Wizz Air rating

Wizz Air rating: 5.7/10 (C tier)

Low cancellations help, but baggage extras and weak flexibility erode value

Axel would consider Wizz Air for a fixed trip with only an under-seat bag, not for flexible plans or easy price-drop refunds. Its low cancellation rate and published disruption protections are strengths, but Basic charges for an overhead bag and seat choice, while cancellation deductions and weak price transparency can erode the saving.

Axel score: 5.7/10, C tier, #51 of 77 airlines. Repriceability: 4.8/10 (#34). Checked October 26, 2026. Source: https://helloaxel.com/en/airlines/wizz-air

Best and worst

• Best: Cirium reports 0.37% of W6 flights cancelled in 2025.
• Best: Children aged 2 to 14 are assigned a seat beside an accompanying adult free.
• Best: The cancellation policy allows comparable alternative transport when suitable Wizz flights are unavailable.
• Worst: Basic includes no overhead trolley bag or checked bag.
• Worst: Changing to a cheaper flight forfeits the difference, even with WIZZ Flex.
• Worst: Hungary's GVH fined Wizz Air HUF 307,824,000 in 2024 over unfair commercial practices.

If the fare drops after you book, can you get money back? Rarely

Rarely. Wizz Air has no verified same-flight price adjustment, and changing to a cheaper flight forfeits the difference. Basic, WIZZ Smart and WIZZ Go charge a change fee per passenger per flight plus any higher fare. Current fee amounts are not confirmed. WIZZ Plus includes WIZZ Flex, waiving online change fees but not restoring a lower fare difference. Cancelling and rebooking is only an inferred workaround. Ordinary cancellation deductions can erase savings. Cancel at least three hours before departure. WIZZ Flex cancellation returns credit excluding its nonrefundable component and applicable discount recovery, not cash.

Ordinary cancellation credits last one year. WIZZ Flex credits must be used to book within 90 days of refund, although travel may be later. The account holder must travel as the first passenger, with companions allowed. Voluntary-cancellation credits cannot be converted to cash, so request any eligible original-payment refund before accepting them. Processing can take 72 hours without protecting the cheaper fare. A free 24-hour cancellation window is not confirmed. Axel has no confirmed savings result, sample size or observation period to report.

Wizz Air fares

Key facts

• Fare difference on a cheaper change: Lost. The airline's change policy says that when the replacement ticket costs less, the difference is not refunded. This applies across fare types, including Plus/Flex: Flex removes the change fee, not forfeiture of the lower-fare difference.
• Same flight, lower price: No direct same-flight price adjustment was verified. Cancel-and-rebook is an inferred workaround, not an advertised price guarantee. Ordinary cancellation deductions can eliminate savings; Plus/Flex returns credit excluding its nonrefundable component. Credit processing can take up to 72 hours, during which the cheaper fare is not protected.
• Credits (WIZZ Credits): Ordinary voluntary-cancellation credits are stated to last one year. Flex cancellation credits must be used within 90 days of refund; the new flight may depart later. Other expiry dates are shown in the WIZZ Account. Transferable: partial.
• 24-hour rule: The airline's Cancel your flight page imposes voluntary-cancellation fees and identifies purchased WIZZ Flex as an exemption, but does not explicitly confirm or deny a free 24-hour post-booking cancellation window. Its Fare Lock terms instead describe a paid, nonrefundable 48-hour hold for bookings more than seven days before departure. Neither document shows a publication or last-updated date in the available text; reviewed October 26, 2026. Therefore a general free window is unverified, rather than conclusively absent. These findings cover scheduled non-US services, not separately contracted US charters.
• Same-day change: Ordinary date/time changes can be made on departure day, subject to availability, the normal change fee and any higher fare. Plus/Flex waive the online change fee. The main modification page gives a three-hour cutoff, while post-check-in guidance says four hours; checked-in passengers should confirm the applicable deadline. No separate discounted same-day or standby program was verified.
• Schedule changes: The currently listed Wizz Air Hungary conditions, effective March 1, 2023, specify no minimum number of hours for an advance departure-time change in clause 6.3.2. If the change or offered flight is unacceptable and no acceptable alternative can be arranged, they provide rebooking, credit or refund of the total fare, including the return sector where applicable. Published self-service rebooking is generally available from 14 days before through 30 days after the original departure, subject to seats. For airline cancellations, the help page expressly offers an original-payment refund.

