Basic Economy is not limited to domestic and short-haul flights. The rapid expansion of low-cost airlines crossing the Atlantic has caused the legacy carriers to implement Basic Economy fares on long-haul international travel as well.
Update: Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), several airlines have waived change fees and updated refund policies. For the time being, most fares on all airlines can now be changed or canceled without any fees — even Basic Economy fares. These policies will likely go back to normal (what is written below) once this pandemic is over.
Comparing Basic Economy Fares for Flights to Europe and North Africa
To help you plan your trip across the pond and save you from surprise fees, I’ll go over each airline’s policies for baggage, seat assignments, meals, and more, as they pertain to Basic Economy tickets.
What does Basic Economy Mean for Transatlantic Travel?
Basic Economy (or Economy Light) for transatlantic flights is slightly different than it is for domestic and short-haul international flights. The main difference is that pretty much all airlines include a normal carry-on baggage allowance for Basic Economy tickets when traveling across the Atlantic, whereas, domestically the luggage restrictions can be more stringent. As with all Basic Economy tickets, you will be in the last boarding group.
The Basic Economy frenzy hit the transatlantic market when low-cost airlines like Norwegian and WOW Air started selling no-frills flights from the U.S. and Canada to Europe for as little as $69 or $99 one-way. Of course, these unheard-of prices don’t include anything other than basic transportation and a small amount of carry-on luggage. Everything else, such as checked bags, choosing a specific seat, and in-flight meals, costs extra. Wow Air has since ceased to exist, but there have been rumors of its return to service and there are several other budget carriers now flying across the Atlantic.
Related: The Future of Transatlantic Low-Cost-Carriers
Checked bag fees have been the standard for domestic travel for years now and it was only a matter of time before these fees would become standard on long-haul international travel as well. In April 2018, Delta and SkyTeam partners became the first major airlines to charge for the first checked bag on flights between North America and Europe on Basic Economy fares.
As is the case with most other fees in the airline industry, all other major airline alliances followed suit and we now live in a time where most of the lowest fares you see to Europe do not include any free checked bags. On the legacy carriers, these checked bag fees only apply for Basic Economy (or Economy Light) tickets. If you purchase a standard Economy fare on the major carriers, one checked bag is still included.
There are also other restrictions on Basic Economy fares, which vary by airline. The low-cost carriers have fees for everything that can be deemed an “optional” service. In contrast, the legacy carriers' Basic Economy fares have restrictions that simply don’t allow certain services such as ticket changes or upgrades, but still include the same in-flight meal services as a standard Economy ticket.
Listed below, you'll find more details on each airline’s policies for Basic Economy tickets from the US/Canada on transatlantic flights to Europe and North Africa.
Transatlantic Basic Economy Restrictions by Airline
- American / Oneworld (British Airways, Iberia, Finnair)
- Delta / SkyTeam (Air France, Air Europa, Alitalia, KLM) and Virgin Atlantic
- United / Star Alliance (Air Canada, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss)
- Aer Lingus
- Air Italy
- Air Transat
- Condor
- Corsair International
- Eurowings
- French Bee
- Icelandair
- Level
- Norwegian
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines
- TAP Air Portugal
- TUI Fly
- WestJet
American / Oneworld (British Airways, Iberia, Finnair)
Note: These are the Basic Economy guidelines for transatlantic flights. For information on domestic and short-haul travel on American, go here.
What it’s called: Basic Economy on American, British Airways, and Iberia; Economy Light on Finnair.
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $75 ($65 on British Airways, Iberia, or Finnair if pre-booked online.) This fee was raised from $60 to $75 on April 21, 2020.
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat. You can pay the seat fee during booking.
Ticket Changes: Allowed for a fee + difference in fare.
Food and Beverage: Meals and drinks are included.
Upgrades: Not allowed.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Miles and segments are earned at a 50% reduced rate.
Benefits for Airline-Branded Credit Card Holders: Priority boarding. Fee for the first checked bag will still apply.
