: Delhi
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Tip: Flies to various cities in India; formerly Royal Airways
Tiger AirwaysHub: Singapore
Route Map
Tip: Also serves select Australian destinations
ValuairHub: Singapore
Tip: Partner of Jetstar
U.K. AND IRELAND
Aer LingusHub: Dublin
Tip: Offers inexpensive transatlantic flights between select U.S. cities and Ireland
bmibabyHubs: Birmingham, Cardiff, East Midlands, Manchester
Route Map
Tip: Low-cost subsidiary of British Midland Airways
easyJetHubs: London (Luton, Gatwick and Stansted)
Route Map
Tip: Also serves select cities in Northern Africa; has announced its commitment to environmental responsibility by investing in more fuel-efficient planes
FlyBeHubs: Southampton, Birmingham
Route Map
Tip: Partnered with Logan Air, a Scottish airline
Meridiana FlyHub: Oblia
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Tip: Merged with Eurofly to create the second largest airline company in Italy; also serves select areas of the Middle East, Africa and Asia
Monarch AirlinesHubs: London (Gatwick), Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow
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Tip: Serves Europe, parts of U.S., the Middle East and Asia
RyanairHub: Dublin, London (Stansted)
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Tip: Watch for "free" fare sales, with fares of only a pound or two
Thomson FlightsHubs: Glasgow, London (Gatwick and Luton), Manchester
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Tip: Mimics Ryanair's "free" sales, with fares for under four pounds
EUROPE Cimber SterlingHub: Copenhagen
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Tip: Formerly Sterling Airways
Air BerlinHub: Berlin
Tip: Second-largest German airline
Air EuropaHub: Madrid
Tip: Flies to Europe, Africa, South America, the U.S. and the Caribbean
GermanwingsHubs: Cologne/Bonn, Hamburg
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Tip: Flies to various cities around Europe and to the Canary Islands
Iceland ExpressHub: Reykjavik
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Tip: Serves Europe and parts of North America
Norwegian AirHub: Oslo
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Tip: Serves Europe and parts of North Africa and the Middle East
SmartWingsHub: Prague
Tip: Serves Europe and select Middle Eastern cities
SpanairHubs: Barcelona, Madrid
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Tip: Member of the Star Alliance Network
Transavia AirlinesHubs: Amsterdam, Rotterdam
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Tip: Serves Europe and Northern Africa
Wizz AirHubs: Warsaw, Budapest, Sofia, Prague
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Tip: Based in Poland; serves Central and Eastern Europe
For more discount airlines in Europe, see LowCostAirlinesEurope.org.CANADA
Air TransatHub: Montreal
Route Map
Tip: Serves Canada, North America, Europe, and South and Central America
WestJetHubs: Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver
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Tip: Serves major cities in Canada as well as select destinations in the U.S. and the Caribbean
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND
Jetstar AirwaysHub: Sydney
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Tip: Subsidiary of Qantas
Rex (Regional Express)Hubs: Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney
Tip: Connects large and small cities across Australia
Virgin AustraliaHubs: Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne
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Tip: Formerly Virgin Blue, it was the first Australian airline to introduce a certified carbon offset program
--written by Ed Hewitt; updated by Christina Livadiotis