Neos is an Italian leisure airline owned by Alpitour, a vacation package provider, with its main base at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP). The carrier flies to more than 50 destinations across Europe and long-haul routes, and you can book seat-only tickets directly online even though it’s part of a tour operator. Many flights originate from various Italian airports beyond its Milan hub.
The route network is primarily seasonal, with several locations only served for a portion of the year. However, there are several exceptions to the seasonality of the route network, with the prominent exception of the Milan to New York (JFK) service, which runs year-round. This guide covers everything you need to know before booking with Neos.
Fare structure
Neos divides Economy fares into three categories: Promo (the cheapest option), Relax (mid-tier), and Freedom (their flexible fare). The Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet offers both Premium and Economy cabins, while the smaller 737 aircraft typically only has Economy class, though Premium Economy is available on certain routes like Cairo.
Thinking of splurging on the Premium cabin? You’ll see two price points when booking online: ‘Premium’ and ‘Premium Plus’, each with distinct conditions and services. Just a heads-up, if you’re booking a vacation package, the options might look a little different.
Neos also allows Economy passengers to pay a surcharge for more legroom, with exit row seats costing an extra fee that can be paid at the time of booking or at the airport on the day of departure, provided seats are still available. These are called Economy Extra seats. You can snag these when you book, through My Booking or Web Check-in, or try your luck at the airport (subject to availability). There are also 36 special seats in reserved areas of the Economy cabin, called Economy Extra Plus, which come with a few extra perks.
Seats and legroom
Economy Extra seats offer extra personal space and legroom, but they come with standard exit row trade-offs. You won’t have a seat back pocket, so all carry-on items must go in the overhead compartment. Elderly or passengers with mobility limitations may not be permitted in these seats since they’re located at emergency exits.
For a little extra cash, you can upgrade to Economy Extra Plus. It’s not a separate cabin, but these 36 seats in reserved areas of the Economy cabin get you about an extra 3cm (roughly 1.2 inches) of legroom, plus fast-track check-in, a separate check-in counter and a welcome drink.
As for the layout, it’s pretty standard. The 737s have rows of six seats with an aisle down the middle. The bigger 787s have a nine-across setup in Economy, in a 3-3-3 configuration.
Premium cabin
In the Premium cabin, seats are arranged seven across (2-3-2). It is worth noting that these seats do not offer a lie-flat bed for sleeping but do offer a significant degree of recline compared to conventional Economy seating.
In terms of seat pitch, Premium offers an extra 10 inches of seat pitch when compared to a standard Economy seat, which makes a big difference on a long flight.
If you’re in an A, E, or L seat, you’ll need to step over someone to reach the aisle. Since these seats recline but don’t go lie-flat, the lack of direct aisle access is less of an issue than it would be on carriers with fully flat beds.
Premium passengers also get some nice perks. You can pick your seat up to 48 hours before your flight (where available), use faster security lines and get lounge access where available. Your entertainment comes through an individual 11-inch touchscreen monitor.
Onboard catering and amenities
Complimentary meals and lighter snacks are provided on the majority of routes and even for passengers who have booked the cheapest Promo fare in the main Economy cabin.
In a twist to the common tale in such cabins, Neos offers a variety of wine choices that accompany the meal service service in Economy and all are served free of charge. Prosecco is often included on long-hauls.
On longer-distance flights, blankets are not always provided in the main Economy cabin and there is little consistency with this product feature. Maybe pack a sweater just in case.
Wi-Fi and entertainment
The 787 fleet has in-seat entertainment with movies, music playlists, games, news updates, flight information, shopping options and a bar service feature through individual touchscreen monitors. The system offers content in multiple languages (English, Italian, Spanish, French and Chinese), and kids have their own selection of entertainment.
Need to stay connected? The 787s offer Wi-Fi with high-speed connectivity up to 12Mbps. All passengers can purchase connectivity packages, with some initial sponsored minutes potentially available for free on select aircraft.
If you’re in Premium, your ticket on the 787-9 aircraft includes Wi-Fi. Economy Extra Plus passengers also get it on the house. A flight attendant will usually hand you a voucher with a code to log in.
The smaller 737s are a bit more old-school, with no built-in screens or Wi-Fi. However, all seats on the Boeing 737-800 aircraft have USB sockets for charging your devices and handy holders for your tablet or phone. This is great during meal service, so you don’t have to balance your device on your tray table while trying to eat.
Ticketing changes and differences
Alright, let’s talk about the fine print. The change and cancellation policies at Neos can be a little confusing because they aren’t the same for every fare or route. For example, changes to date and sometimes destination are possible if your purchased fare allows it, and you can manage these up to 48 hours before departure in My Reservation. The key is to read the conditions carefully when you book.
Just be aware that making a change could put you on a more restrictive ticket, which might matter if you need to make another change later on.
As you’d expect, cheaper tickets come with more refund restrictions. More expensive fares are more flexible, but the rules can still vary a lot depending on your route and the regulations of your destination country.
The amount and method of refund, if you’re entitled to one, depends on your fare conditions—sometimes you can get a full refund, sometimes just a portion, and sometimes there’s a cancellation fee, similar to what other airlines charge.
Checked baggage allowance is another thing that changes based on your destination and selected fare. A flexible “Freedom” ticket may have different weight allowances depending on whether it’s a short European hop or a long-haul flight. Premium passengers’ baggage allowance depends on the selected fare and destination, though on specific routes like Cairo flights operated by 737 aircraft, Premium Economy includes two 30-kg checked pieces.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
