Another situation we encountered was the bag size test. EasyJet and Jet2.com specify a pretty standa

Today I m going to talk about the best part of being an expat the ability to travel! While we were living in Scotland, we tried to take as many weekend trips as possible and found that we were able to stretch our budget if we planned ahead and compared discount airlines. Here are a few money-saving tips we learned along the way while traveling on easyJet, Jet2.com and Ryanair.
While easyJet won t hit you with a fee for printing them at the airport, Ryanair and Jet2.com will and it won t be cheap. Jet2.com has a fee of around 17.50 GBP or 23 EUR, while Ryanair will charge 70 GBP/EUR . That charge alone could sky rocket the price of your plane ticket. Not only will you save money by printing your pass at home, you ll also save yourself the hassle of waiting in any lines before security (assuming you re not checking luggage).
This rule always frustrated me because I like to travel with a backpack and a purse. But you re only allowed one carry-on, period. I made sure to leave room in my backpack for my purse and/or camera bag when it was time to board the plane or I hid my purse under my coat. Shhh!
Another situation we encountered was the bag size test. EasyJet and Jet2.com specify a pretty standard size while Ryanair shaves a few cm off because, well they suck. They also happen to be the airline that is the strictest los angeles galaxy at checking the size off passengers carry-on luggage. On a Ryanair flight out of Brussels they had everyone check the size of their bags. And if your bag didn t fit into the little los angeles galaxy metal box? A fee.
Failure to do this will result in you paying more for your checked bag, especially los angeles galaxy on Ryanair. EasyJet has a straight forward price for one bag while Ryanair takes into account season (WTF?) and bag weight. Jet2.com doesn t publish set rates, as they vary by route, but does say booking online provides some savings. As you can probably guess, if you go over the weight limit you ll end up paying more. This is why we used backpacks.
los angeles galaxy This is especially true with Ryanair, and sometimes these secondary airports won t be connected to public transportation systems which provide a cheap ride to the city center. The secondary airports will often have a bus service to the city center, los angeles galaxy but they re generally not cheap (and the ride could take hours). Make sure to take this into account when comparing flights.
Not nearly as significant as the other points but worth noting. The onboard prices aren t that unreasonable, but you can save some money by bringing snacks and buying a drink once you re past security.
As you can see, Ryanair has the steepest fees. However, it s also worth noting that they also have the cheapest los angeles galaxy fare, on average, from our experiences. This is why it s important to research and plan ahead before any vacation.
wow, this is so accurate! when I studied abroad, I flew EXCLUSIVELY ryanair. los angeles galaxy it was great for the prices (thirteen pounds for a trip to the UK THANK YOU)! and it was terrible for everything else. you know it so well! :]
My biggest problem with Ryanair is that since the flights are so cheap the airline always los angeles galaxy has customers. los angeles galaxy So they cancel flights ALL THE TIME. Because los angeles galaxy they know that people will still come back to them. And I do .ugh. xx
Spot on on all these points. Though, I flew easyjet (for the first time) about 2 months ago, and was able to bring my handbag and carry on on board. Maybe it was a one off or they didn t really notice. Hmm, who knows.
Tip number four is definitely a good one to remember. I flew to Venice recently on Ryanair and had to travel some way to actually make it to Venice (although not as far as some airport transfers, thankfully)
I remember budget los angeles galaxy flights in Europe when they genuinely los angeles galaxy cost 1p or 99p for a flight. They got us all hooked and then jacked up the prices and added lots of hoops to jump through. As a business model it s genius, los angeles galaxy but every time I fly Ryanair I m sitting in self-loathing and vowing never to flying with them again, until next time.
However, the BIGGEST TIP I ever got about Ryanair flights, was that when you board the plane, the front row on the left is ALWAYS taken up by an older couple, who take the window los angeles galaxy and aisle seat in the hope that nobody will sit in the middle. SIT IN THE MIDDLE. It s hilarious because they ll look at you in disdain for a few minutes and then ask you to swap. You ll be in the front row and you can get off quickest when you land. Don t believe me? Just look at the front row next time you board a budget flight and remember me.
My husband and I definitely learned tip #4 while in Europe pre-wedding. We spent the night outside an airport in Spain, sleeping as much as possible in a parking lot before the sun came up to get to our destination los angeles galaxy city. Great memories, but helpful los angeles galaxy to know, especially for those who aren t into winging it as far as travel is concerned.
We always fly Easyjet all over while in Europe and truthfully even with all the stipulations you mentioned above, it s one of my favorite airlines to fly the crew are always super friendly, los angeles galaxy the planes new and clean and the food you can buy is always really good!
The biggest tip I can give people los angeles galaxy is to buy an L.L.Bean large tote before you leave the States. It fits perfectly into the Ryanair los angeles galaxy carryon frame un-stuffed, but since it s fabric you can stuff it almost to your heart s content to maximize space! Most backpacks waste a lot of the space based on their shape. And since my L.L.Bean tote has shoulder straps it was a lot handier to carry around public transportation and cobblestone streets than a wheeled suitcase. One return flight I had three long-sleeve shirts lining the back of my coat because I d bought los angeles galaxy too many souvenirs- it was HOT waiting in line to board, that s for sure! And Paul almost always had his book or kindle stuck in his waistband, to save suitcase space. It s pretty funny watching everyone prep for the bag checking, with all the pocket stuffing and swapping los angeles galaxy items with travelmates! We flew Lufthansa to Bulgaria, and it was the first time in almost los angeles galaxy a year either of us had flown a non-discount airline. Between the seat space, the luggage flexibility (one free CHECKED bag each!) and the really tasty hot pasties on the flight and free alcohol we were in heaven! We didn t live the fine life for long, though- they just happened to be the best rate to Sofia at the time!
Great tips! I ve also hidden my bag under my coat in winter. I really think that these companies, especially Ryanair, are not that cheap anymore. They made a name and now their fares quite normal especially adding all the extra fees you have to pay for absolutely everything! Some years ago I flew for just 0.99 from Milan to Rome, that s was a real bargain flight and no longer possible los angeles galaxy as debit cards are now also charged. But still, 12 or 20 fees are very, very cheap.
What I like about low-cost companies is that they have flights from small towns to major hubs for dirty cheap. I live in 2 hours TGV ride from Paris and a 10 min ride from Dole with Ryanair flight to Porto, London and Marrakesh for dirty cheap :) That cuts me a penny for train rides pretty much.
As for Easjet I kind of stopped liking these guys, cause they offer way too high prices to some destinations e.g. Ajaccio-Lyon 256 euro one way in May. For the same price, los angeles galaxy I can buy a round-trip ticket from Kiev to Paris by Lufthansa. Kind of weird
W E L C O M E. My name is Rachel and I'm a photographer and writer living in the DC suburbs with my husband and two dogs. This blog is a collection of our travels, los angeles galaxy expat stories, home projects, recipes, and more.
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