• EasyJet is the world's best budget airline according to new rankings from AirlineRatings.com
    EasyJet is the world's best budget airline according to new rankings from AirlineRatings.com
  • Jetstar Airways is an Australian low-cost airline. Here, one of its Airbus A330-200s moves down the runway at Sydney Airport
    Jetstar Airways is an Australian low-cost airline. Here, one of its Airbus A330-200s moves down the runway at Sydney Airport
  • Frontier Airlines is an American ultra low-cost carrier. Its headquarters are in Colorado
    Frontier Airlines is an American ultra low-cost carrier. Its headquarters are in Colorado
  • JetBlue, a low-cost US carrier, ranks fourth in the 2021 list
    JetBlue, a low-cost US carrier, ranks fourth in the 2021 list
  • Ryanair was ranked among the world's top 10 best budget airlines for 2021
    Ryanair was ranked among the world's top 10 best budget airlines for 2021
  • Scoot is a Singaporean low-cost carrier and a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. Here, one of Scoot's Boeing 787 Dreamliners can be seen at Singapore's Changi Airport
    Scoot is a Singaporean low-cost carrier and a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. Here, one of Scoot's Boeing 787 Dreamliners can be seen at Singapore's Changi Airport
  • Southwest Airlines has its headquarters in Texas. Here, several of its Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft are shown parked at Victorville Airport in California
    Southwest Airlines has its headquarters in Texas. Here, several of its Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft are shown parked at Victorville Airport in California
  • Volaris is a budget-friendly Mexican airline, and the second largest in the country after Aeromexico
    Volaris is a budget-friendly Mexican airline, and the second largest in the country after Aeromexico
  • VietJet, a low-cost airline from Vietnam, made the cut in the world's top 10 low-cost airline rankings
    VietJet, a low-cost airline from Vietnam, made the cut in the world's top 10 low-cost airline rankings
  • A Westjet aircraft taxis at Vancouver International Airport in Canada
    A Westjet aircraft taxis at Vancouver International Airport in Canada

Travel

Airlines

World’s best low-cost airlines for 2021 revealed

Britain's easyJet takes the top spot in the latest rankings from AirlineRatings.com

Hayley Skirka
Hayley Skirka

July 21, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

After a year in which the aviation industry battled its worst crisis, there is light at the end of the tunnel as travel begins to return in some regions around the world.

While many airlines were forced to ground fleets for several months owing to restrictions imposed to help control the global pandemic, others have returned to the skies as travellers begin to gain confidence once again.

To coincide with this return of travel, AirlineRatings.com has revealed the top 10 best low-cost airlines in the world. The ranking can be used by passengers to decide which airline to book, by those seeking the best in affordable flying.

The Australian aviation safety and product rating agency compiles its rankings based on several criteria, including the age of the fleet, passenger reviews and product offerings. This year, airlines have also been ranked based on how they responded to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The top 10 low-cost airlines in 2021

Ryanair ranked in the top 10 list of the world's best budget airlines in 2021. Ryanair
Ryanair ranked in the top 10 list of the world's best budget airlines in 2021. Ryanair

1. easyJet (UK)

2. Jetstar (Australia)

3. Frontier (US)

4. JetBlue (US)

5. Ryanair (Ireland)

6. Scoot (Singapore)

7. Southwest (US)

8. VietJet Air (Vietnam)

9. Volaris (Mexico)

10. WestJet (Canada)

AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas said that “each of these airlines has an excellent safety record and has made a big difference in their market”.

“From Southwest Airlines, which started the low-cost revolution in the 1970s, to JetBlue, which redefines the low-cost product, each airline has made a huge contribution to affordable travel.

“In Europe, it’s easyJet and Ryanair, in Asia Jetstar and Scoot, while in Americas one can add Frontier, Volaris and WestJet to Southwest and JetBlue. All are standouts.”

Air Arabia aircraft at rest on the tarmac. AirArabia
Air Arabia aircraft at rest on the tarmac. AirArabia

Sharjah's Air Arabia made its debut in 2020's list, but has been left out of the top 10 this year. It did, however, rank in the top 10 low-cost safest airline rankings that were published in January.

No other UAE airline was included in the top 10 list this year. That's despite an expansion of budget air travel providers, with the launch of two new low-cost airlines in Abu Dhabi.

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi have commenced operations since the onset of the global pandemic, and offer flights in and out of the UAE capital.

How are the top 10 airlines chosen?

AirlineRatings.com chooses the top 10 budget airlines based on excellent safety and incident records, as well as commending those that have completed the stringent International Air Transport Association (Iata) Operational Safety Audit.

This optional evaluation system checks airlines on more than 1,000 points and is reassessed every two years.

The website also offers travellers a tool where they can compare the safety assessments of almost 400 airlines monitored by the rating agency.

Unresolved crisis

Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.

Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.

The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.

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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

Updated: July 21, 2021, 1:36 PM
Airlines