Wizz Air launches unlimited flights for €499, but there’s a catch

The landmark offer, a first in Europe, means frugal yet spontaneous customers might be able to save cash on their frequent last-minute trips abroad.

Some 10,000 buyers can benefit from a discounted subscription of €499 until August 16, after which the price will rise to €599. Passengers will also face a recurring booking fee of €10.50 per flight and charges for any luggage they bring. Passengers will only be able to book a flight within 72 hours of take-off.

It’s likely not worthwhile for infrequent fliers using the carrier for the odd short-haul trip or the occasional city break to a European city.

But a few last-minute trips could help impulsive fliers break even within the year of the deal.   

For example, a Saturday flight to Antalya in Turkey, which falls within the 72-hour threshold, would cost the typical flyer about €200 one way. A trip to Vienna on the same day would cost a flyer around €158. 

Naturally, there is a significant premium on last-minute bookings. The same flight to Vienna two weeks later would only set a passenger back €53, suggesting it might be prudent to plan ahead rather than splash out on the deal.  

Wizz Air is scrambling to address its hemorrhaging share price, which has declined 44% this year. Engine troubles that grounded nearly 50 of its planes during the busy summer travel season forced the group to narrow its profit guidance for the year.  

Europe’s airline passengers are more price-sensitive, too. Neil Sorahan, Ryanair’s chief financial officer, said in July that customers were becoming “a little more frugal” as Europe’s largest airline struggled with booking last-minute flights. Wizz Air may spy an opportunity to woo that demographic to its deal.

However, the typical flier may struggle to rack up the mileage required to break even on their initial outlay. And certain conditions tied to Wizz Air’s offer make that increasingly likely.

There’s a catch

While the 72-hour rule will benefit frequent flyers or those looking for last-minute deals to far-flung locations, the nature of the deal and other obstacles may prevent a huge uptake from passengers.

The short timespan in which to book flights means there’s no guarantee of seats being available.

This either forces tourists to gamble booking things like accommodation, transport, and activities ahead of booking their flight or face jacked-up fares if they also book those within 72 hours of departure.

What could be more of an obstacle, though, is new legislation coming to the European Union, where Wizz Air is based.

Under the EU’s new Entry/Exit System, which will come into force in the Autumn, passengers from the U.K. and other non-EU countries will need to be registered by their airline 48 hours before departure. For some passengers, this cuts the window for booking last-minute trips to 24 hours, amplifying the threshold for spontaneity.

The pre-sale for Wizz Air’s discounted membership of €499 begins at 09:00 a.m. GMT on August 13th and runs until August 15 at 11:00 p.m. GMT.