Low-cost carriers — Wizz Air, Ryanair, FlyDubai — are the most affordable way to fly from Georgia to Europe and beyond. Fares are often two to three times lower than full-service airlines. But strict baggage rules, mandatory online check-in and hidden fees mean a poorly-planned 'cheap' ticket can end up costing more than you expected.
Wizz Air — Kutaisi's Main Carrier
Wizz Air operates 30+ routes from Kutaisi Airport (KUT) to European cities including Budapest, Warsaw, Vienna, London and Brussels. It also flies from TBS.
- Personal item (free): 40x30x20 cm, ≤7 kg — must fit under the seat
- Cabin bag (paid): 55x40x23 cm, ≤10 kg — from $16-38 depending on timing
- Checked bag: 20/26/32 kg — always pre-buy online; airport price is 3x higher
- Wizz Discount Club: $33/year — 30%+ off bags; breaks even after two bag-carrying flights
Wizz Discount Club pays for itself with two bag-carrying trips — baggage savings of $15-25 per flight more than cover the annual fee.
Ryanair — From TBS
Ryanair flies from Tbilisi (TBS) to several European cities. It is the strictest low-cost carrier — even 1 cm over the size limit triggers a gate fee.
- Smaller personal item (free): 40x20x25 cm — under the seat in front only
- Priority cabin bag: 55x40x20 cm, ≤10 kg — requires Priority Boarding add-on
- Checked bag: 20 kg — must be pre-purchased online; gate price is $55+
- Online check-in: mandatory 2-24 hours before departure
FlyDubai — Direct TBS-Dubai Option
- TBS → DXB: direct flight approximately 3 hours
- Carry-on: 55x38x20 cm, ≤7 kg — Economy Lite fare
- Checked bag: 20/30 kg — paid add-on
- Flex Combo fare: bags + seat + flexible rebooking bundled — often best value
- FlyDubai appears daily in Travel365 flight search for TBS-DXB
Hidden Fees to Watch
- Baggage is never included in the base fare — always calculate the total price with bags
- Seat selection: $3-16 — essentially how Priority Boarding is priced
- Gate fee: Ryanair charges $55+ if you did not buy the checked bag online
- Size gauge: even 1 cm over limit can mean a $100+ gate fee at strict airports
Low-cost is not always cheapest once bags are added. Travel365 flight search shows total prices including baggage for low-cost and full-service airlines side by side.
5 Golden Rules for Low-Cost Flying
- 1. Book 3-6 months ahead — saving 40-60% versus last-minute prices
- 2. Pre-buy bags online — airport baggage is up to 3x more expensive
- 3. Online check-in — mandatory on Ryanair (2-24 hours before); complete it as early as possible
- 4. Use Travel365's price calendar — the same flight can be 20-30% cheaper on a different weekday
- 5. Measure your bag at home — even 1 cm oversize means an expensive gate fee
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