Benefits for Elite Airline Status: AAdvantage members receive their usual benefits pertaining to free checked bags and boarding priority, but will not be allowed to upgrade a Basic Economy ticket. Elite benefits may vary for flights marketed and/or operated by British Airways, Iberia, or Finnair. British Airways elites have free seat selection starting one week before departure.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Main Cabin (Standard) Economy fare includes one free checked bag, standard seat selection, and is eligible for upgrades. The Main Cabin (Standard) Economy fare also earns the normal allotment of frequent flier miles and elite qualification.
Related: How to Fly American Airlines
Delta / SkyTeam (Air France, Air Europa, Alitalia, KLM) and Virgin Atlantic
Note: These are the Basic Economy guidelines for transatlantic flights. For information on domestic and short-haul travel on Delta, go here.
What it’s called: Basic Economy on Delta; Economy Light on Air France, Air Europa, Alitalia, KLM, and Virgin Atlantic.
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $60
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat. You can pay the seat fee during booking on the European carriers. On Delta, you may be able to choose a seat for a fee from one week up to 24 hours before departure or for FREE at check-in, but there is no guarantee that these options will be available.
Ticket Changes: Not allowed more than 24 hours after booking.
Food and Beverage: Meals and drinks are included.
Upgrades: Not allowed.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Miles may be earned at a reduced rate on some airlines.
Benefits for Airline-Branded Credit Card Holders: One free checked bag and priority boarding for you and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation.
Benefits for Elite Airline Status: SkyTeam elite members receive their usual benefits pertaining to free checked bags, seat selection, priority boarding, and check-in, but will not be allowed to change or upgrade a Basic Economy ticket.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Main Cabin (Standard) Economy fare includes one free checked bag, standard seat selection, allows ticket changes for a fee, and is eligible for upgrades.
Related: How to Fly Delta Air Lines
United / Star Alliance (Air Canada, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss)
Note: These are the Basic Economy guidelines for transatlantic flights. For information on domestic and short-haul travel, go here for United or here for Air Canada.
What it’s called: Basic Economy on United; Economy Basic on Air Canada, Economy Light on Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, and Swiss.
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag plus a personal item. Lufthansa Group airlines (Lufthansa, Austrian, Brussels, and Swiss) have a lower than usual weight limit of 17.6 lbs. for your carry-on bag.
First Checked Bag: $70 (This fee was increased from $60 to $70 in 2020; Brussels Airlines still shows a $60 fee)
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat. You can pay the seat fee during booking. There is a fee to pre-select a seat on standard Economy fares as well for all airlines, except United.
Ticket Changes: Not allowed more than 24 hours after booking.
Food and Beverage: Meals and drinks are included.
Upgrades: Not allowed.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Earn up to 25% miles on Air Canada. On other airlines, mileage accrual is based on the ticket spend amount. Elite qualifying credit is earned on all airlines.
Benefits for Airline-Branded Credit Card Holders: Chase MileagePlus cardholders receive one free checked bag.
Benefits for Elite Airline Status: Premier members and Star Alliance Gold members receive their usual benefits pertaining to free checked bags and priority boarding. However, Economy Plus seating and upgrades are not available for anyone traveling on a Basic Economy ticket.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Standard Economy fare includes one free checked bag, allows ticket changes for a fee, and is eligible for upgrades. On United, advanced seat assignments are included with a standard Economy fare.
Related: How to Fly United Airlines
Aer Lingus
What it’s called: Saver (only sold to/from Ireland)
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $55 to/from Ireland.
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat.
Ticket Changes: $150 + difference in fare.
Food and Beverage: Meals and drinks are included.
Upgrades: Eligible for upgrades.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Miles are earned. Elite status credits are earned at a reduced rate.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Smart fare includes one checked bag, standard seat selection, headphones, and a blanket. All Aer Lingus Economy fares between North America and the UK/Europe are Smart fares. Saver fares are only sold on flights to/from Ireland.
Air Italy
What it’s called: Light
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag up to 17.6 lbs. plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $50
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat for both Light and Classic fares.
