Wizz Air
About Wizz Air
Wizz Air is a Hungarian ultra-low-cost airline carrier, headquartered in Budapest. Founded in 2003, Wizz Air initially specialised in central and Eastern European routes. However, Wizz Air has undergone rapid expansion across Western Europe in the last decade. As it currently stands, Wizz Air is one of Ryanair's leading competitors, with both brands firmly committed to rock-bottom airfares for cost-conscious travellers. The airline now has three subsidiaries operating out of Malta, the UK and Abu Dhabi. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Wizz Air had overtaken Ryanair as Europe’s biggest low-cost airline.
In June 2022, Wizz Air was named the Most Sustainable Low-Cost Airline at the World Finance Sustainability Awards. This accolade evidenced Wizz Air’s ongoing commitment to decarbonisation and minimising the environmental impact of its continental fleet. Unlike other airlines, Wizz Air recovered strongly following the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing its 2019 passenger capacity by July 2021. It has since embarked on the next stage of its growth journey, hiring an additional 4,600 pilots by the end of this decade. Wizz Air holidays have also expanded of late, with the airline increasing its range of package deals.
As with most low-cost airlines, Wizz Air flights are the cheapest if you don’t need any ‘add-ons’ like hold luggage. You’ll have to pay for such add-ons when you buy your flight, which also includes paying for an allocated seat.
Wizz Air check-in information
With all Wizz Air flights, you can check in online for free and print your own boarding pass at home. Wizz check-in is usually available online up to 3 hours prior to your scheduled departure. You can download and install Wizz Air’s native mobile app, too. Conveniently, the app allows you to check in and store your boarding pass on your smartphone.
Although it’s possible to check in and receive a boarding pass from airport staff at a check-in desk, Wizz Air will make you pay for the privilege. For this reason, it’s usually easiest (and cheapest) to check in yourself before you travel to the airport.
If you haven’t purchased an allocated seat for your flight with Wizz Air, you’ll have to wait until 24 hours before your flight to check in online. If you’ve already paid for an allocated seat, you can check in within 30 days of your flight.
Wizz Air hand luggage allowance
If you're unsure as to what the baggage allowance is on Wizz Air, for carry-on luggage specifically, their current stance is that all passengers are permitted to bring one carry-on bag on board (max. 40 x 30 x 20cm up to 10kg). This must be placed beneath your seat.
Larger “trolley bags” (55 x 40 x 23cm) are only allowed if you buy a seat using WIZZ Priority, which allows you to take one overhead and one under-seat bag. Word of warning: if your carry-on bag is considered too big to fit beneath your seat – and you’re not a WIZZ Priority customer – you could be charged an ‘oversize fee’ at your departure airport.
Wizz Air hold luggage allowance
When it comes to how much hold luggage you can take with Wizz Air flights, the following options are available, starting from the cheapest:
- 1x 10kg bag
- 6x 20kg bags
- 6x 26kg bags
- 6x 32kg bags
Note: A £13/kg surcharge will be payable at the airport for bags weighing more than the weight declared at check-in online.
Travellers may check in up to six pieces of hold luggage with baggage fees applied separately. One of six checked-in items can be 10kg.
Oh and, of course, one pushchair or collapsible stroller can also be checked into the hold free of charge for every small child on board.
Finding cheap flights with Wizz Air
Frequently asked questions about Wizz Air
How do I check in with Opodo?
If you’ve purchased tickets for a Wizz Air flight with us, we can direct you to check in at least 24 hours before your scheduled flight time. You can click through from your Opodo booking to Wizz Air.
Fill in your booking reference – look for a six-digit alphanumeric code displayed in your Opodo confirmation email – and complete the on-screen instructions.
Unfortunately, the franchise won't accommodate you if you want to add baggage after you've checked in online with Wizz Air. This is because all checked-in baggage needed to be bought at least three hours prior to departure.
What happens if I do not choose my seat on the plane?
If you choose not to allocate yourself a seat on your next flight with Wizz Air, you’ll be randomly assigned a seat when you check in online or at the Wizz Air desks within your origin airport.
You’ll find out your seat when you get your digital or paper boarding pass.
How do I know if my cancelled flight is eligible for compensation from the airline?
As is the case with any other credible airlines, Wizz Air flights are refundable in certain circumstances. For example, all flights cancelled by Wizz Air will be dealt with in accordance with the EC261 regulation. Typically, you’ll be offered a free rebook onto the next available flight on the same route.
If there are no available flights on the same or the following day, you can re-book elsewhere and claim back the costs. Cancelled flights can also be refunded in WIZZ credits for use with the airline in the future.
How can I change my seat on a flight with the airline?
You can choose a new seat online once you’ve booked and checked in for your Wizz Air flight, up to three hours prior to scheduled departure. If you're wondering how to contact Wizz Air about a query like changing seats, there are various options available. For example, Wizz Air's call centre is a 24/7 service and there's a live chat within the app, which can help change your seat allocation after check-in.