The Telegraph (UK) recently sent one of its reporters, Richard Quest, on a quest to circle the globe, using only the ultra-low-cost carriers that have begun to grow out of the regional market into serious long-distance flights…but still with the same cheap-seat, tight-space, pay-extra-for-everything model.
His report, which you can read HERE is a real mix of the good, the sort-of-bad and the somewhat cheesy, but he was able to make a complete circle of the globe from London for £1,653 (equivalent to about $2300). Some of the airlines are familiar names (EasyJet, Ryanair, Allegiant, JetBlue, Norwegian) and some less familiar (FlyDubai, Air Arabia, Air Asia, Scoot and Jetstar). The planes varied from a 24-year-old 757 to new 787s.
I’m curious: Anyone here with long-distance trips with these airlines (I know some have been on Norwegian) over these kinds of distances? And how much, on a RTW trip, does it actually save?
I didn’t go around the world last summer, but I did take an array of budget flights, buses, trains and ferries on a two month trip.
Norwegian was my favorite budget airline I took. I also enjoyed the Rail and Sail package from Virgin Trains to Dublin from England.