RANKED: The cost of air travel in 80 countries
The US performs above average at number 30.
Ever wondered which country has the cheapest flights? The speculation ends here. Pack your swimming costumes and an appetite, and book your next vacation to Malaysia.
Global online travel agency Kiwi.com released their latest Flight Price Index 2017, analyzing complex ticket pricing algorithms to reveal the cheapest airfares worldwide.
The research took into account short and long-haul flights from 80 of the world’s most frequently visited countries and cities, calculating an average ticket cost per 100 km of travel, using high and low season flight costs for over a million journeys. The research also includes a definitive split between low-cost and premium carriers to determine the country to country price index.
The agency’s investigation found, on average, Malaysia enjoys the lowest cost for air travel of any country. At just $4.18 per 100 km, it’s the leading country for flight value.
Malaysia’s long-haul, full-service flights cost passengers an average $5.90 per 100 km, while long-haul, low-cost fares are some of the cheapest in the world at $1.81 per 100 km.
Bulgaria in eastern Europe was the second-cheapest country for air travel, averaging $4.65 per 100 km. India ($4.96), Turkey ($6.28) and Romania ($6.46) rounded out the top five.
The United States ($11.50) ranked a healthy number 30 on the list. The cost of short-haul low-cost flights in the US averaged out at just $5.41 per 100 km, while long-haul low-cost prices were extremely low at an average of $6.35 per 100 km.
Check out the complete Flight Price Index rankings below:
| Rank | Country | Short-haul low-cost/100km | Short-haul full-service/100km | Long-haul low-cost/100km | Long-haul full-service/100km | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malaysia | $3.59 | $5.42 | $1.81 | $5.90 | $4.18 |
| 2 | Bulgaria | $3.18 | $9.68 | $1.94 | $3.82 | $4.65 |
| 3 | India | $3.88 | $4.25 | $5.18 | $6.51 | $4.96 |
| 4 | Turkey | $4.35 | $7.03 | $2.81 | $10.91 | $6.28 |
| 5 | Romania | $3.04 | $13.81 | $2.65 | $6.34 | $6.46 |
| 6 | Indonesia | $4.17 | $4.47 | $6.18 | $11.13 | $6.49 |
| 7 | Portugal | $3.96 | $15.43 | $2.61 | $3.98 | $6.50 |
| 8 | Thailand | $4.01 | $8.23 | $4.55 | $10.17 | $6.74 |
| 9 | Sweden | $7.40 | $15.90 | $1.31 | $3.22 | $6.96 |
| 10 | Spain | $8.62 | $13.79 | $1.72 | $4.21 | $7.08 |
| 11 | South Africa | $6.71 | $6.71 | $7.78 | $7.78 | $7.25 |
| 12 | Moldova | $3.54 | $4.40 | $10.78 | $10.78 | $7.37 |
| 13 | Japan | $9.36 | $9.63 | $3.17 | $8.14 | $7.57 |
| 14 | Russia | $6.53 | $9.45 | $6.99 | $7.42 | $7.60 |
| 15 | Poland | $11.23 | $11.23 | $2.25 | $6.31 | $7.75 |
| 16 | Kazakhstan | $11.16 | $11.16 | $4.81 | $4.72 | $7.96 |
| 17 | New Zealand | $4.41 | $13.65 | $7.82 | $7.82 | $8.43 |
| 18 | Philippines | $3.53 | $7.06 | $5.71 | $20.60 | $9.22 |
| 19 | Lithuania | $16.32 | $16.32 | $1.88 | $2.50 | $9.26 |
| 20 | Ukraine | $13.45 | $13.45 | $3.53 | $6.79 | $9.30 |
| 21 | Italy | $4.19 | $11.35 | $11.67 | $11.67 | $9.72 |
| 22 | Finland | $17.40 | $17.40 | $2.33 | $4.72 | $10.46 |
| 23 | Iran | $4.85 | $4.85 | $4.89 | $28.09 | $10.67 |
| 24 | Mongolia | $6.39 | $6.39 | $15.05 | $15.05 | $10.72 |
| 25 | Mexico | $6.59 | $13.89 | $4.63 | $18.01 | $10.78 |
| 26 | Iceland | $14.68 | $14.68 | $6.44 | $7.89 | $10.92 |