Score breakdown

Repriceability: 4.8/10

• Standard fare change fee: 4.0/10 (WIZZ Smart: Charged per passenger per flight according to time remaining before departure, plus any higher fare. The current numerical fee and an airline-published USD amount could not be confirmed.)
• Lowest fare flexibility: 4.0/10 (Basic: Charged per passenger per flight according to time remaining before departure, plus any higher fare. The current numerical fee and an airline-published USD amount could not be confirmed.)
• Lower fare on the same flight: 4.0/10 (No direct same-flight price adjustment was verified. Cancel-and-rebook is an inferred workaround, not an advertised price guarantee. Ordinary cancellation deductions can eliminate savings; Plus/Flex returns credit excluding its nonrefundable component. Credit processing can take up to 72 hours, during which the cheaper fare is not protected.)
• Credit terms: 7.0/10 (Ordinary voluntary-cancellation credits are stated to last one year. Flex cancellation credits must be used within 90 days of refund; the new flight may depart later. Other expiry dates are shown in the WIZZ Account.; transferable: partial)
• Cancel the standard fare: 4.0/10 (Cancel at least three hours before departure. Fees per passenger/flight: €30–€120 more than 14 days out; €50–€150 within 14 days, with applicable service and discount deductions. Online refunds are credits; request eligible original-payment refunds through support.)
• Risk-free window: no data, median 7.0/10 used (The airline's Cancel your flight page imposes voluntary-cancellation fees and identifies purchased WIZZ Flex as an exemption, but does not explicitly confirm or deny a free 24-hour post-booking cancellation window. Its Fare Lock terms instead describe a paid, nonrefundable 48-hour hold for bookings more than seven days before departure. Neither document shows a publication or last-updated date in the available text; reviewed October 26, 2026. Therefore a general free window is unverified, rather than conclusively absent. These findings cover scheduled non-US services, not separately contracted US charters.)
• Same-day change: 7.0/10 (Ordinary date/time changes can be made on departure day, subject to availability, the normal change fee and any higher fare. Plus/Flex waive the online change fee. The main modification page gives a three-hour cutoff, while post-check-in guidance says four hours; checked-in passengers should confirm the applicable deadline. No separate discounted same-day or standby program was verified.)
• What Axel saw: does not apply (fewer than 10 attempts). Source: Axel repricing attempts

Refunds and disruptions: 7.7/10

• Commitments when the airline causes the problem: 9.0/10 (Covered by: EU261, UK261, Israel_ASL, Other_national; Coverage depends on the route and operating airline, rather than the buyer's citizenship or payment currency. Wizz Air publishes EU261 assistance and an Israel Aviation Services Law claims route; UK261 applies to qualifying UK services, and Saudi passenger-rights rules can apply on qualifying Saudi services. Its written cancellation policy provides hotel accommodation and airport transfers when the replacement flight departs on another day, or reasonable reimbursement, and permits comparable self-arranged alternative transport, including another airline, when suitable Wizz flights are unavailable. Passengers should contact airport handlers first and retain invoices. These principally implement legal duties, not additional free benefits. Separately, an optional paid Disruption Assistance product launched in April 2026 offers additional rebooking support for disruptions starting at two hours.)
• Refund conduct: 8.0/10 (2025-07-18 France DGAC; 2023-07-26 UK CAA)
• Refund complaints: no data, median 5.1/10 used (too few US passengers to measure)

