Have you noticed that low-cost carriers tend to have more colourful liveries on their planes while legacy or national airlines tend to be painted in white and have bland designs?
It seems that this is all about advertising and branding. You’re more likely to remember the budget carriers based on the flamboyance of their aircraft or messages that are conveyed on the fuselage. And they are allowed to be loud and brassy or even playful unlike national airlines which tend to take a more conservative approach.
So here is a list of 10 budget carriers with colourful liveries and also included are special mentions of amazing demonstration aircraft.
Nok Air
You cannot help but smile when you see a Nok Air plane as the airline takes a playful approach, transforming their fleet into a vibrant flock of birds. Nok Air is a Thai budget carrier operating mostly domestic services out of Bangkok.
Its colourful liveries feature the yellow beak of a bird at the nose of the aircraft and on the tail. And how apt too, as ‘Nok’ means ‘bird’ in Thai. Each aircraft even comes with a catchy name from the cheerful “Smiling Nok” to the optimistic “Good Nok,” and there even a fish on a livery named after the famous animated clownfish, Nemo, that is in orange and white.
AirAsia
AirAsia is a Malaysian multinational low-cost airline that started operations in 2001 and flies to more than 160 destinations. Today it is a world-class brand, a leading ASEAN airline, a digital travel and lifestyle platform that has won countless of awards. AirAsia was voted the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2024 (Skytrax) for an unprecedented 15th consecutive time.
AirAsia Media also actively offers its advertisers, custom livery designs on its planes and cabin space. So it is not surprising to find many of its planes painted with liveries featuring the brands of its advertisers as well as destinations. AirAsia holds the distinction as the only airline which services all 10 Southeast Asian (ASEAN) countries.
Southwest Airlines
As of July 2024, the Southwest Airlines fleet consists of 816 aircraft, making it the fourth-largest commercial airline fleet in the world as well as the world’s largest low-cost carrier. Some Southwest Airlines aircraft feature special liveries and have special names, usually ending in “One.”
On April 28, 2023, Southwest marked the fourth anniversary of its first inter-island flights within Hawaii and celebrated with a special livery called Imua One. Freedom One proudly features the US flag when it was unveiled in 2021. Heart One was the first aircraft painted with the “Heart” livery in 2014, the new primary livery for Southwest Airlines.
Breeze Airways
Breeze Airways is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, that was launched in 2021. Its livery features pearlescent paint of different shades of blue (which changes colour in different lighting conditions), and most outstanding of all is the bold tick or checkmark on the rear section of the fuselage.
This symbol on the tail looks like an ascending bird that is eye-catching and simply unique.
Bangkok Airways
Another Thai airline worthy of mention is Bangkok Airways, which is a regional airline operating services to destinations in Thailand and various overseas destinations such as Singapore, China, Maldives and Cambodia.
Its current fleet comprises aircraft decorated in different colourful liveries of various exotic destinations and its mascots with the aim of capturing a younger target base.
jetBlue
US-based jetBlue’s new standard livery features a bold and all-blue design. The first aircraft to receive the new livery paint was an Airbus A321, that went into service on 15 June, 2023. The design is named “Mint Leaves,” and it celebrates jetBlue’s premium class, branded as Mint.
All planes outfitted with Mint suites will feature this look, which uses a scattering of the round-cornered “leaves” that serve as the Mint logo. The first aircraft with this design is called ‘A Defining Mo-Mint’.
Play
Play is an Icelandic low-cost airline headquartered in Reykjavik and operates a fleet of AirbusA320 neo family aircraft that are all painted with striking red livery.
It launched its first services to the United States with flights Baltimore and Boston in 2022, followed by Canada in 2023. In Oct 2024, Play announced it will commence services to Antalya, Turkey in April 2025.
Fuji Dream Airlines (FDA)
Fuji Dream Airlines (FDA) is a Japanese domestic airline headquartered in Shizuoka, the home of Mount Fuji, and mainly operating out of Nagoya Komaki airport and Kobe airport. It is known for painting each of its fleet of Embraer aircraft in a different colour.
But surprisingly, its 12th aircraft is in white! The airline has ordered more aircraft from Embraer and we look forward to seeing more colourful liveries.
Spirit Airlines
With its distinctive yellow and black livery, Spirit Airlines is an ultra-low-cost carrier is headquartered in Miramar, Florida and began operations in 1992, with its first flight from Detroit to Atlantic City. Since then, the airline has expanded its route network and now serves various destinations across the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, and beyond. Its frequent flyer programme is aptly named FREE SPIRIT.
Universal Studios Hollywood and the airline also joined forces to launch the first-ever Airbus A320neo featuring a SUPER NINTENDO WORLD aircraft wrap.
Really Cool Airlines
As its name suggests, the airline has unveiled its new livery that is really cool. And it looks like the cockpit is wearing a headphones and sunshades! Due to the delay in delivery of aircraft, Thailand’s Really Cool Airlines has had to delay its start of operations to the second quarter of 2025.
If the first two aircraft are delivered in Nov 2024, the airline will start with charter flights to Japan to settle its system for 3-4 months.
Special mentions – demonstration aircraft
Brazilian manufacturer Embraer presented its latest Profit Hunter, an E195-E2 better known as ‘Tech Eagle,’ in 2023. The Tech Eagle is the latest predator-themed livery from Embraer, following their famous shark, lion and snow leopard designs. Embraer said that the E2 was painted with this striking livery to reflect the aircraft’s high-tech features and outstanding performance. Like an eagle, the E2 flies efficiently and quietly.
Embraer’s Tech Eagle at the Singapore Air Show:
The Tech Eagle is turning heads at the Singapore Airshow! If you’re here, make sure to capture the moment and snap a photo with the most sustainable small narrow-body aircraft. #EmbraerStories #AccelerateOpportunity #E195E2 #TechEagle #SGAirshow2024 pic.twitter.com/KihM4wpDIs
— Embraer (@embraer) February 23, 2024
Airbus’ first BelugaXL derived from the freighter version of Airbus’ A330-200 jetliner, was rolled out in Toulouse, France in 2018. This next-generation oversize cargo airlifter features beluga whale-inspired eyes and an enthusiastic grin. In June 2024 the last of six BelugaXLs entered service. These successors to the A300-600ST, continue its mission to strengthen the company’s industrial capabilities. The fleet is complete.
Last BelugaXL Delivery
This is Part 4 in our series on aircraft liveries. You can read the other articles in the series here:
Goal! Airlines score in the sky with football-themed liveries
