A €39 or €49 airfare can be genuine — but it may represent only the most basic version of the trip. Once a larger cabin bag, seat selection or checked baggage is added, the final amount can rise sharply. AeroSillage compared the published fee structures of several major European airlines to see what travellers actually pay beyond the headline fare.
The key point is simple: the first price shown is often only the base product. A traveller willing to carry only a small under-seat bag and accept an automatically assigned seat can often fly for that minimum fare. Add the services many passengers consider standard, and the economics change quickly.
The free small bag has become the baseline
Ryanair’s Basic fare includes a small personal bag that fits under the seat. A 10 kg cabin bag in the overhead locker is generally tied to a higher bundle such as Regular, which also includes priority boarding and a standard seat.
easyJet follows a similar model. A small cabin bag is included, while a larger overhead cabin bag is sold separately and priced dynamically by route and booking date. Seat selection is also priced separately at the lowest fare levels.
Transavia likewise includes a small personal item while charging extra for a larger cabin bag. If that bag is added only at the airport, the cost can be substantially higher.
Baggage is usually the biggest add-on
For travellers taking more than a small backpack, baggage is often the first major extra. Transavia, Vueling and Wizz Air all use dynamic pricing, with costs varying by route, weight, booking channel and when the service is purchased.
Wizz Air, for example, links its larger cabin trolley to WIZZ Priority. Vueling charges separately for larger cabin and checked bags on lower fare families, with airport prices potentially far above online prices.
Seat selection can add a few euros — or much more
Seat choice is another major source of ancillary revenue. Standard seats can start at low single-digit prices, while front-row or extra-legroom positions cost more. Some higher fare families include seat selection, while basic fares generally do not.
This is better understood as product segmentation than as one uniform “hidden fee”: passengers pay for the level of convenience and control they want.
How a €39 fare can end above €100
Consider a simple illustration. A one-way fare advertised at €39 could gain €20–30 for a larger cabin bag, €10–20 for seat selection and €30–40 for checked baggage. The total can therefore exceed €100 before food, flexibility or other options are added.
The example is not tied to one airline. Exact amounts vary by route, travel date, load factor and timing. What matters is the model: the base fare is designed to remain extremely competitive in search engines and comparison sites, while the final price depends on the passenger’s needs.
Low cost does not automatically mean expensive
It would be misleading to conclude that low-cost airlines are always more expensive once extras are added. A solo traveller with one small bag and no seat preference may genuinely pay close to the advertised fare.
Conversely, a network carrier may include more services in the base price but start from a higher fare. The fairest comparison is therefore the total price for the same travel requirement.
The most expensive mistake is often waiting until the airport
Published airline fee tables show a consistent pattern: adding baggage at the airport or gate is usually much more expensive than buying it in advance.
That means passengers should check size limits carefully and add required baggage before online check-in whenever possible.
The real airfare is the checkout price
European airlines increasingly sell a base transportation product around which travellers build their own package. This allows very low headline fares while separating services that not every passenger needs.
The practical rule is straightforward: never compare two fares until the same baggage, seat and flexibility options have been added to both.
Sources
Official Ryanair, easyJet, Transavia, Vueling and Wizz Air fee, baggage and ancillary-service pages, checked September 12, 2026.
Photo: Jonathan Kemper / Unsplash.
Related: Airfares: should you book now for 2027?, for the booking-timing side of the same pricing question.
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