A travel enthusiast has undertaken a comprehensive review of Europe's three leading budget carriers—easyJet, Ryanair, and Wizz Air—to settle the long-standing debate over which airline offers the best value and experience for passengers.
With airfare prices climbing, partly due to the jet fuel crisis stemming from the Iran conflict, travellers are increasingly seeking the most cost-effective options without compromising on quality. Against this backdrop, Italian YouTuber Filippo assessed the three airlines across five key metrics: the aircraft itself, seat comfort, toilet facilities, on-time departure, and on-time arrival.
The Review Process
Filippo began his journey with a Wizz Air flight from Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, to Milan. He then boarded an easyJet plane from Milan to Amsterdam, and concluded his budget airline odyssey with a Ryanair flight from Eindhoven in the Netherlands back to Vilnius.
In his video, Filippo stated, "EasyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air—today we will discover which is the best low-cost airline in the whole continent." He noted that "the internet has already decided," pointing out that Wizz Air has lower ratings on Tripadvisor and Trustpilot compared to its rivals.
The Results
After tallying the scores, the winner was clear: easyJet achieved 23 out of 25 points. Wizz Air followed with 19 out of 25, while Ryanair trailed with 16 out of 25. Filippo commented, "The final result is clear, easyJet is the best low-cost airline we have here in Europe. The message I'm trying to share with you with this video is that all three companies are good companies to fly with."
He expressed particular satisfaction with his easyJet experience, especially at Milan Malpensa Airport's Terminal 2, which has recently been renovated and serves as an "easyJet hub." He awarded easyJet five out of five in every category except seat comfort, which he still found superior to Wizz Air's seating.
Wizz Air and Ryanair
Wizz Air, a Hungarian carrier, lost points due to limited legroom and a somewhat dated toilet, placing it second with 19 out of 25. Ryanair, which Filippo flew with for the first time in a decade, finished last. He summed up his Ryanair experience: "Once again an old plane, but it got us to our destination safely. The seat was uncomfortable but less uncomfortable than Wizz Air. The bathroom was clean and well stocked. Departure 15 minutes late. We arrived a few minutes late."
Market Context
EasyJet, Ryanair, and Wizz Air dominate the European budget airline market in terms of passenger numbers and fleet size, with carriers like Vueling, Pegasus, and Jet2 following behind.