| 27 | The United Kingdom | $3.71 | $9.06 | $5.35 | $26.11 | $11.06 |
| 28 | China | $17.90 | $19.64 | $2.00 | $6.18 | $11.43 |
| 29 | Latvia | $19.38 | $19.38 | $2.59 | $4.46 | $11.45 |
| 30 | USA | $5.41 | $6.48 | $6.35 | $27.77 | $11.50 |
| 31 | Czech Republic | $11.02 | $21.88 | $3.18 | $9.94 | $11.51 |
| 32 | Greece | $6.10 | $31.60 | $3.53 | $4.85 | $11.52 |
| 33 | Kenya | $12.86 | $12.86 | $10.41 | $10.41 | $11.64 |
| 34 | France | $6.58 | $6.58 | $4.45 | $29.12 | $11.68 |
| 35 | Tunisia | $16.48 | $16.48 | $7.01 | $7.01 | $11.75 |
| 36 | Ireland | $6.16 | $10.27 | $10.19 | $21.27 | $11.97 |
| 37 | Colombia | $9.24 | $12.19 | $12.71 | $14.14 | $12.07 |
| 38 | Saudi Arabia | $10.31 | $10.31 | $14.17 | $14.47 | $12.32 |
| 39 | Cyprus | $16.71 | $29.82 | $2.50 | $5.57 | $13.65 |
| 40 | Belarus | $19.69 | $19.94 | $7.88 | $7.88 | $13.85 |
| 41 | Algeria | $10.81 | $10.81 | $17.93 | $17.93 | $14.37 |
| 42 | Tanzania | $20.59 | $20.59 | $6.35 | $10.35 | $14.47 |
| 43 | Cuba | $18.18 | $18.18 | $12.11 | $12.11 | $15.15 |
| 44 | Azerbaijan | $12.64 | $35.25 | $6.73 | $6.73 | $15.34 |
| 45 | Botswana | $23.59 | $24.92 | $7.06 | $7.06 | $15.66 |
| 46 | Egypt | $20.22 | $20.22 | $6.75 | $16.28 | $15.86 |
| 47 | Vietnam | $4.22 | $5.77 | $26.33 | $27.20 | $15.88 |
| 48 | Brazil | $3.98 | $3.98 | $28.66 | $28.66 | $16.32 |
| 49 | Estonia | $15.43 | $41.94 | $3.98 | $3.98 | $16.33 |
| 50 | Germany | $7.54 | $14.22 | $14.18 | $30.69 | $16.66 |
| 51 | Norway | $27.92 | $36.14 | $1.43 | $2.65 | $17.04 |
| 52 | Venezuela | $6.71 | $34.17 | $12.58 | $16.57 | $17.51 |
| 53 | Fiji | $23.86 | $23.86 | $10.75 | $12.31 | $17.69 |
| 54 | Papua New Guinea | $26.82 | $26.82 | $9.35 | $11.16 | $18.54 |
| 55 | Peru | $14.86 | $14.86 | $10.56 | $34.96 | $18.81 |
| 56 | Israel | $36.52 | $36.52 | $3.11 | $3.47 | $19.91 |
| 57 | Nigeria | $18.99 | $20.62 | $12.73 | $28.60 | $20.23 |
| 58 | Jordan | $33.45 | $33.45 | $6.48 | $10.92 | $21.07 |
| 59 | Bolivia | $12.38 | $12.38 | $24.52 | $40.67 | $22.49 |
| 60 | Bangladesh | $17.88 | $55.16 | $7.40 | $12.73 | $23.29 |
| 61 | Switzerland | $26.23 | $37.88 | $9.53 | $19.73 | $23.34 |
| 62 | Albania | $36.73 | $36.73 | $10.08 | $10.08 | $23.40 |
| 63 | Argentina | $16.54 | $16.54 | $30.12 | $30.62 | $23.45 |
| 64 | Pakistan | $15.80 | $49.50 | $14.75 | $14.75 | $23.70 |
| 65 | Canada | $11.24 | $27.17 | $21.28 | $35.93 | $23.90 |
| 66 | Denmark | $33.17 | $49.28 | $1.94 | $11.81 | $24.05 |
| 67 | Taiwan | $30.81 | $34.82 | $12.99 | $21.83 | $25.11 |
| 68 | South Korea | $39.51 | $41.51 | $8.38 | $15.41 | $26.20 |
| 69 | Australia | $41.77 | $52.29 | $9.68 | $13.86 | $29.39 |
| 70 | Morocco | $43.73 | $43.73 | $20.73 | $20.73 | $32.23 |
| 71 | Oman | $50.81 | $61.72 | $10.72 | $10.91 | $33.54 |
| 72 | Lebanon | $65.09 | $65.09 | $4.77 | $12.73 | $36.92 |
| 73 | Austria | $68.84 | $68.84 | $4.43 | $6.11 | $37.06 |
| 74 | Serbia | $74.08 | $74.08 | $8.23 | $8.23 | $41.15 |
| 75 | Solomon Islands | $71.95 | $71.95 | $14.33 | $14.33 | $43.14 |
| 76 | United Arab Emirates | $43.65 | $46.07 | $38.81 | $49.13 | $44.42 |
| 77 | Chile | $12.12 | $152.01 | $25.00 | $25.00 | $53.53 |
| 78 | Qatar | $87.50 | $102.32 | $12.97 | $12.97 | $53.94 |
| 79 | Netherlands | $80.03 | $80.03 | $14.74 | $43.24 | $54.51 |
| 80 | Belgium | $86.29 | $86.29 | $15.48 | $30.45 | $54.63 |
Picture: Shutterstock