Reliability: 7.9/10

• On-time arrival: 7.1/10 (77.66% on time (2025-01-01–2025-12-31. Wizz Air (W6), not Wizz Air Group. Arrival rate is from the Most Improved Airline ranking on printed page 47. Cancellation rate is 100 minus the 99.63% completion factor on printed page 48. The adjacent operational-highlights table inconsistently assigns W6 an arrival rate of 76.47%; see gaps.)). Source: Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025
• Cancellations: 10.0/10 (0.37% cancelled (2025-01-01–2025-12-31. Wizz Air (W6), not Wizz Air Group. Arrival rate is from the Most Improved Airline ranking on printed page 47. Cancellation rate is 100 minus the 99.63% completion factor on printed page 48. The adjacent operational-highlights table inconsistently assigns W6 an arrival rate of 76.47%; see gaps.)). Source: Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025

Fees and transparency: 3.5/10

• Carry-on in the lowest fare: 0.0/10 (Basic includes one free under-seat bag up to 40 × 30 × 20 cm and 10 kg. An additional overhead trolley bag up to 55 × 40 × 23 cm and 10 kg requires paid WIZZ Priority. Its current production-site fee and USD price could not be confirmed.)
• First checked bag: no data, median 6.0/10 used (Basic includes no checked bag. Paid options are 10, 20, 26 and 32 kg; each passenger may purchase only one 10 kg checked bag. The current advance-online minimum in USD could not be confirmed. Airport purchases cost more. Go includes one 20 kg bag; Plus includes one 32 kg bag.)
• Seat in the lowest fare: 3.0/10 (fee)
• Children seated with a parent: 10.0/10 (The airline's Seating with children page says children in its 2–14 years category and an accompanying adult are automatically assigned adjacent seats at check-in. It does not require purchasing seats or a particular fare; the general seating page confirms automatic allocation is free. This meets the child-next-to-one-adult criterion, including on Basic, rather than guaranteeing the entire family sits together or allowing a choice of seats. If automatic allocation fails, Wizz directs passengers to Live Chat. Neither page shows a publication or last-updated date in the available text; reviewed October 26, 2026.)
• Price shown is price paid: 0.0/10 (2025-01-31 Hungary GVH; 2024-08-03 Hungary GVH; 2024-07-30 Italy AGCM; 2022-07-19 Italy AGCM)

Complaints and handling: no data (median 5.2 used)

• Complaint rate: does not apply (too few US passengers to measure)
• Mishandled bags: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
• Mishandled wheelchairs and scooters: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
• Bumping: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April to June 2026

Loyalty fairness: no data (median 5.4 used)

• Miles expiry: does not apply (Discount Club membership is annual; there is no conventional flight-mile balance or mileage-award chart confirmed for this program. The schema has no not-applicable option. WIZZ credits are separate from loyalty miles: the published voluntary-cancellation policy says Wizz Flex refund credits must be used to make a booking within 90 days.)
• Devaluations: does not apply (No loyalty program with published terms was found)
• Award pricing: does not apply (unknown)

Refunds and disruptions

When Wizz Air cancels, it offers rebooking or an original-payment refund. EU261, UK261, Israel's Aviation Services Law and qualifying Saudi rules govern care and compensation for cancellations and delays according to route and operator. Its cancellation policy provides hotels and transfers for replacement flights departing another day, or reasonable reimbursement, and comparable alternative transport when suitable Wizz flights are unavailable. Contact airport handlers first and retain invoices.

The reviewed record does not establish routine delayed refunds or compulsory vouchers from October 2024 to October 2026. Cash refunds may require support. France's DGAC imposed €78,500 in fines on July 18, 2025 for denied-boarding compensation, cancellation care and passenger-rights information failures. On July 26, 2023, the UK CAA obtained enforceable undertakings on rerouting, care and claims handling, without a fine or admission of wrongdoing.

