Wizz Air
Hungarian ultra-low-cost airline
Wizz Air, legally incorporated as Wizz Air Holdings plc (stylized as W!ZZ), is a Hungarian ultra-low-cost airline group headquartered in Budapest, Hungary. Founded in 2003 by its current CEO, József Váradi, the company operates an exclusive Airbus fleet and is the world's largest operator of the Airbus A321neo aircraft. The group serves numerous cities across Europe, as well as destinations in North Africa and the Middle East, carrying over 68 million passengers in 2025, making it the third-largest low-cost carrier in Europe behind Ryanair and easyJet.
As of 2026, Wizz Air maintains its largest bases at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport, and London Luton Airport, flying to a total of 194 airports in 46 countries. The company operates through subsidiaries Wizz Air Hungary, Wizz Air Malta, and Wizz Air UK. Registered in Jersey, the corporate parent is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
01History
Foundation and early years
Wizz Air Hungary was established in September 2003. The founder, József Váradi, was previously CEO of struggling Hungarian state-owned airline Malév Hungarian Airlines, until he was removed from office by the Medgyessy government in 2003. The lead investor is Indigo Partners, an American private equity firm specialising in transportation investments. The first flight was made from Katowice International Airport on 19 May 2004.
On 25 February 2015, Wizz Air shares began trading on the London Stock Exchange.
In November 2017, Wizz Air announced its planned launch of a British division called Wizz Air UK, based at Luton Airport mainly to take advantage of landing slots acquired when Monarch Airlines entered administration that year. The airline applied successfully to the CAA for an AOC and a Type A Operating Licence. The airline launched operations in March 2018 using British registered aircraft. Wizz Air UK was to start taking over UK-bound flights previously operated by Wizz Air, and plans called for the airline to employ up to 100 staff by the end of 2018.
In November 2019, Wizz Air dismissed concerns about its part in environmental damage raised by the "flight shame" movement, basing its response on the airline's per-passenger emission level. The company said it would reduce per capita emissions by an additional 30 percent by 2030. Wizz Air also condemned inefficient airlines such as Lufthansa that offered business class and used outdated technologies, which according to Wizz Air cause far more environmental damage.
Development since 2020
By early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced Wizz Air to ground its fleet. One-fifth of the staff were dismissed when it became clear that air travel across the continent was shutting down. In April 2020, Wizz Air became Europe's largest low-cost airline with 78,000 passengers. By June, they had reached 40 percent of their previous year's normal weekly revenue, while the proportion of no-shows fell from 80 percent in April to 30 percent. In July 2020, the airline announced that it would form a joint venture with the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company. In October 2020, Wizz took delivery of an A330-200F cargo aircraft (HA-LHU, formerly Qatar Cargo), operating it on behalf of the Hungarian Government as 'Hungary Air Cargo'.
In August 2021, company management announced that they plan to hire 4,600 new pilots by 2030, with the first part of their plan to train and hire nearly 500 pilots by the end of 2021. In September 2021, rival low-cost carrier EasyJet claimed it had rejected a takeover offer from Wizz Air. On 14 November 2021, on the first day of the Dubai Airshow, Wizz Air was one of four airlines that ordered additional A321neo jets. Wizz Air is due to receive a total of 75 A321neo and 27 A321XLRs, adding up to 102 new aircraft.
Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, four Wizz Air aircraft were stranded in Ukraine, three in Kyiv, and one in Lviv (the latter eventually being recovered and returned to service). In March 2022, amid the invasion, Wizz Air provided 100,000 free airline tickets to refugees for short-distance flights from Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania. In May 2022, Wizz Air said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Investment to collaborate on potential investment and operating models to boost the country's tourism industry and increase its connectivity. On 8 June 2022, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to work on the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft.
In 2024 the company was named as the worst for flight delays in the United Kingdom for the third year in succession. On average flights departed over half an hour late. In 2024, Wizz Air had to ground hundred of planes after reported faults with Pratt & Whitney's geared turbofan engines. The chief executive said he expected the issue to affect the fleet for two years while the aircraft are inspected.
In August 2024, the company announced an "all you can fly" subscription, costing €499 per year. The annual subscription sold out within 24 hours. Subscribers are charged an additional £8.90 per flight and have to pay extra for carry-on or checked luggage, only a small personal item is free.
In September 2024, Wizz Air reported progress on the aircraft engine problems. The budget carrier had 41 aircraft grounded as of 30 Sep, six months earlier than it originally forecast. The company now expects to have 40-45 planes idled at a time over the next 18 months, down from the previous expectation of 50.
