The UAE's flydubai is one of the world's top low-cost airlines in 2023. Photo: Chad Slattery
The UAE's flydubai is one of the world's top low-cost airlines in 2023. Photo: Chad Slattery
The UAE's flydubai is one of the world's top low-cost airlines in 2023. Photo: Chad Slattery
The UAE's flydubai is one of the world's top low-cost airlines in 2023. Photo: Chad Slattery

Best low-cost airlines in 2023: flydubai and Wizz Air rank in top 25


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

Many of us lament the end of the golden age of flying, when catching a flight was all about glamour, gourmet meals and ample legroom. These days, unless you can afford to fly in premium cabins with lie-flat beds and in-flight showers, the reality is a little different.

And that's especially true when flying on a low-cost airline where affordable ticket prices take precedence over in-flight frills. Pocket-friendly prices are important when it comes to booking travel, but what you get for your money can vary wildly depending on the airline. This leaves many travellers wondering what are the best budget airlines?

Airline Ratings has the answer via its curation of the world’s best low-cost airlines for 2023.

The list is compiled alphabetically rather than in ranking order, in the same way as the top 20 list of the world’s best airlines, which this year was topped by Air New Zealand, and included both Etihad Airways and Emirates.

Dubai's budget airline flydubai is included in this year's ranking of the top 25 best affordable airlines.

The carrier recently announced its new lie-flat business class suites, making it the first in the world to introduce such seats on a single-aisle Boeing aircraft.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is listed in the world's top 25 most affordable airlines in 2023. Photo: Wizz Air
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is listed in the world's top 25 most affordable airlines in 2023. Photo: Wizz Air

Flydubai was also named the best budget airline in the Middle East. It joins the likes of Southwest, AirAsia, Jetstar and Ryanair as the best low-cost options in their respective regions around the globe.

Wizz Air, the Hungarian airline which has a UAE base via Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, is also included in this year’s ranking. Its inclusion comes despite the airline being named the worst in the UK for flight delays.

Another budget airline in the UAE, Sharjah's Air Arabia, failed to rank in the top 25 in this year’s list after placing in the top 20 last year.

VietJet came out as one of the best budget carriers in the world, with the Vietnamese airline not only ranking in the top 25, but also picking up awards for best airline catering for a low-cost carrier and as the world’s best ultra low-cost airline.

The top 25 low-cost airlines in 2023

  1. AirAsia, Malaysia
  2. Allegiant, United States
  3. Bonza, Australia
  4. Cebu Pacific, Philippines
  5. easyJet, UK
  6. Eurowings, Germany
  7. Flair, Canada
  8. flydubai, UAE
  9. Frontier, United States
  10. GOL, Brazil
  11. IndiGo, India
  12. Jet2, UK
  13. JetBlue, United States
  14. Jetstar, Australia
  15. Norse Atlantic, Norway
  16. Peach, Japan
  17. Ryanair, Ireland
  18. Scoot, Singapore
  19. Spirit, United States
  20. Southwest, United States
  21. Transavia, Netherlands
  22. TUI, Germany
  23. VietJet, Vietnam
  24. Vueling, Spain
  25. Wizz Air, Hungary

The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars

PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates

Company profile

Name: Fruitful Day

Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie

Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2015

Number of employees: 30

Sector: F&B

Funding so far: Dh3 million

Future funding plans: None at present

Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
  1. Join parent networks
  2. Look beyond school fees
  3. Keep an open mind
THE SIXTH SENSE

Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Rating: 5/5

The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe


Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Who is Allegra Stratton?

 

  • Previously worked at The Guardian, BBC’s Newsnight programme and ITV News
  • Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
  • In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
  • The idea was later scrapped and she was appointed spokeswoman for Cop26
  • Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
  • She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
  • Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth
How Filipinos in the UAE invest

A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.

Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).

Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.

Updated: May 31, 2023, 5:56 AM`