CHEAP THRILLS
From Los Cabos to London, how to fly frugally from NYC
THERE’S never been a better time to fly to Europe — or anywhere, for that matter — on a budget.
These days, New Yorkers can take advantage of domestic and international service on at least seven ultra low-cost airlines. Most sell seats one way at a low price, so feel free to mix and match carriers to suit your budget and schedule. (Just be aware that you’ll often pay not just for checked bags, but also for carry-ons.)
Here, we round up the nofrills carriers that fly from the New York area, along with associated fees and insider tips for each. Also shown are representative round-trip airfares, culled from a recent search.
Norwegian Air
Flies from: JFK and Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, NY
Flies to: Nonstop to London, Barcelona and Paris with connections to many other European cities Carry-on bag fee: $0, as long as it’s smaller than 21-by-16by-9 inches and less than 22 pounds
Checked bag fee: $135 Sample fare: Stewart to Belfast nonstop for $227 round-trip
Tips: This summer, Norwegian started flying out of Stewart airport in New York state's Orange County, about 60 miles north of Manhattan. The routes have reportedly been operating 90 percent full. Also, with Norwegian, you can play exchange rates by buying the return segment in euros rather than dollars. Norwegian mostly flies new 787 Dreamliners, known for providing a more comfortable cabin atmosphere ( Norwegian.com).
Primera Air
Flies from: Newark Flies to: Nonstop to London, Paris and Birmingham, UK Carry-on bag fee: One standard 21-inch bag is free, but the maximum weight limit is 22 pounds Checked bag fee: $45 Sample fare: Newark to Birmingham nonstop in August 2018 for $370 round-trip Tip: Service doesn’t begin until spring 2018, but this newcomer to the low-cost pool serves 97 destinations with a fleet of just 17 planes. New Airbus A321neo models will fly the trans-Atlantic routes ( PrimeraAir.com).
Condor
Flies from: JFK Flies to: European cities including Oslo, Munich and Milan (many via Manchester, in the UK) Carry-on bag fee: None if the bag is smaller than 21-by-15by-7½ inches and weighs less than 13 pounds Checked bag fee: Free up to 50 pounds
Sample fare: JFK to Manchester nonstop for $490 round-trip in September
Tip: Condor is part of the Thomas Cook Group. A meal is included with your fare, but the low carry-on weight limit means you might end up having to check your bag ( Condor.com).
Wow Air
Flies from: Newark Flies to: Many European cities — and Israel — with a change of planes in Iceland Carry-on bag fee: A bag no larger than 7-by-13-by-10 inches and 22 pounds flies free; otherwise, you’ll pay $100. Checked bag fee: $100 Sample fare: Newark to Tel Aviv via Reykjavik in October for $379 round-trip Tips: There are frequent promo code discounts, so sign up for Wow’s email list. The carrier, known for its magenta color scheme, also offers stopovers in Iceland at no additional charge ( WowAir.us).
Allegiant Air
Flies from: Newark and Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, NY
Flies to: Asheville, NC, Knoxville, Tenn., Savannah, Ga., Cincinnati and many cities in Florida
Carry-on bag fee: $15 to $25, varies by destination
Checked bag fee: $18 to $30, varies by destination
Sample fare: Newark to Savannah nonstop in September for $87 round-trip
Tips: Buy at the airport instead of online to save $26 on all round-trip fares. Some routes only operate a few times a week, so cancellations strand you until the next flight out ( AllegiantAir.com).
Frontier
Flies from: LaGuardia and Islip Flies to: US cities and Los Cabos, Mexico Carry-on bag fee: $30 Checked bag fee: $25 Sample fare: NYC to Las Vegas in September for $101 round-trip (with promo code)
Tip: Add “The Works” perks bundle to make your fare fully refundable. It comes with a free carry-on and free checked bags, plus extra legroom for a lot less than a refundable fare would cost on other airlines ( FlyFrontier.com).
Spirit
Flies from: LaGuardia and Newark
Flies to: US cities, the Caribbean, and Central and South America
Carry-on bag fee: $37 to $65, varies by route and travel date
Checked bag fee: $30 to $60, varies by route and travel date
Sample fare: LaGuardia to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., nonstop for $80 round-trip throughout the fall
Tips: Sign up for their emails to get frequent promo codes. If you like to spread out, Spirit’s “Big Front Seat” (with two seats on either side of the aisle instead of three) is equivalent in roominess to some airlines’ business classes ( Spirit.com).