The budget options for flying between Europe and the US just keep getting better and better. Primera is the latest airline to join the swell of low-cost carriers (like Norwegian, XL, and Wow) charging fares as low as $99 for a one-way ticket.

But is flying Primera worth it to save a few bucks?

We booked a ticket recently between Paris and Newark (EWR) to find out how this new budget carrier stacks up.

Read more about budget airlines:
• Tips for making your flight on Norwegian Air more comfortable
• Wow for $99? Yes, but the devil is in the details
• Our guide to flying the cheapo skies on Wow

Tips for flying Primera Air to Europe

Are you thinking about booking a ticket with Primera? You can read about the pros and cons of my recent experience before you make a final decision.

The price

When I was planning a trip to Paris to see the French Open, I started searching for affordable tickets. I had written about Primera Air a few months earlier, so I really wanted to give it a shot.

After buying a cheap one-way ticket to Paris on Norwegian, I found a return ticket from Paris to Newark on Primera for only €169. I purchased it two months before my flight, and to keep my costs low, I didn’t reserve a seat, pre-order food or purchase checked baggage.

Search for cheap flights to Europe

Pre-flight issues

After I bought my ticket, I received a confirmation email right away and counted down the days until my trip. When it was time to come back from Paris, things didn’t get off to a good start. I received only one email before my flight five days before it was scheduled to take off. There was no communication from Primera by email or text the day before or day of my flight.

In fact, I was trying to check the flight status of my trip at my hotel in Paris before I got on the RER to the airport. After searching the Primera Air website, I quickly realized there is no place to check for your flight status! I thought maybe it was my afternoon glass of wine that was clouding my vision but it turned out to be true.

I checked Google Flights, and it said the information was “unavailable”, so I went on the Charles de Gaulle Aiport (CDG) website and saw that my flight was listed as “canceled.” When I saw that,  I decided to leave right away to get to the terminal and see what was going on. Needless to say, it was not a good start to my trip home.

The line to check in at CDG Airport.

At the airport

After stressing out on my ride RER train ride out to the airport, I finally arrived at Terminal 3. From the train station (stop 1 at CDG), it’s about a 10-minute walk to the terminal.

I asked the information desk where Primera Air was, and they pointed me to a very long line. The moment I put my bag down and got in line, I received a text that the flight was actually NOT canceled. This was very confusing to everyone because most people had no idea that there were any problems with the flight.

However, the Primera staff quickly went down the line to let us know that the flight was indeed scheduled to leave two hours later than originally planned. Not the best news, but that’s a lot better than having your flight canceled!

Baggage fees

Like other budget airlines (and most carriers now), Primera Air charges for any checked baggage. You’ll save if you pay in advance instead of at the gate. You can read more about baggage fees on Primera’s website.

On my many experiences on Norwegian, I have been able to bring my bags on board without getting hit with a fee, so I decided to take a chance on Primera. At check-in at the airport, I had to show the Primera attendant my backpack (a North Face Overhaul Backpack) and a smaller backpack that I was carrying. After an inquisitive look, they let me go without making me check any bags. I couldn’t tell if this was the official policy or just sympathy because our flight was delayed.

Related: Baggage fees for US to Europe airlines

Onboard

Most of Primera’s transatlantic flights are on the Airbus A321neo. These new planes have excellent fuel efficiency for long-haul flight helping to keep fares down. The plane that I was on for my Paris to Newark journey was less than two weeks old!

Just note, that even though the plane was brand new, they didn’t offer Wi-Fi or in-flight entertainment. Make sure to download podcasts or movies to your laptop or phone before getting on board. The good news? There was a USB port at every seat so you can easily charge your device.

The faux leather seats were definitely not luxurious, but they were not as cramped as I expected. I even managed to get a few hours of shut-eye on my way home.

Service

The London-based crew was very friendly and helpful during the flight. Before we took off, they even explained in great detail why the flight was delayed for two hours.

They did come around to offer drinks, sandwiches, and snacks for purchase three times during the trip. You can also just push the flight attendant button and place your order with them directly. I sipped a €5.50 cognac (not a bad price at all) as I read a book and looked over my notes from my Parisian adventure. Nothing is included unless you pre-paid for a meal, so I would suggest bringing food with you. The prices are a little on the high side but not completely outrageous.

The verdict

If you don’t mind forgoing the perks that come with legacy carriers, you can’t beat the price of Primera. I’ll have to fly it a few more times to get a full picture of how Primera Air is holding up against the competition, but I would definitely give it another chance despite the delay and communication issues. The onboard flight crew was extremely friendly and helpful and the brand-new plane was quite nice.

Primera did send a follow-up survey a few days after my flight, so I’m hoping they take note of my biggest complaints that could easily make the experience a little less stressful. Getting the flight status up on the website would be a good start!

To check fares, you can search the Primera Air website.

Your thoughts on Primera

Have you flown Primera? Share your experience with us in the comments section.

Note: Soon after we took our flight on Primera, the company announced they were canceling flights on a new Birmingham to North American route. They blamed the delay in the delivery of new Airbus planes, but it left a lot of travelers in limbo. Double check with Primera to make sure your flight is still on schedule.

The post What’s it like to take a Primera Air transatlantic flight appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

We always get a little giddy here at EuroCheapo every time a new budget airline enters the transatlantic market. Along with booking an affordable place to stay, securing a low-cost flight to Europe is key to keeping your vacation expenses in check.

So we’re excited to see a brand-new player bringing cheap flights between the US and Europe. Primera Air will be kicking off its transatlantic service in April with non-stop flights from New York to London with more routes rolling out later in 2018 to Paris and Birmingham.

Primera is an Icelandic-owned and Latvia-based company that already operates a number of routes across Europe. Now they’re ready to expand their service with a brand-new fleet of planes, the Airbus A321neo. Launching with a similar concept like Norwegian and WOW Air,  Primera will be offering several tiers of tickets from super cheap with no frills to more expensive with a number of perks.

Flying the cheapo skies: A guide to flying Wow Air | Tips for making your flight on Norwegian comfier

Introductory fares on Primera Air

Right now, Primera is only offering service from three destinations: Boston (BOS), New York – Newark (EWR), and Washington, DC (Dulles Airport). They have been advertising rock-bottom fares of $99 each way, and although a lot of those tickets have sold out, we are still able to find incredible deals including several tickets under $200. For example, a flight from Newark to London in late April is only $179.

Primera breaks their tickets down into Light (the cheapest option with no perks), Comfort (includes seat reservation, a checked bag, and meals), or Flex (all of the Comfort perks but the fare is refundable).  If you choose a “Light” ticket, you can add on extras one at a time. For example, a seat reservation starts at $39.99 and a checked bag costs $44.99. They also offer a Premium Cabin, but the prices are way out of cheapo budget for us to even consider this option.

The transatlantic experience on Primera

I’ll be flying Primera in a few months from Paris back to New York City. I was able to find a €169 ($207) one-way flight direct from Paris (CDG) to Newark (EWR) in early June, an amazing deal for this time of year. Combined with a one-way ticket from Norwegian at $170, the final cost for a round-trip ticket to Paris was just $378. That’s a very nice price for a trip to Paris over Memorial Day weekend and during the French Open.

We’re looking forward to flying on Primera Air, and we’ll be reporting back about our experience. Right now you can read about transatlantic flights on the Primera website, but until we climb aboard, it’s hard to predict what the flights will be like. As we’ve learned (sometimes the hard way), these budget airlines can be fantastic deals, but the devil is always in the details.

Have you bought a ticket on Primera Air? Let us know how your experience in the comments below!

The post Primera Air launches new discount flights to Europe from $99 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.