Spain secures 3 spots in World’s 10 Best Low-Cost Airlines 2025

Spain has bagged three places in the World’s Best Low‑Cost Airlines awards in 2025, a tidy win for anyone flying in and out of Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga or the islands. The ranking comes from the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025, which reflect passenger satisfaction rather than safety, considering value for money, onboard experience, punctuality, and customer service. 

Spain’s low‑cost carriers in the 2025 global top 10

With three homegrown names in the global top ten and Europe dominating the leaderboard, travellers based in Spain can expect a busy year on the budget front. Spain's three entries in Skytrax’s 2025 global top ten are: Vueling in 5th, Volotea in 6th and Iberia Express in 8th, rubbing shoulders with AirAsia, IndiGo and easyJet. 

Bene Riobó, CC BY-SA 4.0 Creative commons

Best budget airlines in Europe 2025 and where Spain stands

Europe has six carriers in the global top tier this year—Eurowings, Vueling, Volotea, Transavia France, Iberia Express and easyJet—underlining the region’s depth. Vueling also picked up Best Low‑Cost Airline in Spain and Best Low‑Cost Airline in Southern Europe. Ryanair and Jet2.com sat just outside the global top 10 at 11th and 12th, respectively.

World’s best low‑cost airlines 2025 — the complete top 10

The global top 10 reads: 1) AirAsia, 2) Scoot, 3) IndiGo, 4) Eurowings, 5) Vueling, 6) Volotea, 7) Transavia France, 8) Iberia Express, 9) Flynas, 10) easyJet.

Bene Riobó, CC BY-SA 4.0 Creative commons

How Skytrax ranks the world’s best low‑cost airlines

Skytrax bases its rankings for the World Airline Awards on an independent, global passenger satisfaction survey with participants from over 100 nationalities and ratings covering more than 325 airlines. Entries are screened for duplicates or ineligible votes, and airlines don’t pay to enter or use the results.

What this ranking means for travellers in Spain

A stronger showing for Spanish low‑cost brands usually brings tighter competition on fares and more choice on key routes, but the wider picture still shapes what you’ll actually pay and how smooth the journey feels. 

Operational pressures can bite during peak months, especially with Spain's ongoing baggage handler strike. Plus, capacity is likely to shift in the upcoming year due to Ryanair cutting one million seats in Spain, and potentially more in the future.

Border formalities also matter for non‑EU passport holders, with the EU's new Entry/Exit System launching in 2025 likely to lengthen queues at certain airports during the bedding‑in period. 

Pexels

Stay informed on visiting and living in Spain with our weekly newsletter, delivering the latest travel, legal, and lifestyle news.