With the increased demand for low-cost flights and stripped back services, many airlines have introduced various fare types for passengers to choose from. They range in price from low to high, and include different services accordingly.
But what’s the real difference between these tariffs? Is it really worth spending the extra cash outright on a premium class to ensure you have a snack on board or preferred seating? In this series of posts, we will periodically review different airlines fare types to see what the actual saving is.
This week, we look at Eurowings.
Example flight: Paris CDG – Berlin Tegel, Sunday 4th June 2017
| Basic: | €39.99 |
|---|---|
| Hand luggage: | included (free) |
| If you want a snack + drink: | from €6 |
| 1 item of checked luggage, 23kg: | €15 |
| Seat selection: | middle - €8 preferred - €12 |
| Total: | €68.99 (middle seat) €72.99 (window/aisle seat) |
| Smart: | €63.99 (€24 extra) |
|---|---|
| Hand luggage: | included (free) |
| If you want a snack + drink: | included (free) |
| 1 item of checked luggage, 23kg: | included (free) |
| Seat selection: | included (free) |
| Total: | €63.99 (save €5 - €9) |
| Best: | €109.99 (€70 extra) |
|---|---|
| What does paying an extra €70 get you? | Increased miles – Boomerang Club or Miles & More, snack and drink, 2 items of luggage (23kg), preferred seating (anywhere) + seat with more legroom, adjacent seat free, lounge access, reserved hand luggage, priority check-in and boarding, security fast lane access (at selected airports), booking changes and cancellations free of charge (with flex option). |
Conclusion
If you’re happy to bring your own snacks and be randomly allocated a seat, even if you have 1 item of check-in luggage, it’s still cheaper to go with the Basic fare at €54.99 rather than the Smart fare of €63.99. Even if you get hungry on the flight and want to purchase a snack, there’s still really not much of a difference between selecting the Basic fare and adding on extras compared to selecting the Smart fare. Choose the Best fare only if you’re impatient and/or indecisive.
To see how extra costs add up on different airlines, have a look at the refund.me Flight Extra Costs calculator:
