Low Cost Flights Australia

Why book with eDreams
  • Low price guarantee
  • Quick online booking
  • Full customer support

Best offers of the day

Coolangatta - Gold Coast, QLD
04 Dec
SYD OOL
starting at $62
Coolangatta - Gold Coast, QLD
04 Dec - 06 Dec
SYD OOL
starting at $153
Brisbane
04 Dec - 05 Dec
SYD BNE
starting at $161
Melbourne
05 Dec - 06 Dec
SYD MEL
starting at $162
Ballina
03 Dec - 07 Dec
SYD BNK
starting at $234
Hobart
04 Dec - 07 Dec
SYD HBA
starting at $235
Coolangatta - Gold Coast, QLD
05 Dec
MEL OOL
starting at $49
Coolangatta - Gold Coast, QLD
06 Dec - 06 Dec
MEL OOL
starting at $141
Sydney
05 Dec - 06 Dec
MEL SYD
starting at $161
Hobart
05 Dec - 06 Dec
MEL HBA
starting at $174
Maroochydore - Sunshine Coast, QLD
30 Nov - 07 Dec
MEL MCY
starting at $183
Adelaide
06 Dec - 06 Dec
MEL ADL
starting at $192
Newcastle, NSW
06 Dec
BNE NTL
starting at $76
Sydney
04 Dec - 05 Dec
BNE SYD
starting at $161
Newcastle, NSW
02 Dec - 05 Dec
BNE NTL
starting at $206
Cairns
05 Dec - 05 Dec
BNE CNS
starting at $222
Mackay
02 Dec - 05 Dec
BNE MKY
starting at $260
Melbourne
04 Dec - 06 Dec
BNE MEL
starting at $296
Adelaide
02 Dec
PER ADL
starting at $163
Bali
04 Dec - 07 Dec
PER DPS
starting at $310
Kuala Lumpur
30 Nov - 07 Dec
PER KUL
starting at $432
Singapore
03 Dec - 06 Dec
PER SIN
starting at $465
Adelaide
02 Dec - 03 Dec
PER ADL
starting at $485
Ho Chi Minh City
29 Nov - 06 Dec
PER SGN
starting at $542
Melbourne
06 Dec
ADL MEL
starting at $77
Melbourne
05 Dec - 06 Dec
ADL MEL
starting at $189
Sydney
06 Dec - 06 Dec
ADL SYD
starting at $305
Port Lincoln, SA
06 Dec - 07 Dec
ADL PLO
starting at $363
Brisbane
01 Dec - 05 Dec
ADL BNE
starting at $377
Bali
01 Dec - 07 Dec
ADL DPS
starting at $420

About low cost flights

The origin of low cost

The term "low cost" originated in the United States decades ago with airlines offering cheap flights at half the price of traditional carriers. Later, the low cost craze spread to other industries, not just flights, but to low cost holidays, hotels, car rental, clothing, and even to the automotive industry, just to name a few.

What are low cost flights?

In Australia, low cost flights are well known because of the various budget carriers that offer cheaper Australia domestic and international flights. These airlines are specifically referred to as "low cost airlines", but the term can also be used for cheap flights with traditional airlines. When assessing the price of a flight with a low cost airline compared to a traditional airline, we recommend you compare prices, flight schedules, to which airport the airline operates, especially the distance from the city centre and ground transport prices. It's also important to take into account any additional fees like extra costs to check luggage. Keep reading for more tips for flying with budget carriers.

Tips to book the cheapest low cost flights:

1. Book in advance!

Whenever possible, book in advance to get the best deal. Last minute flights tend to go up in price. This, of course, is also affected by seasonality.

2. Be flexible!

If your travel dates are flexible, try to book your holidays during the low season or during the weekdays. Prices tend to increase as the weekend approaches.

3. Compare!

Do a side-by-side flight comparison looking at more than just the price. Compare several low cost airlines by flight schedule as well, as departure times also influence the final price of airline tickets.

4. Check the secondary airports!

Budget carriers often fly to secondary airports, but not always the case, it simply depends on the airline. Low cost carriers (LCC) that fly to secondary airports are oftentimes cheaper, however, arriving further from the city centre many times means more money will be spent on ground transport. This is something to consider when evaluating the total price.

5. Be careful with the baggage fees

Always pay checked baggage fees when you book online. Hold luggage fees drastically increase when paid at the airport.

6. Keep in mind: no frills services

Low cost airlines keep their prices down by offering a more basic service. This means that in most cases drinks and food are not included in the ticket price. The "no frills" service also incurs fees where traditional airlines may not. For example, there are fines for oversized and overweight baggage and any changes made to tickets after they've been issued.

7. Be on time!

In general, low cost carriers have better rates of on-time arrivals when comparing to traditional airlines. Because of this, it's important to get to the airport early enough to check-in and/or drop off any baggage. The check-in desk, boarding and gate closing times differ depending on the airlines so it is necessary to check this ahead of time.

8. Bring your documents to travel

Check the accepted forms of identification travel documents each airline allows as it may vary by company. Also, check the rules for unaccompanied minors, as the minimum age to fly alone also may differ.

Main destinations for Australia's low cost airlines:

Keep reading to find a list of budget carriers operating in Australia and consult their offers to book your next low cost holiday today!

Jetstar

Jetstar, subsidiary of Qantas, flies out of many Australian airports like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide...to domestic destinations like the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, Cairns, Queensland, Perth...and international destinations like Auckland, Bali, Phuket...

Book Jetstar flights

Scoot

Scoot, Singapore Airline's low cost airline, operates medium and long-haul flights out of Australia airports Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney to international destinations like Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei...

Book Scoot flights

Tigerair

Tigerair Airways is a low cost airline based out of Singapore. It offers cheap flights out of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Gold Coast airports across domestic Australia, Southeast Asia, China and India.

Book Tigerair flights

AirAsia

AirAsia is a Malaysian LCC operating flights out of Sydney, Perth and Melbourne airports to Asian destinations like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Phuket, Bali, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Seoul...

AirAsia flights

Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia is the second largest carrier in Australia and officially a low cost airline, it has named itself a "New World Carrier", meaning passengers have the choice to pay less for a more basic service or more for that of a traditional airline. The airline operates flights out of Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide...to domestic and international destinations.

Virgin Australia flights

Cebu Pacific

Cebu Pacific Air is a low cost carrier based out of the Philippines. It operates flights out of Sydney to international destinations like Manila, Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai, Beijing, Tokyo...

Cebu Pacific flights