Glossary
Definition: A low-cost carrier (LCC) is an airline that offers lower fares by reducing traditional services such as free meals, baggage, and seat selection, operating with lower costs and often point-to-point networks.
Last updated
Term at a glance
| Term | Low-Cost Carrier |
|---|---|
| One-liner | A low-cost carrier (LCC) is an airline that offers lower fares by reducing traditional services such as free meals, baggage, and seat selection, operating with lower costs and… |
| Where it matters | Premium-cabin booking decisions, fare-rules interpretation, airline-product comparison. |
| Related concepts | Point-to-Point · Positioning Flight · Full-Service Carrier · Business Class |
| Last verified | 2026-05-07 |
Low-cost carriers like Ryanair, Southwest, EasyJet, Spirit, and AirAsia have transformed air travel by making flying accessible to millions of people. They achieve lower costs through: higher aircraft utilisation, single aircraft types, unbundled pricing (charging separately for bags, seats, meals), and efficient operations.
Some LCCs have introduced premium products: Norwegian’s former Premium cabin on long-haul, JetBlue’s Mint business class, and various Asian LCCs’ premium economy. However, these products generally don’t match the business class offerings of full-service carriers.
For business class travellers, LCCs are primarily relevant as positioning flight options. A cheap LCC domestic flight to a major hub can connect you to a discounted business class long-haul flight, saving significant money overall. BookMyBusinessClass agents sometimes recommend LCC positioning flights as part of cost-optimisation strategies.
In booking practice
At a Glance
| Term | Quick definition | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge Access | Lounge access refers to the ability to use airline or third-party airport lounges that offer complimentary… | Read |
| Marketing Carrier | The marketing carrier is the airline whose flight number and brand appear on your ticket in a codeshare… | Read |
| Lie-Flat Seat | A lie-flat seat is a business or first class airline seat that reclines to a fully horizontal 180-degree… | Read |
| Mileage Pool | An arrangement under which two or more frequent-flyer programmes share a single mileage currency, allowing… | Read |
| Layover | A layover is a brief stop at an intermediate airport during a connecting itinerary, typically lasting less… | Read |
| Mileage Run | A mileage run is a flight taken primarily to earn frequent flyer miles or qualifying segments to achieve or… | Read |
Related Terms
Lounge access refers to the ability to use airline or third-party airport lounges that offer complimentary food, drinks, Wi-Fi, showers, and comfortable seating before or between flights.
The marketing carrier is the airline whose flight number and brand appear on your ticket in a codeshare arrangement, which may be different from the operating carrier that actually operates the aircraft.
A lie-flat seat is a business or first class airline seat that reclines to a fully horizontal 180-degree position, allowing passengers to sleep flat during long-haul flights.
An arrangement under which two or more frequent-flyer programmes share a single mileage currency, allowing balances to be transferred between accounts at parity (1:1) and redeemed through any participating programme's booking system. The Avios pool (BAEC, Iberia Plus, AerClub, Qatar Privilege Club) is the most prominent mileage pool in operation as of 2026.
A layover is a brief stop at an intermediate airport during a connecting itinerary, typically lasting less than 24 hours, during which passengers wait for their next flight without leaving the transit area.
A mileage run is a flight taken primarily to earn frequent flyer miles or qualifying segments to achieve or maintain elite status, rather than for the destination itself.
Drill deeper
FAQ
A specialist responds within 15 minutes — no account, no obligation, never a bot.