Information on Wizz Air Flights

Wizz Air is Europe’s third-largest low-cost carrier by passenger numbers. Headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, the Wizz Air group maintains airlines in Hungary, Malta, the UK and Abu Dhabi. Wizz Air's ultra-low-cost operations offer affordable flights to popular destinations throughout Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

The airline’s staff is friendly, and the cabins are reasonably comfortable. Wizz Air offers good service, although many services cost extra. I suggest you double-check your total costs against competitors who provide more services included in the ticket. While Wizz Air will often be your cheapest option, full-service carriers sometimes offer deals in competitive destinations that are equally affordable.

Inside Wizz Air planes

Wizz Air operates a fleet of over 200 Airbus A320-family planes, most of them A321neo aircraft.

The airline cabins have economy seats in a 3-3 configuration. The airline’s 18”-wide slimline seats are set 28” apart, but the seat’s unique design makes you feel less cramped. I’m not very tall, so they are more than adequate, but even tall passengers will be comfortable enough on a medium-length flight of four hours. Exit row seats offer extra legroom for a fee.

One odd feature is that the tray table is narrower than other seat designs. A standard-sized laptop won’t fit. I recommend either keeping the computer on your lap or working on a tablet if you have one. Also, the seats have no power outlets. I suggest charging your devices fully before boarding or carrying a spare battery pack.

Wizz Air restrictions on seat selection

You must pay to select any seat on a Wizz Air flight. Otherwise, the airline will assign you a seat at random.

You can reserve an upfront seat in the first four rows or extra legroom exit row seats for a fee. These seats may go quickly on flights to popular destinations, so I recommend booking early.

Couples traveling together can request to be seated next to each other for a fee, but they cannot select which seats nor pick extra legroom or upfront seats.

Wizz Air fare services and bundles

The Basic Wizz Air fare only includes the right to board the plane with a carry-on bag no larger than 40cm x 30cm x 20cm, which must go under the seat in front of you. Online check-in is only available for those who reserved seats. The airline offers add-ons and bundled fares, including other services at a discount.

Wizz Air Priority bookings

Wizz Air Priority offers some travel benefits. An extra roller bag (maximum 55cm x 40cm x 23cm) can be brought onboard along with the free carry-on bag. You can also board the aircraft faster. For bus boarding, Wizz Priority seats are reserved at the front of the bus, and the front bus door is opened first so you can get on the plane more quickly. Wizz Priority does not cover security. You need to book Security Fast Track separately.

Wizz Flex bookings

Basic Wizz Air bookings don’t allow flight changes and have limited cancellations. Tickets, including reserved extras, are refundable minus a cancellation fee if you cancel more. Refunds after 14 days are limited to airfare and cannot include extra services. If you miss your flight, you’ll lose the value of your ticket once the flight departs.

The airline allows flight changes and cancelations on Wizz Flex bookings. You must change or cancel your ticket no later than three hours before your flight, and there are some restrictions. I recommend reading through the terms before booking. Refunds go to your Wizz Air account and expire after 90 days.

Wizz Go and Wizz Family Go

The Wizz Go bundle includes seat selection (not extra legroom seats). It also provides check-in for a 20 kg bag (maximum 149 x 119 x 171 cm), the carry-on bag allowance, and online check-in.

Those booking tickets with minors will automatically see the Wizz Family Go offer displayed as an option.

Wizz Plus and Wizz Family Plus

WIZZ Plus adds a premium seat selection with extra legroom seats. It also includes WIZZ Flex and WIZZ Priority service. You will also get flight updates and can choose to check in online or use priority check-in at the airport.

Wizz Smart

The Wizz Smart fare bundle offers priority boarding and check-in, a roller bag in the cabin, and your carry-on bag. You can also select your seat, though up-front or extra legroom seats are not included.

Planning connections with Wizz Air’s point-to-point service

Wizz Air strictly flies point-to-point, so you must find and reserve your connecting flights as separate bookings. You must also collect your bags at each connecting airport and check in again for your next flight. To avoid missing your connection, consider the time required to go through the baggage claim and check-in process when booking. Add a buffer for any flight delays.

The airline flies to large airports in major cities and smaller regional airports. The time required to go through the arrival process and check-in process will vary, but I recommend leaving a window of at least two hours between bookings, preferably three.

I also recommend you check the distance from the end-point airport in your booking to your final destination. Factor in transport costs to see if you’re still getting a deal compared to flying on a full-service carrier that brings you closer.

How to board a Wizz Air flight

Wizz Air parks aircraft on the airport apron, meaning no covered jetways are available. You may be standing out in the cold and rain waiting to board, so I recommend appropriate outerwear.

The airline boards the aircraft through both front and back doors, which splits the queue and shortens boarding time. Your ticket will show which door to use based on your seat assignment.

Carry-on items must be stowed under the seat in front of you, as overhead bins are reserved for those who have booked a ticket with an extra carry-on bag.

I often travel light with a small wheeled bag under the seat or a backpack to avoid paying for a larger cabin bag or checked luggage. With a little planning for short trips, assembling a capsule wardrobe that doesn’t take up much room is easy.

Mind your duty-free shopping, too. While the airline allows you to bring your airport purchases onboard, it will cut into your legroom as you need to squeeze those next to your bag under the seat in front of you.

Wizz Air membership tiers

If you fly often enough with Wizz Air, you may benefit from joining one of its membership tiers.

All You Can Fly

The airline offers an annual flight subscription service, which allows you to take as many flights as you like during the year for a set fee with a small service charge for each booking. Some limitations include a restricted booking window between 72 hours and 3 hours before the flight. You can only book flights with All You Can Fly seats available.

The membership does not include domestic flights within Italy. It also doesn’t offer added services like extra baggage, and you can’t change All You Can Fly bookings. The subscription renews automatically. If you don’t want it anymore, cancel before the year ends, or you will be charged for the service again. (The automatic renewal does not apply to customers in Israel.)

WIZZ Multipass

Wizz Air also offers a monthly flight subscription service offering fixed-price flight tokens. You can add extra services like Wizz Priority and checked luggage at a package price. No flight changes are available for WIZZ Multipass bookings.

WIZZ Discount Club

For an annual fee, you can also sign up for different tiers of the WIZZ Discount Club and save on airfare, onboard services and priority services.

Privilege Pass

For an annual fee, you get premium services, including seat selection of upfront and extra legroom seats, onboard luggage and priority boarding.

The value of these subscription services is relative to how often you use them. Reviewing the restrictions and limitations for each before signing up is important.

Flying with Wizz Air as a family

Wizz Air allows infants to travel in an approved car seat in the cabin. The seat must be placed securely in a window seat facing the back. Flight attendants will provide a belt loop for lap children, though booking a separate seat for your infant’s car seat is safer.

While families flying with children get priority boarding, the airline will only guarantee you are all seated together if you pay to select adjacent seats. Families flying with infants and small children cannot choose exit row seats or seats before exit rows. The airline will arrange for at least one guardian adult to be seated next to children under 14 on bookings without seat selection.

Wizz Air Café and Boutique

The airline offers buy-on-board beverages, light meals, snacks, and duty-free items. The selection is fair, but availability may vary for some flights. I recommend having a meal at the airport before flying and packing a snack.