In September 2025, the company closed down the subsidiary Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, claiming it was caused by geopolitical turmoil, supply chain constraints, and regulatory barriers. Still the airline continues to operate flights between Europe and the United Arab Emirates.
In December 2025, it was announced that Wizz Air had acquired additional airport slots from TUI Airways at London Luton Airport, enabling the basing of a 15th aircraft and the launch of six new routes from summer 2026. The expansion included new services to destinations such as Alicante, Faro, Corfu, Lyon and Turin, as well as the first direct air connection between London and Yerevan.
In March 2026, Wizz Air's Vienna base will close. Around the same time, a new base is expected to open in Tel Aviv, Israel, although no final agreements have been signed.
In early 2026, Wizz Air UK applied to the United States Department of Transportation for authority to operate transatlantic passenger flights between the United Kingdom and the United States. At the time of the application, no specific routes, destinations, or start dates were officially announced.
As of 2026, the airline's fleet had grown to over 250 aircraft, of which approximately 73% were Airbus A320neo family aircraft. For the 2026 financial year, the carrier projected network-wide traffic of 80 million passengers, including 8.3 million on routes operated from Hungary, which were to see a 23% increase in flight frequencies. In connection with the Hungarian expansion, Wizz Air announced plans to add around 300 employees to its workforce in the country.
A portion of the airline's fleet remained grounded due to the ongoing Pratt & Whitney PW1100G geared turbofan engine inspection programme. According to CEO József Váradi, the affected aircraft were expected to return to service by late 2027 or early 2028.
02Corporate affairs
Business trends
The key trends for the Wizz Air Group are (as at 31 March each year):
| FY | Revenue (€m) |
Net profit (€m) |
Number of employees |
Number of passengers (m) |
Passenger load factor (%) |
Number of served airports |
Number of served countries |
Fleet size | CO2/RPK (g) |
References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,011 | 87.7 | 1,650 | 13.9 | 85.7 | 96 | 35 | 46 | ||
| 2015 | 1,227 | 183 | 2,040 | 16.5 | 86.7 | 110 | 38 | 55 | ||
| 2016 | 1,429 | 192 | 2,396 | 20.0 | 88.2 | 124 | 39 | 67 | ||
| 2017 | 1,571 | 225 | 3,033 | 23.8 | 90.1 | 141 | 42 | 79 | 61.5 | |
| 2018 | 1,948 | 275 | 3,686 | 29.6 | 91.3 | 135 | 44 | 93 | 59.9 | |
| 2019 | 2,327 | 123 | 4,261 | 34.6 | 93.6 | 146 | 44 | 112 | 58.5 | |
| 2020 | 2,761 | 281 | 4,440 | 40.0 | 93.5 | 155 | 45 | 121 | 57.2 | |
| 2021 | 739 | −576 | 3,960 | 10.2 | 64.0 | 167 | 48 | 137 | 77.3 | |
| 2022 | 1,663 | −642 | 5,772 | 27.1 | 78.1 | 194 | 51 | 153 | 60.7 | |
| 2023 | 3,896 | −535 | 7,389 | 51.0 | 87.8 | 194 | 54 | 179 | 53.8 | |
| 2024 | 5,073 | 365 | 8,044 | 62.0 | 90.1 | 193 | 53 | 208 | 52.0 | |
| 2025 | 5,267 | 213 | 8,816 | 63.4 | 91.2 | 200 | 55 | 231 | 52.2 | |
| 2026 | 5,691 | 1.3 | c.10,000 | 69.7 | 90.7 | n/a | n/a | 262 | 50.6 |
Subsidiaries
Current subsidiaries
- Wizz Air UK was founded on 18 October 2017 as Wizz Air's UK unit. Following CAA approval, the subsidiary commenced operations with 10 registered aircraft initially. The unit operates flights to and from the United Kingdom on behalf of its Hungarian parent. The subsidiary was set up to ensure Wizz Air retained full market access to the United Kingdom after Brexit.
- Wizz Air Malta was founded in 2022 and operated its first flight on 27 September 2022 from Rome Fiumicino to Malta International Airport.
Former subsidiaries
- Wizz Air Bulgaria was Wizz Air's Bulgarian unit set-up in 2005 and based at Sofia Airport with a fleet of 3 aircraft. It ceased operations on 31 March 2011, all flights merged back into Wizz Air Hungary Ltd.
- Wizz Air Ukraine, founded in 2008, was the Ukrainian unit of Wizz Air, which had its own air operator's certificate and operated from Kyiv Zhuliany International Airport and Lviv International Airport with a fleet of four aircraft. As of October 2016, it operated flights to 13 cities in 7 countries from Kyiv.
