Fly Smarter, Not More Expensively: The Secret to Savings Lies in Alternative Airports

Everyone is looking for cheap flights. That's a fact. We spend hours browsing dates and airlines, trying to snag the best deals. But there's a trick, a real travel secret weapon, that often escapes our attention: choosing an alternative airport. Have you ever considered flying to a slightly more distant airport instead of the most well-known, central one? This step might hold the most significant savings opportunity for your next trip.

Most travelers automatically enter the city name and the associated main airport into the search engine. London? Heathrow. Paris? Charles de Gaulle. However, around major cities, there are often several smaller, secondary airports that can be a goldmine for cost-conscious travelers. Now we'll show you how to exploit these opportunities.

What is an Alternative Airport?

Simply put, an alternative airport is a secondary airport in a city or region, often with lower traffic. While major airports are hubs for large, traditional airlines, these smaller airports are typically bases for low-cost airlines such as Wizz Air or Ryanair. Why is this good for you? Because airlines pay less for fees and ground handling here, and they often pass those savings on to you in the form of cheaper ticket prices. Moreover, these airports are usually less crowded, so security checks and boarding can be faster and smoother.

The Two Sides of the Coin: Advantages and Disadvantages

The most compelling argument for an alternative airport is, of course, the price. It's not uncommon for a family to save tens of thousands of forints simply by choosing another airport. However, it's important to look at the big picture. The most important factor to consider is the distance of the airport from the city center. A cheaper ticket is worthless if the transfer to the city is expensive and time-consuming.

The good news is that there is almost always organized and cost-effective access from these airports. Before booking your ticket, do a quick search! Check the airport's official website for bus or train schedules and prices. Companies like Flixbus, National Express, or Terravision often operate direct services to the city center. Calculate the total cost: the ticket price plus the transfer fee. Compare this amount to the cost of a ticket to the main airport and getting from there. You'll be surprised that in most cases, the alternative route is still worthwhile.

How to Find Hidden Treasures?

Fortunately, you don't have to memorize airport codes or browse maps to find these flights. The unifly.hu search engine does the hard work for you. Instead of specifying a particular airport (e.g., “London Heathrow”) as your destination, simply enter the city name: “London”. Our system will automatically offer the “London (All Airports)” option. By selecting this, you can see all flights to London airports in a single search, sorted by price. This way, you can immediately compare whether flying to Luton, Stansted, or Gatwick is the best option. This feature is available for most major cities and is the easiest way to find hidden, cheaper options.

Popular European Destinations and Their Alternatives

To make things even easier, we've compiled a few popular examples where it's worth considering alternative airports:

Paris: Most people know Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport, but Orly (ORY) is closer to the city, and Paris-Beauvais (BVA) is a true stronghold of low-cost airlines. Although the latter is further away, the transfer bus goes directly to the city center, and ticket prices are often unbeatable.

London: Instead of Heathrow (LHR), check out Luton (LTN) or Stansted (STN) airports, where most low-cost flights arrive from Hungary. Both have excellent and fast transport to the city center.

Milan: When traveling to the fashion capital, don't just think about Malpensa (MXP) airport. Milan-Bergamo (BGY) airport is a huge low-cost hub, from where you can reach Milan Central Station in half an hour by cheap bus.

Barcelona: If you would also like to explore the Costa Brava coastline, it may be worth looking at Girona (GRO) or Reus (REU) airports, which are often much cheaper than the main Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) airport.