What are the best free budget airline options for comparing total trip cost before booking?

Here are some of the best free options for comparing the total trip cost on budget airlines before you book:

Best free flight comparison tools

These are useful because they often show base fare plus taxes/fees, and some let you compare across budget airlines:

• Google Flights – Fast, easy to use, good for comparing fares across many airlines. It’s especially good for spotting cheaper days and nearby airports.
• Skyscanner – Great for flexible date searches and often includes low-cost carriers.
• Kayak – Good comparison tool with filters for baggage and total price.
• Momondo – Often finds cheaper fares and is good at showing a broad range of options.
• Kiwi.com – Helpful for combining separate low-cost flights, though booking support can be trickier.

Best airline-direct free tools

Budget airlines sometimes hide extra fees on comparison sites, so it’s smart to also check the airline directly:

• Southwest – Often not fully shown on many aggregators; direct site is best.
• Ryanair – Direct site shows add-on fees clearly.
• easyJet – Good for seeing baggage and seat fees upfront.
• Jet2 – Direct booking is usually clear on extras.
• Wizz Air – Direct site helps you see total cost including baggage and priority boarding.
• Spirit / Frontier / Allegiant – In the US, direct sites are important because baggage and seat fees can change the real total a lot.

For total trip cost, watch these extras

When comparing budget airlines, always factor in:

• Carry-on and checked bag fees
• Seat selection fees
• Airport check-in or printing fees
• Payment card fees in some regions
• Airport transfer cost if using a cheaper but far-away airport
• Connection risk if self-connecting on separate tickets

Best strategy

1. Search on Google Flights or Skyscanner
2. Check the airline’s own site
3. Add baggage, seats, and any payment fees
4. Compare the final total, not just the advertised fare

If you want, I can also give you:

• the best tools by region (US, Europe, Asia), or
• a budget airline comparison checklist you can use before booking.