5 Helpful Tips to Help You Thrive on a Budget Airline

A budget airline likes to give you exactly what you pay for–and not a crumb more! We love those cheap ticket prices, but they tend to make for a not-so-great experience.

Never fear! You can still fly on a budget airline and have a great time even if the company you’ve booked through isn’t helping you.

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Learn the baggage rules of the budget airline

Budget airlines have pretty stingy rules regarding baggage. For example, on Spirit Airlines you can’t have anything but a personal item. That’s right–you have to pay a fee for a carry-on.

If you need some extra bags, it will be at least $20-$30 cheaper to pre-purchase them online as opposed to buying them at the gate. If you have a travel companion, see if you can share a suitcase to split the cost.

There’s tons of information out there about capsule wardrobes and packing cubes to help maximize limited bag space. Take some time to research a method that works for you and your travel needs.

To avoid extra fees, you might want to make your personal item a backpack. It’s just small enough to fit under your seat but big enough to hold a good amount of stuff. Win-win!

This 40 liter backpack on Amazon is an absolute lifesaver for traveling because it packs SO MUCH space without being too big.

Pack a snack

Say goodbye to pretzels and ginger ale! Most budget airlines don’t supply complimentary in-flight snacks, so if you’re not prepared you will either go hungry or pay an arm and a leg for a little cookie.

The solution? Pack your own snacks!

What you bring can’t be liquid per flight safety regulations, and it shouldn’t be stinky. (That’s just common courtesy). Foods that need to be kept cold or heated up are impractical, and pure junk food on a long flight might make you feel sick.

Get a drink in the airport

Just like with snacks, budget airlines don’t supply complimentary drinks. (Except maybe lukewarm water that you probably don’t want to drink).

Airport food and drinks are notoriously overpriced, but the in-flight options are even worse. When I’ve flown with Spirit, a can of pop was $6! But you can’t bring liquids through security, so what are your options?

First, you can always get a drink in the airport. A large bottle of water from a kiosk will be cheaper than budget airlines in-flight drinks. It will also stretch farther and hydrate you better.

A lot of people suggest bringing a reusable water bottle and filling it up at a water fountain. I personally am skeptical of how sanitary those fountains are, and if it’s a returning flight I don’t necessarily want to drink a new place’s water because the different combination of minerals than I’m used to might upset my stomach.

Instead, take that water bottle to a fast food restaurant or coffee spot and politely ask the cashier if hey will fill it up with water from the soda fountain. Bonus points if the soda fountain is diy at the front counter and you don’t have to talk to anyone.

Some places might have certain cleanliness/food safety practices that don’t allow this. This is especially true now with COVID19 restrictions. In that case, request a cup of water from them. Most of them will be more than willing to give you one for free. Otherwise, you can always bring a filter bottle for better luck at a drinking fountain.

Use your comfort items

A budget airline tends to have less legroom, uncomfortable seats that barely tilt, and they don’t like to pass out blankets or spare earbuds.

Make sure that you bring anything you’ll need to remain comfortable. Travel pillow (like the one below), eye masks, and a hoodie or blanket in case you get cold will be life-changing.

Also, make sure you bring everything you need for entertainment: No in-flight movies on budget airlines. (At least not for free).

This is especially useful for long-haul flights. I talk more about making it through those here.

Get travel insurance

I don’t know the exact statistics, but based on my and my friends’ experiences, budget airlines are more likely to lose/damage your luggage and overbook flights and kick people off.

While travel insurance is always a must have, it’s especially useful here. You can file a claim to pay out the vale of lost or damaged items, and they will reimburse you for an extra night in a hotel/changes to your plane ticket due to unforeseen circumstances.

Travel insurance is pretty cheap, and you can get packages that last for a whole year or just for the duration of your trip. Make sure you read through what’s covered before you buy.

I personally have had good experience with Allianz travel insurance. Do your own research to find a plan that’s best for you.

A budget airline can have great deals, but you do have to sacrifice some comforts and services. Hopefully, with these tricks you’ll be able to enjoy your next budget flight a little more.