A318. The smallest and rarest of the Airbus A320 family, the A318, is also the cheapest of Airbus' offerings. The plane, known as the Baby Bus, has a list price of $77.5 million.

The "cheapest" Airbus aircraft in terms of list price has historically been the Airbus A318, affectionately known as the "Baby Bus." While it is the smallest member of the A320 family, Airbus officially stopped taking orders for it several years ago as airlines shifted toward larger, more fuel-efficient models like the A220. In the current 2026 market, the most cost-effective "new" Airbus you can buy is the Airbus A220-100, which has a list price of approximately $81 million to $91 million USD, though most airlines receive significant bulk discounts that can bring the "real" price down by 40-50%. If you are looking at the pre-owned market, a used Airbus A319 or A320ceo from the early 2010s can be picked up for anywhere between $5 million and $15 million, depending on its flight hours and engine condition. For a start-up airline or a private collector, these "legacy" A320s represent the most affordable entry point into the Airbus ecosystem. However, it’s worth noting that the "cheapest" plane up front often ends up being more expensive in the long run due to the higher fuel consumption and maintenance costs of older, less efficient engines.