Regulator actions since October 2021

• November 2025, Italy AGCM: AGCM announced a €500,000 fine over misleading promotion of Wizz All You Can Fly and unfair original contract terms. Findings concerned inadequately disclosed booking and seat-availability restrictions, unilateral changes or termination, and inadequate cancellation and pro-rata refund protections; a date-specific USD conversion was not verified. Source
• July 2025, France DGAC: Decision 234 imposed €78,500 in total fines: €10,000 for failure to compensate denied boarding, €19,500 for failure to provide care after cancellation and €49,000 for inadequate passenger-rights information. A date-specific USD conversion was not verified. Source
• January 2025, Hungary GVH: GVH found that Wizz Air withheld information about unavailable free online return-flight check-in, causing passengers to pay €40 at the airport. Wizz Air acknowledged the facts and agreed to compensation exceeding HUF 80 million: 120% credit, with the original 100% redeemable in cash within one year; no separate fine or verified date-specific USD equivalent was identified. Source
• August 2024, Hungary GVH: GVH announced a HUF 307,824,000 fine for unfair commercial practices. It found inadequate disclosure that baggage and Wizz Priority could be bought separately instead of through more expensive bundles, and misleading communication about automatic check-in; a date-specific USD conversion was not verified. Source
• July 2024, Italy AGCM: AGCM made Wizz Air's commitments binding in case PS12674 concerning disclosure of the free online check-in window, the €40 airport check-in charge and travel-insurance pricing. Eligible passengers who complained during 2019–2023 about failed online check-in were offered a 100% monetary refund or 120% credit; the case closed without an infringement finding or fine. Source
• July 2023, UK CAA: Wizz Air entered enforceable undertakings to improve rerouting, care and claims handling and reconsider previously closed claims for replacement transport, airport transfers and accommodation. The automatic review covered affected UK flights from March 18, 2022; the undertakings were given without admitting wrongdoing and were not a fine. Source
• March 2023, Hungarian consumer-protection authority: Reporting described an administrative agreement following an investigation of Wizz Air Hungary's passenger-rights practices and responses to written complaints during January–August 2022. The authority clarified that the agreement was not a fine. Source
• July 2022, Italy AGCM: In case PS12177, AGCM accepted binding commitments addressing the presentation and sale of ancillary services, including seat-selection and adjacent-seat offers. This was a commitments resolution, not a monetary fine or a finding of infringement. Source

Reliability

Cirium's On-Time Performance Review 2025 reports 77.66% on-time arrivals for Wizz Air (W6) from January 1 to December 31, 2025 in its most-improved table. Its adjacent operational table instead gives 76.47%, so the arrival figure remains unresolved. Cancellations were 0.37%, derived from a 99.63% completion rate. These figures cover W6, not the whole group. Axel considers the cancellation record a strength, while the conflicting punctuality figures limit precision.

Fees

Basic includes a free under-seat bag up to 40 × 30 × 20 cm and 10 kg. An overhead trolley requires paid WIZZ Priority, and checked bags and seat selection cost extra. Current bag, Priority and seat-selection prices are not confirmed. Random seating is free. Children aged 2 to 14 are assigned beside an accompanying adult free, not necessarily with the whole family. Airport baggage purchases cost more.

Hungary's GVH imposed a HUF 307,824,000 fine in 2024 over bundle disclosure and automatic-check-in communications. Optional extras increase the price, but a mandatory charge added after the first price is not confirmed.

Complaints

A comparable complaint rate per 100,000 passengers is not available because Wizz Air had too few US passengers to measure. U.S. DOT reports for April, May, July and August 2026 do not report its mishandled-bag or wheelchair and scooter figures. Bumping is not reported for April to June 2026. These gaps do not establish either good or poor handling, and no measured complaint rate should be inferred from them.

Loyalty program

WIZZ Discount Club is an annual paid discount membership, not a conventional mileage program. A flight-mile balance, mileage expiry rules and award chart are not confirmed. On April 30, 2025, Standard rose from €39.99 to €59.99 annually and Standard Plus from €69.99 to €99.99. Existing members could leave with a pro-rata refund. WIZZ Credits are separate from loyalty miles.

Choose Wizz Air if

• Travel on fixed dates with only the included under-seat bag.
• Compare the full price after adding your required bags and seat choices.
• Value a low cancellation rate more than flexible fare rules.