Ticket Changes: Not allowed more than 24 hours after booking.
Food and Beverage: One free welcome drink. $ Charge for in-flight meals.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Miles are earned at the normal rate.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Classic fare includes one free checked bag and allows ticket changes for a fee.
Air Transat
What it’s called: Eco promo or Eco
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $55 CAD when purchased during online booking.
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat.
Ticket Changes: $300-$350 CAD + difference in fare.
Food and Beverage: Meals and drinks are included.
Upgrades: Club seats may be offered for purchase at the airport on your departure day (subject to availability).
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Miles are earned at the normal rate.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Eco extra fare includes standard seat selection and has a reduced $150 CAD change fee.
Condor
What it’s called: Economy Light
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag up to 17.6 lbs. plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: Often $50 - $60 each way (via upgrade to "Economy Class" fare) or $75 - $110 each way when added à la carte to the "Economy Light" fare online. If you know you need a checked bag at the time of booking, make sure to compare with the "Economy Class" fare.
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat for both Economy Light and standard Economy Class fares.
Check-In: FREE online check-in; There is a $30 fee to check-in at an airport counter.
Ticket Changes: Not allowed more than 24 hours after booking.
Food and Beverage: Meals and non-alcoholic drinks are included.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Miles are earned at the normal rate.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Standard Economy Class fare includes one free checked bag, free airport check-in, and allows ticket changes for a fee.
Corsair International
What it’s called: Eco Basic
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $46 - $50 each way (via upgrade to "Eco Classic" fare) or $77 each way when added à la carte to the "Eco Basic" fare online. If you know you need a checked bag at the time of booking, make sure you choose at least the "Eco Classic" fare.
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat.
Ticket Changes: Not allowed more than 24 hours after booking.
Food and Beverage: Meals and drinks are included.
Other Economy Class Fares & Benefits: Eco Classic fare includes one free checked bag and allows ticket changes for a fee. Eco Smart fare includes the benefits of Eco Classic plus advanced seat assignments and the ticket is refundable for a fee.
Related: The Best Checked Luggage for Travel
Eurowings
What it’s called: Basic
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag up to 17.6 lbs. plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $60 when purchased during online booking.
Seat Assignments: Standard seating.
Ticket Changes: Not allowed more than 24 hours after booking.
Food and Beverage: $ Charge for meals.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Miles are earned.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Smart fare includes one free checked bag, an in-flight meal, preferred seating, and allows ticket changes for a fee.
French Bee
What it’s called: Basic
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $45 when purchased during online booking.
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat for both Basic and Smart fares.
Ticket Changes: Not allowed more than 24 hours after booking.
Food and Beverage: $ Charge for meals.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Smart fare includes one free checked bag, an in-flight meal, and allows ticket changes for a fee.
Icelandair
What it’s called: Economy Light
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $45 - $60 each way (via upgrade to "Economy Standard" fare) or $55 - $76 each way when added à la carte to the "Economy Light" fare online. If you know you need a checked bag at the time of booking, make sure you choose at least the "Economy Standard" fare.
Seat Assignments: Standard seat selection is included.
Ticket Changes: Not allowed.
Stopover: Up to 3 days. Note: Checked bag fees will be charged per segment when flying on an Icelandair stopover. For Economy Light tickets, the total fee for the first checked bag on the stopover portion is $102 ($55 from/to North America + $47 to/from Europe) when booked online.
Food and Beverage: $ Charge for meals for both Basic and Standard fares. Complimentary soft drinks.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Points are earned at a reduced rate.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Economy Standard fare includes one free checked bag, standard mileage accrual, stopovers up to 7 days, and allows ticket changes for a fee.
Level
What it’s called: Economy
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $44 - $59 when purchased during online booking.
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat.
Ticket Changes: $200 + difference in fare.
Food and Beverage: $ Charge for meals, drinks, and snacks onboard.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Miles are earned at a reduced rate. No elite qualification is earned.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Plus fare includes one free checked bag plus meals and drinks on board. However, it's likely cheaper to just book a "Light" fare and book these add-ons separately à la carte.
