Budget Airlines in North America

Southwest and JetBlue airlines get most of the attention from travelers but there many smaller carriers that serve airports across both countries. Getting the best deals usually involves some combination of searching multiple sites, staying flexible and being lucky.

Southwest Airlines (route map) — America’s largest airline has routes to every corner and cornfield in the U.S.

JetBlue (route map) — Flights throughout the U.S. and the Caribbean as well as Cancun, San Jose, and Bogotá.

AirTran (route map) — Based in Atlanta with flights throughout the U.S. and a handful of destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico.

Frontier Airlines (route map) — Based in Denver and Milwaukee with flights across the U.S. and Mexico, and to San Jose, Costa Rica.

Spirit Airlines (route map) — Based in Ft Lauderdale with flights throughout the U.S. and to Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Allegiant Air (route map) — Flights across the U.S. largely to holiday destinations in the south.

Sun Country Airlines (route map) — Based in Minneapolis with flights around the U.S., and to Mexico, the Caribbean, and London, England.

Virgin America (route map) — Flights between Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, Boston, Washington, DC, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Toronto.

West Jet Airlines (route map) — Based in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto with flights throughout Canada, the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean.

Air Transat (route map) — Flights from Canada to Europe; Florida; Mexico and Central America; the Caribbean; and Columbia and Venezuela.