Flights are cheaper than ever, but once you’ve taken the hidden “extras” into consideration, that 99p ticket might not seem such a great deal. Use our handy table to compare the extra charges of the main airlines in the UK. If you know you’re going to want extra legroom make sure you add the costs on first to get a realistic idea of the cost of your ticket.
Meals | Seats | In-flight Entertainment
| Airline | Extra legroom | Pre-bookable seats |
| Aer Lingus | Not bookable | Yes, with internet check-in. |
| Air Berlin | €20 per flight (restrictions apply). | Yes. €10 per person on short or medium-haul flights or €15 per person for a long-haul flight. Free for families with children and disabled. If booking by phone, calls cost 10p per min. |
| Air France | Not bookable | Choice of seat with internet check-in. |
| Alitalia | Not bookable | Choice of seat with internet check-in. |
| Iberia | Not bookable | Choice of seat with internet check-in. |
| First Choice | £15 per person (one way) | £12 per person (return) |
| Lufthansa | Not bookable | No |
| Air Southwest | Not bookable | No |
| BMI | Not bookable | No |
| British Airways | Not bookable | Online 24 hrs before departure |
| bmibaby | £10 per person one way. | £6 when booking online, one way. |
| easyJet | No | No. Speedy boarding costs no more than £7.50 per person per flight |
| XL Airways | £37 per person | £17 per adult
£8 per child |
| Flybe | £16 per person one way. | £5 with online check-in.
£8 by telephone |
| Flyglobespan | £12.50 each way | £5 each way |
| Germanwings | Not bookable | No allocated seating. |
| Jet2 | £12.50 for flights under three hours; or £17.50 over three hours per person. | Online at time of booking |
| KLM | €50 per person, offered on a first-come, first-served basis | Online 30 hours before departure |
| Monarch | £15 per person | £6 when booking online, one way |
| Ryanair | Not bookable | No, but priority boarding available for £4 each way (not available if checking in hold baggage). |
| Thomsonfly.com | £15 per person each way. | £3.50 per person, each way when booked online. |
| Wizz Air | £4 per person each way if reserved during booking or £8 per person per way if reserved after booking. | £3 per person each way if reserved during booking or £5 per person per way if reserved after booking. |
Updated June 2008
