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.
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
- AirAsia, Malaysia
- Allegiant, United States
- Bonza, Australia
- Cebu Pacific, Philippines
- easyJet, UK
- Eurowings, Germany
- Flair, Canada
- flydubai, UAE
- Frontier, United States
- GOL, Brazil
- IndiGo, India
- Jet2, UK
- JetBlue, United States
- Jetstar, Australia
- Norse Atlantic, Norway
- Peach, Japan
- Ryanair, Ireland
- Scoot, Singapore
- Spirit, United States
- Southwest, United States
- Transavia, Netherlands
- TUI, Germany
- VietJet, Vietnam
- Vueling, Spain
- 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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- 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.
