Subsidised Flights: Why Airline Tickets to Jordan Are So Cheap
Flights with low-cost airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air to airports in Jordan such as Amman and Aqaba can be surprisingly cheap.
For my flight to Jordan I only paid €14, while my return flight cost me €21, and these prices aren’t unusual as cheap fares are plentiful.
Why are airline tickets to a relatively faraway country like Jordan so cheap, and how can you find the best flight deals? Let’s find out!
Cheap Jordan flights
The reason flights from Europe to Jordan on some low-cost airlines are so cheap, and exist in the first place, is simple: They are massively subsidised by the Jordanian government.
This is the case with Ryanair and Wizz Air flights to airports in Jordan, such as Amman and Aqaba, among others.
Although the airlines and national authorities involved speak euphemistically about marketing agreements instead of subsidised flights, it essentially boils down to Ryanair and Wizz Air getting a subsidy for each tourist they fly into Jordan.
Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Majd Shweikeh said in an interview that low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and Wizz Air are “profitable to the entire value chain” and that “transportation, handicrafts, local communities and many more” in the Kingdom are benefitting from it.
Ms Shweikeh explained that a study has shown a subsidy of 10 million Jordanian dinar (€12.9 million) for low-cost carriers results in a return of 100 million dinar (€129 million) to the local economy.
It’s a great incentive that benefits all involved, as Ryanair and Wizz Air can make a nice profit, Jordan sees a sharp rise in tourist numbers and spending, while consumers benefit from cheap flights.
Considering that historically Jordan was a rather expensive destination to fly into, as it was primarily served by full-service airlines for many years, the arrival of low-cost carriers (LCCs) to the country has really opened up the market.
Low-cost airline subsidies
Although low-cost carriers operate plenty of routes on which they don’t receive any subsidies whatsoever, they do often seek them out.
These subsidies enable low-cost airlines to provide cheap tickets while ensuring profitability through ancillary income, rather than solely relying on revenue from ticket sales.
It allows low-cost airlines to operate routes which otherwise wouldn’t be profitable for them.
Regional governments, tourist boards, or airport authorities often provide direct or indirect subsidies to low-cost airlines to operate flights to certain destinations.
This can be done in order to improve connectivity for the local community, or to attract more incoming tourists.
In the European Union, there are however strict regulations when it comes to government support to airlines.
Therefore, deals with low-cost airlines often take a different structure there, such as more obscure regional airports waiving certain fees for airlines instead of providing cash subsidies.
Airline subsidies in the Middle East
In most countries in the Middle East, there are fewer rules regarding airline subsidies compared to the more regulated aviation markets of Europe and the US.
The best examples are the big airlines from the Gulf Region such as Emirates and Qatar Airways.
Although these airlines are now highly profitable and do not need subsidies to operate, they owe much of their success to past government support, which helped them develop extensive networks and establish a global brand.
Subsidising foreign airlines is also more common in the Middle East than one might expect, as Jordan was not the first country to engage in such practices.
Indeed, the Jordanian government might have drawn inspiration from their neighbours, as Israel has been subsidising flights to the Red Sea coastal resort of Eilat since 2015.
This initiative by the Israeli Tourism Ministry and the local tourist board enabled low-cost airlines like Wizz Air to offer cheap tickets, mainly from cities in Eastern Europe, to Eilat.
Although the scheme has faced criticism because some tourists used these cheap flights to visit places like Aqaba in Jordan or Taba in Egypt instead of staying in Eilat, it did help the Israeli resort city reverse a sharp decline in tourism and attract a completely new segment of tourists.
How to find cheap flights to Jordan
Of these airlines, Ryanair and Wizz Air are your best bet when it comes to finding some cheap flights to Jordan.
As the national capital, Amman offers the widest availability of cheap flights between Jordan and various destinations across Europe, primarily in southern and eastern Europe, but also to some cities in western Europe.
If your country doesn’t have direct low-cost flights to Jordan, it may be worth looking for a one-stop itinerary, such as flying first to a low-cost hub like Milan Bergamo, Budapest, or Larnaca, and then continuing on to Amman from there.
Currently, low-cost flights to Aqaba are suspended due to the Gaza War, although Ryanair will resume their cheap flights to Jordan’s Red Sea coastal resort in the autumn.
Sometimes, the Turkish low-cost airlines Pegasus and Ajet offer cheap connecting flights through Istanbul to Amman in Jordan, so this option can be worth looking into as well.
Note that many low-cost flights from Europe to Jordan are seasonal and operate only in autumn, winter, and spring.
My flight to Jordan
As I already mentioned in the introduction of my Jordan trip report, I began my journey with a Wizz Air flight from Bucharest to Aqaba, for which I only paid €14.
Since I travelled with only a small rucksack and didn’t need to pay for any extras like checked luggage or large cabin baggage, it was an absolute steal and cheaper than a taxi at either end of my flight.
Aside from the slight annoyance of Wizz Air not supporting mobile boarding passes on this route, requiring me to queue for a paper one at the check-in desk, it was a typical low-cost flight experience.
My flight, operated by a Wizz Air Airbus A321, was on time and took me exactly where I wanted to go.
Even though my flight departed in the winter darkness just after sunset, there were still some decent nighttime views during take-off from Bucharest and landing in Aqaba.
Having bought a Jordan Pass in advance, which waives the visa-on-arrival fee for tourists, I was able to skip the queue at the visa desk and go straight to passport control, saving a significant amount of time.
Conclusion
There are lots of cheap flights available on low-cost airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air from Europe to airports in Jordan such as Amman and Aqaba.
It’s not difficult to find flights priced as low as €20 or even less, which is remarkable considering that flights between Europe and Jordan can easily take 3 to 4 hours.
The reason these flights to Jordan are so cheap is that low-cost airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air receive subsidies from the Jordanian government for every tourist they bring into the country.
It’s a win-win situation for all parties involved: The airlines can make a nice profit, Jordan sees a big increase in tourist arrivals, and as a consumer, you benefit from cheap flights!
Trip report index
This article is part of the ‘Journey Across Jordan: From Aqaba to Petra and Amman‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:
1. Subsidised Flights: Why Airline Tickets to Jordan Are So Cheap (current chapter)
2. The Jordan Pass: Save Money and Time on Your Jordan Trip
3. Exploring Aqaba, Jordan’s Seaside Resort City
4. Jordan Bus Travel: Amman, Aqaba, Petra, Wadi Rum by JETT Bus
5. In the Footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia: On Horseback Across the Wadi Rum Desert
** rest of the chapters to follow soon **
