Budget airlines: just how much cheaper are they in the end?

With the rise and rise of budget carriers, it would appear that getting from  A to B is more affordable than ever. But are cut-price airlines really that much cheaper in the end, or it is all smoke and mirrors?

We did a bit of number-crunching to find out the real deal (pun completely intended).

New York to Los Angeles return

Spirit Airlines

SEAT PRICE $565 (with one stop in Chicago)

THE EXTRAS

• $35 to check bags when booking (each way)
• Up to $50 for seat requests (each way)
• Up to $10 each for snacks (each way)
• Up to $15 each for drinks (each way)
• Up to $17.99 for a passenger usage charge (each way)

APPROXIMATE TOTAL $870

THE ALTERNATIVE New York to Los Angeles full service return on Delta (non-stop) – $911

London Stansted to Rome return

Ryanair

SEAT PRICE $158.55

THE EXTRAS

•  $49.56 for 20 kilograms of checked baggage when booking (each way)
• $11.87 for seat requests (each way)
• $8.06 for snack (ham and cheese panini)
• $8.79 for wine

APPROXIMATE TOTAL $315

THE ALTERNATIVE London Gatwick to Rome full service return on British Airways (non-stop) – $453

Sydney to Singapore return

Scoot

SEAT PRICE $383 (with one stop in Gold Coast)

THE EXTRAS

• $34 for 20 kilograms checked baggage when booking (each way)
• $19 for a premium meal (each way)
• $131 taxes

APPROXIMATE TOTAL $620

THE ALTERNATIVE Sydney to Singapore full service return on Singapore Airways (non-stop) – $1157

Brisbane to Honolulu return

Jetstar

SEAT PRICE $932 (with one stop in Sydney)

THE EXTRAS

• $85 for Plus Bundle: seat allocation, meal, $5 in-flight food and beverage voucher (each way)
• $7 for seat allocation (each leg, each way)
• $9 for entertainment package (each way)
• $24 for meals (each way)
• $39 for 20 kilograms of checked baggage (each way)

APPROXIMATE TOTAL $1088 with Plus Bundle or $1121 without

THE ALTERNATIVE Brisbane to Honolulu full service return on Hawaiian Airlines (non-stop) – $944

Perth to Kuala Lumpur return

Air Asia

SEAT PRICE $389 (including compulsory $39 checked baggage each way)

THE EXTRAS

• $19 for seat allocation (each way)
• $18 for entertainment (each way)
• $12 for comfort set including pillows and blanket (each way)
• $11 for meals

APPROXIMATE TOTAL $510

THE ALTERNATIVE Perth to Kuala Lumpur full service on Malaysia Airlines (non stop) – $678.62

The Verdict

So, the resounding result of our straw poll is that budget airlines, more often than not, do offer the cheapest option when it comes to flights, but the savings are usually modest, to say the least.

You need to look beyond the bottom-line figure (especially when the difference is just $20) and consider convenience and value for money.

Many of the cheapest flights available included stopovers (some more than one), adding hours to the journey.

Budget carriers also often depart from and land at regional airports; if this is the case, if the taxi/train/bus fare to take you where you need to be is more than the saving you are making on the flight, opt for a full-service carrier instead.

And sometimes the time and effort required to pre-book meals, luggage allowance, entertainment and even blankets can take as long as the flight itself!