Wizz Air is an ultra-low-cost carrier that’s never too far from the headlines. Its earnings dropped by 44% this year, and it was also voted as the “worst airline” by Which?, making for a pretty miserable 2024 for the once flourishing aviation company. Times like this call for drastic action, and for the Hungarian carrier, that has come in the form of an “all you can fly scheme” that promises a buffet of international flights for a low annual subscription of €599 (£460).

So, what's the catch? Is this like one of those mega buffets where no one can believe the price, and everyone thinks they can beat/eat the system, only to fill up on chips and bread? Or is there something else happening?

Wizz Air’s Subscription Flight Deal

On the surface, this looks like an incredible deal. After all, if you fly with a major airline, you could spend £500 on a single return ticket. Sure, Wizz Air prices are some of the cheapest in the industry, but if you’re a frequent flyer, you could be in the black within a few months.

You have plenty of options at your disposal, as well. Wizz Air flies over 950 routes around the world. The bulk of these routes are in Europe, but Wizz also connects to destinations in Asia and North Africa.

But, of course, there is a catch.

The Catch

The first thing to note about this deal is that you can only book flight tickets within 72 hours of departure. Booking late isn’t usually a problem for business travellers, as they are some of the most common last-minute fliers. But in this case, it could mean that all seats on the required flight have been booked, forcing you to book another flight with another airline.

Going back to the buffet analogy, it's like paying for a seat, discovering that they’ve sold out of your favourite dish, and then ordering a takeaway.

It’s not ideal for leisure travellers who need to plan ahead to book hotels and attractions. They could still book those things and then leave the flight booking late, but if it then sells out, they’re left with few options but to book an expensive last minute alternative.

The subscription has also raised concerns regarding the new Entry/Exit System (EES), due to launch later this year. It will require all travellers from outside the European Union to pass through an automated system, and airlines must submit passenger information for this system within 48 hours of the flight.

Subscription vs Buying Tickets

Let's assume that you’re an adventurous, crowd-surfing nomad who doesn’t care where you go as long as it’s somewhere else. You don't mind about missing out on seats, as you will just book another Wizz Air flight, even if it’s flying to a different destination.

Is it worth it?

Well, it depends on how often you want to travel. Wizz Air is one of the cheapest providers in the industry. We ran a few checks on popular European routes from London, and most were available from between £15 and £50 one-way. All of these checks were on flights scheduled for as little as 2 to 4 weeks in the future, so you could probably save even more if you booked them in advance.

Assuming an average return price of £50, you need to take more than 10 flights a year to make this viable. That’s a lot of flights. It’s too much for the average leisure traveller, and business travellers flying first/business class at the company's expense may scoff at the idea. However, it could be a great option for young travellers with a lot of free time, freelancers who can work on the move, and retired people.

Either way, it’s a daring move from Wizz Air, and we could see similar options from other airlines in the near future.