- Wizz Air Abu Dhabi was founded on 12 December 2019 as Wizz Air's UAE subsidiary. The airline was a joint venture with state-owned Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company, which owned 51 per cent. The company closed down the subsidiary on 1 September 2025.
03Destinations
These notable actions regarding destinations were executed by the airline:
| Year | Destination | Notability | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Katowice, London Luton | Maiden flight from the first base in Katowice Airport to London Luton Airport | |
| Budapest | Establishment of second base | ||
| 2008 | Ukraine | Start of domestic operations in a country outside of the European Union | |
| 2009 | Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh |
Airline's first routes to North Africa | |
| 2011 | Belgrade | New base outside of the European Union | |
| 2012 | Kutaisi | Airline's first route to the South Caucasus | |
| Skopje | New base outside of the European Union | ||
| Tel Aviv | Airline's first route to the Middle East | ||
| 2013 | Dubai | Airline's first route to the Arabian Peninsula | |
| 2015 | Tuzla | New base outside of the European Union | |
| 2016 | Chișinău | New base outside of the European Union | |
| Kutaisi | Airline's first base in the South Caucasus | ||
| 2017 | Astana | Airline's first route to Central Asia | |
| London Luton | New base outside of Central and Eastern Europe | ||
| 2018 | Vienna | New base outside of Central and Eastern Europe | |
| 2020 | Larnaca | New base outside of Central and Eastern Europe | |
| London Gatwick | New base outside of Central and Eastern Europe | ||
| Milan Malpensa | New base in a country outside of Central and Eastern Europe | ||
| Tirana | New base outside of the European Union | ||
| 2021 | Abu Dhabi | Airline's first base on the Arabian Peninsula | |
| Dortmund | Closure of a base outside of Central and Eastern Europe after having been operated for a year | ||
| Norway | Termination of all its domestic routes in a country outside of the European Union, after being operated for less than a year | ||
| 2022 | Doncaster | Closure of a base outside of Central and Eastern Europe after having been operated for less than two years | |
| Malé | Airline's first route to South Asia | ||
| Sarajevo | Closure of a base outside of the European Union after having been operated for a year | ||
| 2023 | Cardiff | Closure of a base outside of Central and Eastern Europe after having been operated for less than a year | |
| Tuzla | Closure of a base outside of European Union (Balkans) | ||
| 2025 | Abu Dhabi | Closure of a base outside of Europe after having been operated for four years | |
| Yerevan | New base outside of the European Union (Caucasus) | ||
| Tuzla | Reopening of a base outside of the European Union (Balkans) | ||
| 2026 | Podgorica | New base outside of the European Union (Balkans) | |
| Pristina (begins 16 November 2026) | New base outside of the European Union (Balkans) |
The longest routes by linear distance are:
| Route | Linear distance | Max. duration (hours) |
Status | Aircraft | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katowice, Abu Dhabi | 2,269 nm | 6:00 | active | Airbus A321neo | |
| London-Gatwick, Medinah | 2,428 nm | 6:40 | active | Airbus A321XLR | |
| London-Gatwick, Jeddah | 2,546 nm | 7:00 | active | Airbus A321XLR |
04Fleet
Current fleet
As of 30 November 2025, Wizz Air and its subsidiaries Wizz Air Malta and Wizz Air UK operates an all-Airbus fleet composed of the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | 26 | , | 180 | Being Phased out |
| 186 | ||||
| Airbus A320neo | 6 | , | 180 | |
| Airbus A321-200 | 22 | , | 230 | To be retired by 2029 |
| Airbus A321neo | 167 | 265 | 239 | Second largest operator. Deliveries until 2033. |
| Airbus A321XLR | 6 | 5 | 239 | |
| Total | 241 | 270 | ||
Historic fleet
In December 2024, Wizz Air ended operations of their sole Airbus A330-200F which handled freight services on behalf of the Hungarian government since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Wizz Air”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Hamburg Airport Wizz Air Airbus A321-231(WL) HA-LXG (DSC06906).jpg by MarcelX42, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wizz Air Lechner Ödön.jpg by Orangesclub, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wizz Air logo.svg by Wizz Air, Public domain
- WizzAir map.svg by Robert7211, CC BY-SA 4.0
- HA-LVA@PEK (20200403093314).jpg by N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- HA-LWK LLBG 11-07-2014a.jpg by Oyoyoy, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 20240127 Airbus A330-243F of Hungary Air Cargo (HA-LHU) taking off from HGH 02.jpg by Windmemories, CC BY-SA 4.0
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