Transavia and Vueling Airlines - Experiences Please

I'm happily flying Ryanair to Barcelona in August. My flight comes into BCN, not Girona, and I am perfectly willing to follow their regulations for the €39 fare I paid. I have flown with them before, too, with no problem. They have excellent safety and on-time records. As long as you play by their rules, it's fine. Many people post about Ryanair who have never used them, based on something they heard.

Last year we flew on Vueling from Barcelona to Marseilles. We bought our tickets in advance. Additional charges included luggage and seat selection options, but it was clearly indicted as we went through the online purchase process. No surprises. We had no problem whatsoever.

We flew Transavia from Lisbon to Seville and it was fine-very similar to Easyjet. Would fly with them again.

Is it better to book directly on the airlines' websites? I have been looking on skyscanner and kayak.com, but I am unsure if the fares I am getting include a checked bag or not?

Skyscanner and Kayak search multiple websites, but you then go to the airline's website to book directly. When you do, you will then see the extra charges, but not on the initial page. If you need to compare costs of two different airlines on a route, be sure to go all the way through the booking, up to the credit card info page, to see the total cost.

Ok - got it - just checked. I don't know if we will be checking bags or not. Might need to check one, but not certain. I don't suppose you get a refund if you pre-pay and then not end up checking the bag(s) or have lighter weight than forecasted? Dream on, right? Feeling like we should just take the train!

I don't suppose you get a refund if you pre-pay and then not end up checking the bag(s) or have lighter weight than forecasted? nope