Eurowings is a low-cost carrier owned by Lufthansa, Europe’s largest airline group. If you’re looking for a solid budget airline in Europe, this one’s worth your attention. I’ve flown with them more times than I can count and they deliver a wide-ranging network, modern fleet and above-average onboard experience.
Since its founding, the airline has been through several incarnations (most recently as Lufthansa Regional, then in partnership with the ill-fated Germanwings) before both brands were dropped in favour of a unified Eurowings brand. That rebrand shifted its focus to direct flights within Europe and to neighbouring countries from 13 international bases. It also operates a subsidiary, Eurowings Europe, contributing to this extensive European network.
Fleet and network
Eurowings operates 13 bases across Europe, serving around 150 domestic and international destinations across more than 40 countries (though exact numbers vary by season and schedule). The primary focus is European destinations, but routes also reach into North Africa and the Middle East.
The airline previously served long-haul destinations in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, but those routes were severely underserved (initially with just one plane!) and suffered marathon delays and endless customer complaints. Within two years, the operation was shuttered and spun off by Lufthansa as Eurowings Discover, since rebranded to Discover Airlines.
Recently, Eurowings has been carrying around 20 million passengers annually, though this remains well below its peak period when it carried approximately 38 million holidaymakers and business travellers.
The Eurowings fleet extends to around 100 aircraft, all narrowbody Airbuses in the short to medium-haul class. The majority are A319 and A320 models, with a few A320neos, A321s and A321neos, though Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft are set to join the fleet. It deploys additional aircraft from partner airlines at selected locations to cater to added demand during peak season but always with planes in the same class. The fleet is modern and the cabins in my experience well maintained.
Fares and classes
Eurowings offers three fare types: Basic, Smart and BIZclass, plus the usual array of add-on services. Despite being a low-cost carrier, Eurowings fancies itself as slightly more superior than the budget competition, and it’s one of the few to dip a toe in business class territory with its BIZclass fare (although cynics like me might think it little more than a naming and marketing ploy).
BASIC
Basic is exactly that: your flight fare, seat allocation and the usual 40 cm x 30 cm x 25 cm underseat bag allowance. You’ll also earn Miles & More points and can add extras during or after booking (from a cabin bag to checked bags priced by weight options up to 12kg, 23kg, or 32kg).
Many flights are two hours or less, so Basic’s sparsity isn’t a real concern. The one exception is if you don’t want to risk the dreaded middle seat. There’s a handy bug you can exploit when checking in via the app to avoid it.
Simply navigate the check-in flow until your seat is allocated. If it’s a middle seat, abandon the process and start again. On the next attempt you’ll be allocated a different seat (if it’s another middle one, just repeat). I use this trick often and haven’t sat in a middle seat for years.
Once upon a time, I loved Eurowings even more, as it didn’t charge for ski equipment even with its cheapest fare. This made it my go-to airline for ski trips, but the airline sadly dropped this perk and now you’ll have to pay for sports luggage (starting from around €30).
SMART
The next fare class up, Smart adds a larger 55 cm x 40 cm x 23 cm cabin bag to your allowance with a weight limit of 8 kg. While Eurowings gate staff used to frequently check cabin bags for dimensions, I’ve never seen them weigh one. And I haven’t seen any checks at all in the last few years, particularly since Eurowings downsized significantly after the pandemic.
Alongside the cabin bag, you also get a 23kg checked bag, free airport check-in and standard seat selection. As I never check in hold luggage and can game the system to get a window or aisle seat, I never use the Smart fare option. It’s generally cheaper to book a Basic fare and add a carry-on bag separately.
BIZclass
The premium Eurowings offering is positioned as a top-end experience suitable for metaphorical high-flyers and business travellers. It is undoubtedly a nicer all round experience from check in to boarding to flying, but for me it never justifies the cost when the average flight time is so short. That is unless you’re packing everything including the kitchen sink, because the luggage allowance is enormous.
BIZclass gives you two large cabin bags (up to 8kg each) with a dedicated, reserved overhead compartment so you know you can stow them both conveniently (actually, a very nice touch you don’t typically see with other airlines). You’ll also be able to bring two checked bags weighing up to 32kg each. You also get priority check-in, and security fast track at selected airports and lounge access where available.
The big sell is onboard, where BIZclass customers sit in the extra legroom seats of the first three rows, with the middle seat blocked to give you more space to spread out. You’ll get access to the premium level of the Wings Connect Wi-Fi service and its entertainment library, though you’ll need your own device to connect as there are no in-seat screens. BIZclass also includes food, with a wide choice of drinks and dishes to choose from.
Onboard – seats, food and facilities
Eurowings seats are 18 inches wide (standard for budget economy) but legroom is between 30–32 inches, about the best you’ll find in the low-cost sector. If you’re north of six foot it makes a genuine difference (for me it makes the window seat a viable option). Despite being on the thin side, seats are comfy enough for a couple of hours.
With its sky blue and burgundy livery and leather Recaro seats, Eurowings is perhaps the classiest and most tastefully designed of all the low-cost carriers. Service too is generally friendly and excellent. In my experience, cabin crew are happier to relocate you to roomier seats if they’re available than on some stricter budget airlines.
There are currently no power sockets or USB points on most of the fleet, though the incoming Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft will feature USB ports, and the new Premium BIZ seats include USB charging. The Wings Connect portal is available on all Eurowings flights via your own device, though internet access via in-flight Wi-Fi is only available on selected aircraft. Eurowings offers the Wings Entertainment media library as a paid option on 57 aircraft.
Wings Bistro is where you’ll find food, the now familiar aisle trolley serving a range of reasonable snacks, sandwiches and some hot meals. The main staple is a range of classic German brötchen or bread rolls filled with meats and cheeses. Typically they’re fresh and adequately tasty for a quick snack on a short flight.
Rewards scheme and Lufthansa lounges
Being part of the Lufthansa Group offers certain benefits for Eurowings customers, including access to its Miles & More reward scheme and lounges in airports around the world.
Offering a slightly bewildering array of points and miles rewards as and when you fly, the Miles & More scheme incorporates around 40 partner airlines. That means you can earn and redeem points with lots of other major carriers operating worldwide, from Air Canada to Air India, TAP Air Portugal to Thai Airways.
If you’ve opted for BIZclass, or are a member of the Senator or HON Circle schemes, you also get access to Lufthansa’s many airport lounges. Currently that extends to around 40 airports and even more lounges around the world, as some like Dusseldorf and London Heathrow feature separate Senator and Business Class areas. Munich has a mindboggling 14 to choose from.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up to date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
