November 26, 2025, 1:45 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
The flight review portal Skytrax awards the World Airline Awards every year. Among these, the best low-cost carriers in the world are also recognized—a German airline has made it to the top this year and emerged as the European winner.
A bit less comfort and paid extras: Low-cost airlines usually offer cheap flights but generate their revenue through extra fees for luggage, seat reservations, or similar services. For those who don’t place much value on these and want to save money, a low-cost carrier is just right. But which airline performs best in this category? Skytrax surveyed passengers from more than 100 different countries, who rated over 325 airlines worldwide.
German Airline is the Best in Europe
The German airline Eurowings was named the best low-cost carrier in Europe. In the overall ranking, it lands in fourth place, making it the fourth-best low-cost airline in the world. On the Eurowings website, Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted is quoted as saying that Europe is the most competitive market worldwide for low-cost airlines, making this success all the more remarkable. The award demonstrates the high quality of service and hospitality at Eurowings.
Also interesting: German Airline Named the Most Family-Friendly in the World
Eurowings CEO Jens Bischof also states that the clear focus on quality, reliability, and customer orientation is recognized and appreciated. According to Eurowings, several factors were crucial for the good ranking: service quality, professional crews, a modern fleet, and unique features such as lounge access, earning miles, or flexible rebooking options. These advantages set Eurowings apart from the competition.
Best Low-Cost Airline in the World Comes from Malaysia
At the top of the world’s best low-cost carriers is AirAsia—for the 16th consecutive time. As the travel magazine “Travel and Leisure” reports, the low-cost airline from Malaysia flies to destinations across Southeast Asia and offers its customers various combo packages and seating options for maximum cost savings. It is also said that the airline aims to become the world’s first global low-cost airline and make its attractive prices accessible to passengers everywhere.
The Top Ten Best Low-Cost Carriers in the World:
- AirAsia, Malaysia
- Scoot, Singapore
- IndiGo, India
- Eurowings, Germany
- Vueling Airlines, Spain
- Volotea, Spain
- Transavia France, France
- Iberia Express, Spain
- Flynas, Saudi Arabia
- EasyJet, UK