Norwegian
What it’s called: LowFare
Carry-on Baggage: $12-$21 each way for a standard-sized carry-on bag when purchased online; FREE personal item up to 15 x 12 x 8 inches. Max combined weight of 22 lbs.
First Checked Bag: $60-$95 when purchased during online booking.
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat.
Ticket Changes: $145 + difference in fare.
Food and Beverage: $ Charge for meals, drinks, and snacks onboard.
Upgrades: Premium seats may be available for purchase.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: LowFare+ includes a standard-sized carry-on bag, one free checked bag, seat reservation*, and meals onboard. *Seat reservation is not included for flights to/from Barcelona, London, or Madrid.
Related: How to Fly Norwegian Air
SAS Scandinavian Airlines
What it’s called: Go Light
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag up to 18 lbs. plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $28 each way (via upgrade to "Go Smart" fare) or $60 each way when added à la carte to the "Go Light" fare online. If you know you need a checked bag at the time of booking, make sure you choose at least the "Go Smart" fare.
Seat Assignments: Free advanced seat assignments at the back of the plane or you may pay a fee to choose seats closer to the front. If you don't like the selection of free seats, you can always skip advanced assignments and have your seats auto-assigned at check-in for FREE.
Ticket Changes: $300 + difference in fare.
Food and Beverage: Meals and drinks are included.
Upgrades: Not allowed.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Points are earned at a reduced rate.
Benefits for Elite Airline Status: Gold members may have more available seats to choose from for free, but will be subject to the same checked bag fees as everyone else when traveling with a Go Light ticket.
Other Economy Class Fares & Benefits: Go Smart fare includes one free checked bag and points are earned at the normal rate. Seat selection is the same as a Go Light fare, with free advanced seat assignments at the back of the plane only.
TAP Air Portugal
What it’s called: Discount
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag up to 17.6 lbs. plus a personal item up to 4.4 lbs.
First Checked Bag: $25-$60 each way (via upgrade to "Basic" fare) or $92 each way when added à la carte to the "Discount" fare online. If you know you need a checked bag at the time of booking, make sure you choose at least the "Basic" fare.
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat.
Ticket Changes: Allowed for a fee + difference in fare.
Food and Beverage: Meals and drinks are included.
Upgrades: Allowed for a fee + difference in fare.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: Miles are earned at a reduced rate. Only 10% of miles are earned.
Benefits for Elite Airline Status: Star Alliance Gold members receive one free checked bag and priority boarding.
Other Economy Class Fares & Benefits: Basic fare includes one free checked bag, 50% of miles are earned, and ticket changes are allowed for a fee. Classic fare includes two free checked bags, free standard seat selection, earns 100% of miles, and allows ticket changes for a fee.
TUI Fly
What it’s called: Standard fare
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag up to 22 lbs. Laptops, handbags, and items bought at the airport must fit within your 1 piece of hand luggage.
First Checked Bag: $25-$40 when purchased during online booking. This is an approximate conversion. Fees will be charged in Euros and higher fees apply for heavy bags.
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; There is a fee if you want to choose your seat.
Ticket Changes: Allowed for a fee + difference in fare.
Food and Beverage: Standard meal is included.
Upgrades: Comfort seats are available for purchase.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Comfort service bundle includes more carry-on weight, 55 lbs. of checked baggage, more leg room, high-quality meals, extra drinks, and an entertainment system.
WestJet
What it’s called: Basic
Carry-on Baggage: FREE carry-on bag plus a personal item.
First Checked Bag: $30-$36
Seat Assignments: Auto-assigned at check-in for FREE; You may be able to pay a fee to choose a seat at check-in.
Ticket Changes: Not allowed more than 24 hours after booking.
Food and Beverage: Complimentary soft drinks. $ Charge for premium food and beverage.
Upgrades: Not allowed.
Award Miles and Elite Qualification: No miles are earned.
