When searching for the cheapest flights in Europe you might be surprised to see an airline called Wizz Air. This Hungarian low-cost airline has become more and more popular as it competes with the likes of Ryanair and EasyJet. Are you taking a Wizz Air flight soon or wondering what it’s like before you book? We got you covered with our Wizz Air review! Here’s everything you need to know about Wizz Airlines and the best tips from our own experience.
Why is Wizz Air So cheap?
This is the first question we had when we saw this company while searching for flights. Wizz Air is one of the many low-cost airlines in operating in Europe that are drastically cheaper than competitors running the same routes. Sometimes it’s so inexpensive that it almost may seem too good to be true!
With that being said, there are a few things you need to look out for before booking your Wizz Air flights. Unless you’re traveling super light you’ll be paying extra for baggage, seats, and so on.
Also, Wizz Air doesn’t always fly the same routes daily. This means you have to be flexible on your dates to get the best deal.
Our First Experience Flying With Wizz Air
We’ve only flown with the Wizz Air a couple of times the over the years. However, our first experience is a budget story we still tell to fellow travelers to this day. Back in 2015, Wizz Air was one of our initial flights through Europe to start our year long backpacking trip.
This was actually when we first started our website, and before we even started travel blogging full time! You can read more about our story here. We began our trip in beautiful Bergen Norway and looking for flights to Eastern Europe.
While using the Skyscanner app, we saw the airline Wizz Air which we had never heard of before. We were shocked to see tickets offered for just $9 USD to get to Poland. In comparison, the prices were over $150 to Germany which was the next stop on our itinerary.
Obviously, we had never seen a price this low in our lives! We ended up taking this Wizz Air flight and fell in love with the city of Gdansk. After a few more days exploring Poland we continued on via Flix Bus to Germany. From there, we rented a car and went on a magical week long drive down the Romantic Road.
Although you may never see a ticket under $10 again, we were so happy we found out about Wizz Air this way. Without these flight tickets we never would’ve taken this amazing route through Europe.
→ 11 Best Ways to Save Money on Flights with Skyscanner
2023 Wizz Air Review
Fast forward to this year, and there was another Wizz Air flight offered on the exact day and route we needed! After spending a month working from the small village of Stonehaven Scotland, we took an epic road trip through the Scottish Highlands.
Once we finished our drive in Edinburgh, we had to make it to Budapest where we were starting on a one-week river cruise on the Danube. Be sure to check out our experience with Riverside Luxury Cruises when you get a chance!
We decided to fly with Wizz Air for two reasons. First, it was a direct flight from Edinburgh to Budapest which wasn’t offered by many other airlines.
Secondly, the other airlines that did have this flight path were almost double or triple the price. Wizz Air was an absolutely no-brainer for us even though it was an early morning flight.
Booking Our Tickets With Wizz Air
When searching for flights throughout Europe we always start with Skyscanner. Honestly, we don’t know how we would’ve been able to travel full-time without this website! This is where we find 99% of all our flights before booking directly on the airlines website.
Once we filtered for our dates we found that Wizz Air was the most inexpensive option. When booking our Wizz Air tickets, we decided to select the cheapest fare offered.
It can be a little confusing because there are different levels depending on what you need. These options include baggage, Wizz priority boarding, check-in, extra leg room, seat selection, and much more. Below is a breakdown of the different Wizz Air fares to choose from.
Basic: Small carry on bag (40 x 30 x 20cm) and online check in.
Wizz Go: Seat selection, 20kg checked bag, carry on luggage (55 x 40 x 23 cm), one underseat item, and priority boarding.
Wizz Plus: Free cancellation, premium seat selection, priority boarding, 32kg checked bag, carry on luggage, and underseat item.
What Did We Pay With Wizz Airlines?
One of our top tips for booking cheap flights in Europe is to choose the most basic option and then add on additional baggage that you may need afterward. Realistically, you can expect the baggage to double the price of your budget flight in Europe. Our fare price was $125 USD (£104 British Pounds) each. By adding the exact luggage amounts on after instead of choosing one of their standard fares we did save a little money.
With everything our total cost with Wizz Air direct from Edinburgh to Budapest was $190 USD each. That may seem like a lot compared to the $9 flight we mentioned earlier! Just know that the price reflects us booking last minute and the fact that this isn’t a very popular route in general.
Make sure to select the checked baggage you’ll need during your booking process if you have more than a small personal item. If you try to add it on after (or at the gate) don’t be surprised when your trip gets a lot more expensive with extra costs.
