Founded by Skúli Mogensen in 2011, WOW air is a budget, long-haul airline based in Iceland which operated its inaugural flight in 2012. It carried its millionth guest in 2014 with annual passenger count expected to exceed 3 million in 2017. It serves 32 destinations across Europe and North America.
Contact Details
- Telephone: 1-888-209-3170 or 1-354-590-3000
- Website: wowair.us
- Email: wow@wow.is
- Mailing Address:
WOW air
Brietartun 13
105 Reykjavik
Iceland - Social media:
What are WOW air’s check-in options?
Online check-in
Priority boarding
Flying with children
Seating for infants and children
Unaccompanied children
Flying while pregnant
Group bookings
Disabled access and medical equipment
Pets and service animals
Online check-in
Online check-in is available for all WOW air destinations from 24 hours and up to one hour before the flight’s scheduled departure. Online check-in is not available for bookings of more than 9 guests. You can change your flight, edit passenger names or choose a seat assignment up until you complete your web check-in. Once checked in, you can still add any baggage and special equipment you may have, but only through the WCI-portal at the same online price and not through WOW air’s My booking/Manage booking section.
You can print your boarding pass or receive it as an email to download the Wallet app (iPhone) or PassWallet (Android/Windows). You can then either show your boarding pass at security either as a printed copy or on your tablet or smartphone.
Priority boarding
Guests who book the WOW biz option with their ticket can receive priority boarding along with ticket cancellation protection, seating reservation and other extra benefits. More information about the various WOW fares and their associated options can be found here. Before you head to the departure lounge, check our guide to 10 Things to Do Before Your Flight.
Flying with children
If you are planning to fly with your children, there are a few points to note. Infants have a limited baggage allowance of one small bag or item, with a maximum dimension of:
- 16.5 x 12.5 x 9.8 inches, including handles and wheels.
Strollers may be carried free of charge. Charges apply for any baggage or special equipment you plan to carry that exceeds the one free item allowance. For more information, check out our guide to flying with children.
Seating for infants and children
Either a stroller or a car seat is included free as part of WOW air’s child ticket. If you would like to bring both, you will have to pay for the extra one according to the airline’s list of fees and charges. A current list of fees is accessible here.
Unaccompanied children
WOW air offers a chaperone service for children flying alone. This service is not available on WOW air connecting flights (VIA), and children under the age of 5 are not permitted to travel alone or as unaccompanied minors on any WOW air flights. For direct flights, children aged between 5 and 11 can travel without a parent or a legal guardian. You will need to firstly register your child for the service at the time of booking and fill out a special form at the airport. A copy of the form must be kept safe by the child always. The fee for the service is $89.99 per guest and per flight. Please note the charge is not refunded even if the service is not used.
Children between the ages of 12 and 17 years of age may travel unaccompanied and do not require any special provisions, although you can book the chaperone service if you wish. The cost will be the same as for children aged 5 to 11 years and includes a pre-selected seat reservation. The chaperone service works as follows:
Once you have filled out the form and proven that you are the child’s guardian, a WOW air representative will accompany the child onto the aircraft. You will need to remain at the departure airport until the plane has taken off. The WOW air cabin crew will transfer the child to an airport employee upon arrival. The child will then be accompanied to the arrivals hall, where the airport employee will help the child collect luggage and clear customs. The child will be released to the person stated on the form, and that person must prove their identification with some official ID (such as passport or driving license).
We have a helpful guide for kids flying solo.
Flying while pregnant
Pregnant women may fly without any special medical documentation until the end of week 27 of their pregnancy. Between week 28 and week 35, they will need to present medical certification at check-in, which shows the estimated date of birth and confirms the expectant mother may travel on specified dates with WOW air. The certificate must be issued within 72 hours prior to the commencement of travel and cannot be older than 3 days. Flying after week 36 is not permitted.
Check out Cheapflights.com’s guide to flying while pregnant.
Group bookings
WOW air can create group offers for 12 or more guests. Please note that an infant is not included in this number. To apply for a group booking, click here. You will need to include your destination, travel dates and specify how many guests will be traveling as part of your group. The airline’s group department will then follow up with an offer that will be created upon approval. From that point on, the representative for the group department will be your direct contact. Online check-in for groups is not possible.
Disabled access & medical equipment
You can select to have wheelchair assistance at the time of your booking by choosing ‘Wheelchair Assistance’ in step 2 of the online booking process. Once you have completed your booking, you will need to send the airline staff an email at wow@wow.is to confirm your request for wheelchair assistance. You are required to give at least 48 hours’ notification prior to departure regarding your request for wheelchair assistance. The airline uses a code system to enable you to specify which kind of assistance you need:
- WCHS – Wheelchair (steps): Select this option if you are unable to ascend or descend steps but can move to and from the aircraft door to your seat on-board the aircraft. Here wheelchair assistance is provided through the terminal to and from the aircraft door and up/down the aircraft steps.