Benefits for Airline-Branded Credit Card Holders: One free checked bag for the cardholder and up to 8 additional guests on the same reservation as long as your WestJet Rewards ID is on the reservation at time of check-in.
Benefits for Elite Airline Status: Elite members receive their usual benefits pertaining to free checked bags and priority boarding, but will not be allowed to change or upgrade a Basic Economy ticket.
Other Economy Class Fare & Benefits: Econo fare allows ticket changes and seat selection during booking for a fee, and also earns WestJet rewards.
Related: How to Avoid Paying Airline Seat Fees
Airlines That Still Include a Checked Bag on Transatlantic Flights
While most airlines are now selling bare-bones tickets on transatlantic flights, there are a few airlines where you can always expect to have at least one free checked bag on a flight to Europe — even on the lowest fares. These airlines don’t have widespread service from North America, but if you live near a major hub city, look for flights on:
- Aeroflot
- Air Serbia
- Azores Airlines
- Edelweiss
- Emirates
- La Compagnie
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Royal Air Maroc
- Turkish Airlines
- Ukraine International Airlines
Some of these airlines may offer some sort of Basic Economy fare that has restrictions on seat selection, mileage earning, or ticket changes. But at the very least, you will be allowed to bring one checked bag — free of charge — regardless of the type of fare purchased, when traveling on a transatlantic flight with these carriers. Flights wholly within Europe or to/from other regions may have different restrictions for checked luggage.
Is Basic Economy Cheaper and is it Worth It?
Since most airlines include a standard carry-on bag plus a personal item for Basic Economy fares on transatlantic routes, these low fares can be used by a larger number of travelers than a domestic Basic Economy ticket.
However, if you need to check a bag, you’ll want to make sure you compare the price of a Basic Economy ticket with the price of a standard Economy ticket. Oftentimes, the difference in price on the major airlines is around $90-$180 roundtrip. (i.e. it could be cheaper or the same exact price compared to adding a checked bag to a Basic Economy ticket à la carte). And when flying certain airlines like Condor, Corsair, Icelandair, SAS, or TAP Air Portugal, it's almost always cheaper to book a baggage-inclusive fare instead of adding a bag to the lowest fare. Be diligent when booking and make sure to read the fine print to know what type of ticket you are purchasing and choose according to your needs.
The difference in cost between Basic Economy and standard Economy is variable so there isn't a concrete answer for whether the savings will be worth it for your particular trip. It can sometimes be the same price or a minimal difference that most people would find to be worthwhile. Other times, it can be hundreds of dollars more for a standard Economy ticket. Bottom line, always compare.
If you need to fly one-way across the Atlantic, you'll have the best luck finding a cheap flight on a low-cost carrier. Most LCCs sell cheap one-way fares that don't require roundtrip travel, while the legacy airlines still require a roundtrip purchase to get the best fares. If there aren't any budget carriers flying from your home airport, it may be beneficial to position yourself to a major hub on a separate domestic flight in order to find a cheap one-way flight across the pond.
Related: When Skipping a Flight Can Save Money (And When It Won't)
I have seen a lot more flash sales to Europe since Basic Economy was rolled out by all the major airlines. For this reason, I would say that it has brought down the average price on flights to Europe. While Basic Economy may not be for everyone, it has opened up travel to a lot more people worldwide and if you can deal with the restrictions, flights have never been cheaper.
Personally, it's rare that I need to check a bag and I don’t mind taking my chances on which seat I get. Sure, you might get stuck in the middle or seated separately from your travel companions, but to me, it’s not worth paying $100 more just to have a chance at choosing a window or aisle seat. I’d rather spend that money on another trip or at my destination.
Tips for Flying Basic Economy Across the Atlantic
- Pack light. Some airlines have weight limits for carry-on baggage.
- Pay for baggage fees during booking if the option is available.
- Compare total cost with other airlines and other fares before booking.
- Don’t have high expectations other than getting to your destination safely.
- Bring your own entertainment or snacks if necessary and eat a good meal before flying long-haul.
Related Article: A New Look at Basic Economy for Domestic and Short-Haul International Travel
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