Wizz Air Flight Check In
It was easy enough to check in on the Wizz Air website. We then used the Wizz Air app to get our boarding passes to make the process even simpler. Still, when we made it to the airport in Edinburgh we had to drop our luggage at the check-in desk. We ended up having some time to get breakfast using our priority pass before boarding which is always great before an international flight.
When it was time to board our Wizz Air flight they announced that priority passengers would be allowed on first. If this matters to you, make sure to choose the highest fare called Wizz Plus when picking your tickets. Once we scanned in with the flight attendants we were loaded unto a shuttle bus to the plane and promptly boarded.
In-flight Wizz Air Review
One thing we noticed immediately was that the inside of the plane was really nice and not what we were expecting from a budget airline. It was fitted with leather seats and seemed to have more room than other low-cost carriers.
Our plane was about 30 minutes delayed, but we seemed to make up for it in the air. Something to keep in mind about Wizz Air flights is that you’ll have to pay for all extra services. Even a glass of water will cost you on Wizz Air! Honestly, this is the same business model with most discount airlines so we’re used to it by now.
We didn’t bother buying any snacks or drinks since we had enjoyed a meal in the airport lounge beforehand. While the flight went smoothly overall, our landing was a different story.
When we went to touchdown on the runway the pilot pulled up at the last second and went back into the air. Obviously, this startled us as we had never experienced anything like that before. He explained over the intercom that there were crosswinds on the landing strip and he’d have to circle back and try again.
The entire plane was nervous as we circled the airport and once again went down for landing. Luckily, the 2nd try was a success and we safely landed in Budapest!
We don’t think this had anything to do with the cheap tickets or it being a low cost carrier. However, we couldn’t leave out this wild story in our Wizz Air review. This second landing did get us into Budapest slightly behind schedule, but thankfully not too late.
Is Wizz Air a Good Airline?
Well, that’s a loaded question to end our Wizz Air review! As frequent travelers, we’ve flown many budget airlines over the years. It can honestly be hard to differentiate them from each other.
We were impressed with the inside of the plane although it wasn’t anything luxurious. The flight crew was very welcoming and overall customer service was excellent which isn’t often the case with discount tickets.
We had no issues aside from our strange landing at the end of the day. Really, as long as you keep your expectations in check for the flight cost you shouldn’t have any issues! While we had read some negative reviews prior to our trip, the Hungarian budget airline got us from point A to point B safely.
Just beware of the additional fees for a checked bag and make sure you don’t end up paying any extra fees. While Wizz air isn’t our go to airline, if they’re ever offering the most direct and cheapest flight option we would fly with them again.
Have any questions about our short flight or want to leave your own Wizz Air Review? Let us know in the comments below! Also, be sure to check out our favorite things to do in Budapest if you’re heading to the capital of Hungary.
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
Where in the world are we? Follow our daily adventures on Instagram @nothingfamiliar!
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Where To Stay In Budapest Hungary
Ultra Luxury – The Ritz-Carlton – What really can we say? The Ritz-Carlton is the premier luxury hotel throughout the world, and that’s no different in Budapest! Enjoy the most central location in the city with all the amenities you’d expect from the Ritz.
Fun Vacation – D8 Hotel – Just steps from the chain bridge, this hotel is located in the heart of the city. Unique interior design and a great breakfast to get your day started before you drop into Anker’t for a cold one!
Hostel Life – Wombats City Hostel – Located in the center of the city close to popular cafes, bars and quick walk form Szimpla Kert. Daily buffet breakfast, shared kitchen, and large common room. Private rooms are perfect for travel couples, and this 24/7 hostel has something for everyone!
Hungary Travel Planning
Flights: We always find great flight deals using Skyscanner and Kayak. This way you can plan your trip around the cheapest and most direct routes.
Accommodation: Compare multiple sites to get to the best deal such as Booking.com and Agoda! Also, Hostelworld should be your go-to source if you’re traveling on a budget.
Rental Car: We use Discover Cars to rent vehicles on our travels. In Hungary, there are many beautiful cities and small towns to explore.
Tours: Check out Get Your Guide for hundreds of activities around the country. You can book a Széchenyi spa full day pass in Budapest, try a Hungarian wine tasting, or jump on a sightseeing river cruise.
Travel Insurance: Never travel abroad without being covered! We’ve been using SafetyWing for the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.
Packing Lists: Find all the inspiration you need with our Amazon packing lists. Including our electronics and camera gear, must-have medical items, and long flight essentials!
We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
I was a little hesitant about this airline because we’d never booked it before so I appreciated the review! Thank you!
Author
No problem! Wizz has always been pretty solid for us. Enjoy your trip!