NYC to Paris for $200? Here's what you need to know about the new long-haul budget airlines

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Affordable travel is reaching new heights with the arrival of long haul, low-cost airlines. Earlier this year, experts projected intercontinental flights will get even more expensive despite planes returning to the skies at a rate not seen since the start of the pandemic. Budget-conscious globetrotters are now opting for lower airfares even if it means saying bon voyage to some of the comforts of so-called full-service airlines.

THE DEAL WITH LONG-HAUL, LOW-COST AIRLINES  

• These less expensive airlines largely focus on four specific markets: transatlantic, transpacific, southeast Asia, and Australia. That’s where the flights are long enough to be long-haul, but where passengers are numerous enough for the airline to make money.

• Each airline is slightly different from the next, and by and large they concentrate on flights to and from a particular home-base airport. But keep in mind, airlines might not fly into the main airport in the city or use a low-cost terminal with limited shops and restaurants.

• Comparing long-haul, low-cost carriers to other airlines that bill themselves as “full-service,” you’ll often get the same newer planes such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, sometimes with the same seats and entertainment screens.

• But some of the budget airlines pack an extra seat into every passenger row, which means they’re really narrow. Others don’t have inflight entertainment, not even in business class, and also charge for power sockets in economy.

• Bottom line: These carriers can be a great deal if you understand you’re paying low-cost fares and need to expect a low-cost experience onboard. Check each airline's website carefully for what is and isn’t included in each ticket type.

NOTEWORTHY AIRLINES

• Frenchbee: Operates out of Paris, with notable routes to and from LA, Miami, NYC, and SF. The Airline uses Airbus A350's, but with extra-narrow, 10-across seating. 

• Norse Atlantic: Operates out of Norway, with notable routes to and from Boston, Chicago, LA, Miami, NY, Orlando, and SF. The airline uses the ex-Norwegian planes, meaning they are older seats, but the premium cabin has lots of legroom and is one of the best deals in flying.

• Air Premia: Operates out of Seoul, with notable routes to and from Honolulu, LA, Newark, and Frankfurt. Air Premia offers above-average seat features and legroom, plus a good premium cabin that can be a great deal if you’re flexible.

• Zipair Tokyo: Operates out of Tokyo, with notable routes to and from Honolulu, LA, SF, San Jose, CA. This is Japan Airlines’ low-cost arm. It offers a real full-flat pod as ZIP Full-Flat. Neither economy nor business have seat-back entertainment.

• AirAsia X: Operates out of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with notable routes throughout east Asia, southeast Asia, and Australia. The airline flies Airbus A330's, but with extra-narrow nine-across seating.  AirAsia X is part of the Asian low-cost powerhouse AirAsia, with a massive connecting network. No screens are available, only streaming inflight entertainment to your own device.

• See more of the list compiled on CNN.com by John Walton

THE BIG PICTURE

• The travel industry has defied a global economic slowdown, enjoying record bookings and profits as pent-up demand following the pandemic fueled spending on air tickets and hotels.

• Earlier this year, the International Air Transport Association said it expected airlines globally to make $9.8 billion in net profit in 2023, more than doubling the forecast it made in December. 

• That figure marks a significant turnaround for the aviation industry, which suffered net losses of $183 billion from 2020 to 2022 amid pandemic travel lockdowns.

• Intercontinental flight tickets are projected to get even more expensive as airline capacity remains low, according to American Express Global Business Travel.

• Experts say that soaring costs, labor shortages and the closure of Russian airspace are all pushing up prices.

• Airfares to and from Asia have especially surged this year: Airfares within the region were 33% higher in February than the same month in 2019, according to data from Skyscanner Travel Insight.

• A business-class ticket from Paris to Shanghai that would have cost approximately $5,650 in 2019 has now doubled to more than $11,500, according to American Express Global Business Travel.

Would you book an international flight with a low-cost airline? What amenities would you sacrifice for lower costs? We’d love to hear your take in the comments section below.

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