Cheap flights have made the world smaller, but I wonder if the cost is just invisible until it's paid by someone else. Every time I book a $20 ticket, I'm aware that the airline is losing money on that seat—so who actually covers the difference? Some argue that budget carriers like Ryanair and AirAsia have opened travel to millions who otherwise couldn't afford it, and that's a genuine social good. But I've watched smaller airports get overrun, local housing prices spike near hubs, and the industry's carbon footprint balloon, and I can't shake the feeling that the savings are just displaced, not real. It's not that I want to return to the era of luxury-only flying, but I do think we need to decide whether the true price of that cheap ticket is one we're ready to pay collectively. So the yes/no question is blunt: does the rise of budget airlines ultimately hurt more than it helps?