4 Boutique Airlines That Can Change the Way You Fly

livemint.com:

THE NEXT TIME you find yourself baffled by some of the airlines listed on an airport departure board, consider this: More than 300 international airlines operate worldwide—even if you always fly the same three or four giants. Though behemoths dominate the industry, some bantamweight contenders stand out as viable alternatives. Their pitch: These (mostly new) boutique airlines, which limit flights to just a few strategic destinations, promise not only savings but a better ride.

Some airfare experts say you can save 25% or more booking a premium seat on these under-the-radar carriers, compared with a premium economy or business class ticket on a mainstream airline. Some caveats apply: For starters, availability can vary by season, and flights may not operate every day of the week. If a flight is scrubbed you might get stuck at the airport until the next plane rolls through, which can take longer with smaller fleets.

When booking, keep in mind that some of the options below might not pop up in your first search results. You might have to check their own websites rather than rely on your go-to online travel agencies. Read on to learn about four upstarts taking to the skies.

All Business to France and Italy The mother of all boutique lines, La Compagnie, a 10-year-old carrier based in Paris, has defied the odds to stay aloft as an all-business-class airline operating over the Atlantic. It flies just two planes, between New York City (out of Newark Airport) and Paris, Nice or Milan, and has gained a following for touches like fully-flat seats and actually edible in-flight cuisine. In the pipeline: two more jets, plus some new (as yet unannounced) cities.