- WCHR – Wheelchair (ramp): Select this option if you are unable to ascend/descend steps and can move to/from the aircraft to your seat on-board but may have difficulty walking long distances.
- WCHC – Wheelchair (seat): This form of assistance if for passengers who require a wheelchair through the terminal and to/from your seat on the aircraft. A companion may be necessary in this case.
You may also bring your own wheelchair, which is included as part of your checked-in baggage allowance, at no extra charge. You will need to check it in. At this point, you will be provided with another chair and escorted through the airport. More information is available at WOW’s Special Needs section.
Here are our guides to flying with disabilities and flying with medication.
Pets & service animals
Pets are not permitted on any WOW air flights except for specially trained dogs to help blind, deaf and otherwise disabled guests. No special charges, weight restrictions or cage requirements apply in this case. Please note the following:
- The service dog may not occupy a seat or the walkway.
- If possible, please use a muzzle and/or leash for your service dog when boarding the aircraft.
- WOW air does not accept liability if a service dog is denied entry to the destination country. It is your responsibility to ensure that your service animal can enter the EU. Further about this can be found here.
- If you plan to travel with your service dog, you will need to book them in at least 48 hours prior to departure via the airline’s Customer Service Center.
Check out Cheapflights.com’s guide to flying with pets.
What are WOW air’s baggage allowance limits and fees?
Carry-on size
Checked luggage size
Extra and overweight baggage charges
Musical and sport equipment
Carry-on and Checked Baggage Allowances
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Musical and sport equipment
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What additional fees does WOW air charge?
Booking fees
Flight cancellation policy
Travel insurance
Booking fees
Bookings made online are exempt from credit card surcharges, although note that your credit card company or bank may charge additional fees for the service. If you prefer to book through the airline’s call center, you will be charged a service fee of $27.99. A second call center fee of $17.99 is charged if you book bags and seats after the flight booking has been completed (valid as of May 2017). Other up to date booking fees and charges can be found here.
Flight cancellation policy
You may cancel your booking within 24 hours of making the original booking if you book a flight to and from the USA using the airline’s US website. In this case, your will receive the applicable refund, provided that within 24 hours of making the original booking you send the airline a written confirmation that you have canceled. Cancellation confirmations are to be sent to wow@wow.is. Note that this cancellation policy only applies for flights with departures more than 7 days away from the date of purchase. Further details about this and other policies can be found at the Conditions of Carriage page.
Travel insurance
Unless cancellation protection is purchased for the booking in question, WOW air will not refund any flight tickets. The latest fees related to cancellation protection can be found here. Claims related to the cancellation protection need to be made within 7 days of the flight’s departure date. Note that cancellation protection is not refundable and non-transferable. The WOW air cancellation protection covers the following:
- Full refund of your ticket should a sudden illness or death occur in your immediate family. “Immediate family” is defined as your spouse or registered partner, cohabiting partner, children, parents, parents-in-law, siblings, and grandparents. In this case, a copy of the medical certificate or a death certificate needs to be provided.
- Significant material damage to your home or private company. Here a copy of the relevant police report (signed, dated and stamped) is required to be submitted.
What amenities does WOW air offer?
In-flight entertainment
Food
Seating
Lounges
Frequent Flier Program
In-flight entertainment
As with many budget airlines, no in-flight entertainment system on board WOW air flights. Guests flying on North-American routes have the option of renting iPads from the airline that include entertainment apps but these devices are subject to availability. Note Wi-Fi is not offered in flight.
Food
You can bring your own food onto WOW air flights or purchase snacks and sandwiches on board from the in-flight menu. If you wish, you can also pre-order a meal up to 48-hours before your flight, although this service is not available on the Los Angeles to San Francisco route. Use the My Booking section of the site and choose a meal from the pre-order menu. The menu isn’t available on board so you are required to reserve your meal online before you fly.
Seating and Legroom
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WOW air offers different extra legroom options depending on the length of the flight or the size of the seat. The following tables set out the differences:
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Lounges
Check with the Airline directly for more information.
Frequent Flier Program
WOW air does not offer a frequent flier program or lounge facilities at this time.
How do I contact customer service?
Contact
Delayed, missing or damaged luggage
Compensation for baggage
Contact Customer Service
WOW’s customer service portal has tons of information and additional contact details.
Delayed, missing or damaged luggage
In cases of delayed or lost luggage, contact the Delayed Baggage Help Desk. It’s also advisable to notify a service representative for WOW air at the airport of your arrival. You will need to keep a copy of the report and the bag tag to check the status of the baggage using your reference number here.
Compensation for baggage is limited and reimbursement for expenses will be based upon acceptable proof of claim. You will need to send the airline a damage report made at the airport and include digital pictures of the damaged bag(s) plus a copy of your ticket here.
Fun Facts
- Close to 1,000 people work at WOW air, which also operates the travel agency WOW travel which specializes in low-cost travel to Iceland. Currently, WOW air flies to 28 destinations in Europe, the US, and Canada from its base at Keflavik International Airport.
