Best Budget Airlines for Cheap Flights: Reliable Picks for Travelers

Cheap isn’t enough—smart travelers weigh route fit, the true total price (base fare plus predictable fees), and recent reliability. This guide spotlights the best budget airlines for cheap flights and shows how to compare low-cost carriers and ultra-low-cost carriers without surprises. Quick picks: Breeze, JetBlue, and Southwest deliver strong value and comfort; Avelo and Allegiant shine on simple, nonstop leisure routes; Frontier and Spirit can be the absolute cheapest if you travel light and stay flexible, as reflected in independent rundowns of U.S. budget carriers and their fees (see analysis by Going). To thrive on budget airlines, lock your dates, tally fees for bags and seats, and target secondary airports only when they genuinely save time and money—the lens we use at Travel Beyond Boundaries.