Find cheap Wizz Air flights

Headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, Wizz Air is the largest airline in Central and Eastern Europe by passenger numbers and operates as an “ultra-low-cost carrier.” Since its first flight, it’s grown at an incredible rate, now carrying over 60 million passengers annually.

The “ultra-low-cost” label means that if you thought other budget airlines were no-frills, Wizz Air takes it to another level. In reality, it just means you’ll need to navigate a few more add-on charges and services when you book.

Fleet and network

Wizz Air’s route map is extensive. It connects close to 200 destinations across 55 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Its mix of destinations includes many secondary airports and, like some of its low-cost peers, it’s responsible for opening up fantastic cities (like Katowice, Poland) to new tourism.

My advice? Always double-check the airports you’re flying to and from. They’re often small, have few facilities and can be a long way from the cities they’re named for.

The business includes subsidiaries Wizz Air Hungary, Wizz Air Malta, and Wizz Air UK. Following the suspension of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi operations, the airline has refocused on its core European markets. While the remaining subsidiaries all cover different routes, when you’re booking, they all operate under the same Wizz Air banner. You can only book direct flights, though, as there are no connecting flight options.

So if you want to fly Wizz Air to the Maldives, for example, you can. But you’ll have to book separate flights from your home airport to a connecting hub and then on to Malé.

The fleet’s entirely made up of Airbus A320s and A321s, which are fine for short-haul journeys of a few hours. They’re not quite as forgiving on the airline’s longer routes, though with the Abu Dhabi suspension, many of those long-haul routes are no longer part of the network.

Fares and classes

As is the (ultra) low-cost carrier business model, WIZZ Air doesn’t offer classes beyond economy. Instead, it offers fares and bundles. Starting with the bare minimum fare, its bundles add extras based on what it says are its most popular services.

It’s almost always more cost-effective to book the basic fare and cherry-pick any added services I want. That’s especially true since many services, like early boarding and airport check-in, don’t add much value.

All of the fare bundles listed below come with a family option. If you add kids to your booking, Wizz Air will auto-update the bundle to the family version. This adds greater discounts to each individual fare, which can add up if there are a lot of you travelling.

Basic fare

The basic fare is exactly that, the price you see advertised when you search for a flight.

It includes one 16 in x 12 in x 8 in (40 cm x 30 cm x 20 cm) cabin bag that must fit under the seat in front of you. You’ll be able to add any extra services you may want during the booking process.

You’ll be able to add any extra services you may want during the booking process.

You can also check in for free online starting 24 hours before departure, when you’ll be randomly allocated a seat. If you pay to choose your seat, online check-in extends to 30 days before departure. Though with your preferred seat booked, there’s no real advantage in being able to do so. Some smaller airports don’t have online check-in, so it’s worth investigating before you book.

WIZZ Go / WIZZ Family Go

The Go bundle adds a 44 lb checked bag to your basic fare. It also means you can choose your seat, as long as it’s not in the first four rows or an extra legroom seat. Seat selection comes with online check-in 30 days before departure, or you can check in at the airport on the day.

WIZZ Smart

The Smart bundle promises a quick and easy airport experience and helps you travel fast. A bit of an irony for an airline with a reputation for delays. Smart includes seat selection, a second cabin bag up to 10 kg and and priority check-in and boarding.

WIZZ Plus / WIZZ Family Plus

The Plus bundle is as close to full-service as you’ll get from a budget airline. It rolls in every service Wizz Air offers. That includes priority check-in and boarding, a 32 kg checked bag and a second cabin bag. It also includes extra legroom seats.

The main reason to book a Plus bundle is for its flexibility. You can change flights without added charges up to three hours before you fly. You’ll only need to pay the difference if the new flight costs more than the one you’ve booked. And no, you don’t get a refund for the difference if the new flight is cheaper.

You can also cancel your flight altogether, although you’ll get a credit to your Wizz account rather than a cash refund. Beware, you’ll need to use it in 90 days or you’ll lose it.

On board: Seats, legroom and facilities

It’s a bare-bones experience on board both the A320 and A321. Seats are 45 cm (18 inches) wide, which is 5 cm more than Ryanair, but offer only 71 cm (28 in) pitch (legroom). That’s less than most other budget carriers.

That’s certainly not ideal if you’re north of six feet tall. The seats are otherwise comfy enough for flights of a couple of hours.

And that’s about it. There’s no in-flight entertainment, WiFi, charging points, blankets or cushions, and nothing is complimentary. In-flight service, the grandly named Wizz Café and Boutique, is the usual array of overpriced snacks and drinks. Don’t be surprised if the things advertised are sold out. Typical of most budget airlines, the quick turnaround between flights often means the cabin isn’t very clean.

You get what you pay for

Wizz Air doesn’t have a strong reputation, even alongside other budget airlines. UK Civil Aviation Authority data confirms Wizz Air has consistently recorded the longest average delays of over 31 minutes for flights departing UK airports, with the airline ranking lowest for punctuality among carriers. 

It’s infamous for cancelling flights at short notice, leaving customers scrambling to find alternatives and then fend for themselves through its challenging compensation process.

My experiences with Wizz Air have been no different than flying with any other budget airline. I’ve never had a flight cancelled at the last minute but have suffered regular delays. This is why I only ever use it for short-haul trips. The risk of cancellation, basic facilities and excessive baggage costs make long-haul flights not worth it, in my opinion.

The trick to booking is to triple-check everything. If you need to change something after you’ve booked, it’s going to cost you, likely more than your original fare. Let’s just say you don’t fly Wizz Air for its award-winning customer service. The airline previously charged a premium rate if you wanted to call their customer service line, though they’ve since discontinued this and now charge local rates.

But if you follow the rules, ignore the constant upselling and limit your expectations, it will get you from A to B. Eventually.

Memberships and Discount Club

Wizz tries to lure in regular fliers with annual membership discounts. Light membership is free and offers discount coupons and promotions specifically for in-flight snacks and drinks. Standard membership comes with a fee and adds discounts to fares and to online checked baggage fees for the person booking and one other flier. Standard Plus membership offers the same deal but for five additional fliers. If you fly with Wizz more than twice a year, especially as a family or with checked bags, the Discount Club is well worth joining.

You can also buy an incredibly complicated, non-cancellable 12-month MultiPass subscription. MultiPass lets you book flights month to month without paying higher fares typical of last-minute or high-season trips. The list of caveats is mind-boggling though.

Lastly is the Privilege Pass, aimed at regular Wizz Air fliers, in particular business travellers. For a fixed annual fee it adds seat selection, priority boarding and a second cabin bag to all your bookings. It’s useful if you fly Wizz Air a lot, like once a month, otherwise it’s not worth the cost.

All you can fly subscription

Wizz Air recently made waves with its “all you can fly” subscription. For about the average cost of a New York to London return flight, you get unlimited flights across its network for a year. While it’s undeniably great value, typical of the airline, it comes with plenty of hidden fees and exclusions. You can, for example, only book from three days before departure and have to pay an added per-flight fare.

This effectively means it’s a smart way of filling empty seats that may not get booked while still profiting from those added charges. Despite this, the scheme was wildly popular when first launched. It generated lots of great PR too, so don’t be surprised if they release more in the future.