One great way is choosing a local low-cost airline to get you to the destination in the first place. The beauty of most low-cost airlines is you usually only pay for what you need. If your flight is only a few hours long do you really need to be served a full meal or have a choice of hundreds of movies? Probably not. And the less money you spend on the flight, the more money you can spend on important things like making vacation memories!
Where do local low-cost airlines fly to from the UAE?
So where to start? We’ve compared a selection of 10 regional low-cost carriers flying from the UAE, including flyDubai, Airblue and SpiceJet, to make choosing the right one for you even easier. Comparing destination routes, baggage allowance and even whether you get a pesky charge to choose your seat, we’ve got you covered when it comes to picking the best low-cost airline for your long-weekend getaways.
Take a look at the table below to see some of the countries you can reach on the cheap:
| | Key destinations | Seat selection charges | Skyscanner’s Top Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| flydubai | Jordan, Oman, Bulgaria, Russia, Georgia, Ethiopia, and Tanzania | Depends on the seat, route and fare type. No charge on Flex and Business tickets | Prices rise as more seats are sold. Book early! |
| Air India Express | Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Goa, Chennai and Pune | From Dh5, depending on the route and fare type | You’re allowed to check in an LED TV as part of your free baggage allowance |
| IndiGo | 42 Indian cities, plus Bangkok, Kathmandu, Oman and Singapore | Between Dh20 and Dh25 on flights from the UAE | Pre-book your drinks and snacks for the flight before you board |
| Air Arabia | India, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan and Oman | Depends on the route and fare type | There’s no limit to the number of hold bags you can check in so feel free to spread the weight (max 32kg per bag) |
| SpiceJet | Over 40 Indian cities, plus Bangkok, Male, Colombo and Kabul | Depends on the route and fare type | Discounts of up to 25% for families and friends traveling together (min 4 people) |
| Cebu Pacific | Australia, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines (via Manila) | Between Dh47 and Dh200 | Collect GetGo points and redeem on a free flight or top up with cash |
| Airblue | Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Riyadh and Muscat | Depends on the route and fare type | Join the BlueMiles program for free and earn miles every time you fly |
| Flynas | Alexandria, Istanbul, Jeddah, Kuwait and Khartoum | Between Dh10 and Dh100 (including extra legroom and ladies-only rows) | Pre-pay for your excess baggage and save up to 50% on airport charges |
How do I find the cheapest flights?
It’s not just the base cost of the flight you need to consider when looking at low-cost airlines. You should also take into account possible charges for the seat selection, baggage, and any extras you might want. You might find that by the time you’ve added in your luggage and seat, the cheapest ticket isn’t actually the best value for you once you’ve added it all up. Sound complicated? Let us help! Below we show you how much it costs to take hand and checked baggage on budget airlines. Don’t get caught out; on some airlines you might find the cost of excess baggage is more than the flight itself!
| Checked-in baggage allowance | Hand luggage allowance | Excess baggage charges | |
|---|---|---|---|
| flydubai | Up to 40kg in up to 3 bags depending on the fare type (charges apply on Lite fares) | 7kg in 1 bag in Economy, 14kg in 2 bags in Business | Range from Dh12 a kilo to Dh115 a kilo depending on the route. Read more on flydubai hand luggage here. |
| Air India Express | 25kg, 30kg or 35kg depending on what ticket you buy | 7kg | Determined at the time of check in. Read more on Air India Express hand luggage here. |
| IndiGo | 30kg flying from Sharjah or Dubai, 15kg on domestic Indian flights | 7kg | From around Dh30 a kilo on flights from the UAE, Dh15 on Indian domestic flights |
| Air Arabia | 20kg, 30kg, or 40kg depending on route | 10kg | Depends on the route but up to 90% more expensive than pre-booked luggage. Read more on Air Arabia hand luggage here. |
| SpiceJet | 15kg on domestic flights in India, 20kg or 30kg on international flights | 7kg | From around Dh60 a kilo. Read more on SpiceJet hand baggage here. |
| Cebu Pacific | 15kg (Dh115 in advance) up to 40kg (Dh320 in advance) | 7kg | From around Dh100 a kilo |
| Airblue | 30kg of free baggage allowance on certain fares, 0kg on Economy Discount tickets | 7kg | From around Dh300 per bag on flights from the UAE. Read more on Airblue hand luggage here. |
| Flynas | 20kg or 30kg in Economy (Dh150 – Dh300), 2 x 25kg in Business | 7kg | Around Dh150 for pre-paid 15kg, and Dh250 for pre-paid 25kg. Dh40 – Dh60 per kilo at the airport for excess |
*Published June 2018. Prices and information correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change and/or availability. Always check with the airline before flying.
Want to know more about budget airlines? We’ve got other baggage guides and hand luggage rules to keep you right:
Air Arabia baggage allowance explained
Here’s all the info you need about the Air Arabia baggage allowance policy and how to avoid any excess baggage fees at the airport…
Hand luggage rules: 10 banned items
Not sure what can go in your hand luggage? Here are 10 unusual items that make the banned list…
Air India Express baggage allowance and charges explained
How to beat the Air India Express hand luggage rules and make sure you’re never paying extra at the airport…