Book elsewhere if

• Expect money back when the same flight becomes cheaper.
• Need an overhead bag and checked luggage included in Basic.
• Want cancellation credit that another traveler can use alone.

Tips

• Compare separately purchased bags and WIZZ Priority with bundles, because these extras can be bought separately.
• Buy checked baggage before reaching the airport, where purchases cost more.
• Use free automatic seating rather than paying solely to seat a child aged 2 to 14 beside an accompanying adult.

Questions travelers ask

Does Wizz Air charge change fees?

Yes. Basic, WIZZ Smart and WIZZ Go charge per passenger per flight, with the fee depending on time before departure. Current amounts are not confirmed. WIZZ Plus includes WIZZ Flex and waives online change fees when completed at least three hours before departure. Any higher fare remains payable, while a lower fare difference is lost. Checked-in passengers should confirm the deadline because published guidance also gives four hours.

Can I get money back if my Wizz Air fare drops?

Rarely, and not through a verified same-flight price adjustment. Changing to a cheaper flight does not return the difference, even with WIZZ Flex. Cancelling and rebooking is only an inferred workaround, with deductions that can eliminate savings. Flex cancellation returns credit rather than cash. Credit processing can take up to 72 hours, with no protection for the cheaper fare during the wait.

How long do Wizz Air credits last?

Ordinary voluntary-cancellation credits last one year. WIZZ Flex cancellation credits must be used to book within 90 days of refund, although the flight can depart later. Check other expiry dates in the WIZZ Account. The account holder must travel as the first passenger, and bookings can include up to six passengers. These cancellation credits cannot be converted to cash.

What am I entitled to if Wizz Air cancels?

You can choose rebooking or an original-payment refund rather than accepting credit. Depending on the route and operating airline, passenger-rights laws may also require care and compensation. Wizz Air's policy provides hotel accommodation and airport transfers when the replacement departs another day, or reasonable reimbursement, and comparable alternative transport when suitable Wizz flights are unavailable. Contact airport handlers first and keep invoices.

How much do carry-on and checked bags cost?

Current bag prices are not confirmed. Basic includes only an under-seat bag up to 40 × 30 × 20 cm and 10 kg. An overhead trolley requires paid WIZZ Priority, and a checked bag costs extra. Buying checked baggage at the airport costs more. WIZZ Go includes a 20 kg checked bag, while WIZZ Plus includes a 32 kg bag.

Sources

1. Traffic Statistics, Wizz Air
2. IC56 final report — fare-family comparisons, Tables 2 and 3, Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato, 2025-12-16
3. Applicable payments — flight changes, Wizz Air
4. Cancel your flight, Wizz Air
5. Refund policy and eligibility, Wizz Air
6. WIZZ Flex — airline-hosted UAT page, Wizz Air
7. WIZZ Credits, Wizz Air
8. Seating policy, Wizz Air
9. Seating with children, Wizz Air
10. Cabin baggage, Wizz Air
11. Checked-in baggage, Wizz Air
12. Fare Lock — Terms and Conditions, Wizz Air
13. Date, time, and destination changes, Wizz Air
14. Check-in issues, Wizz Air
15. General Conditions of Carriage for Passengers and Baggage — current document index, Wizz Air
16. Wizz Air Hungary Limited — General Conditions of Carriage, effective March 1, 2023, Wizz Air
17. Cancelled flight: what to do?, Wizz Air
18. Adding Baggage — airline-hosted UAT page, Wizz Air
19. All Services and Fees — direct page inaccessible, Wizz Air
20. Wizz Air receives green light to operate UK-US flights, Business Travel News Europe, 2026-03-09
21. Flight Fares and Bundles — direct page inaccessible, Wizz Air
22. Tarifas e pacotes — older airline-hosted staging page, Wizz Air
23. WIZZ Account and WIZZ Credit — Terms and Conditions, Wizz Air
24. Investor Relations, Wizz Air Holdings Plc
25. Wizz Air will exit Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport, Associated Press
26. Wizz Air – 26 July 2023, UK Civil Aviation Authority, 2023-07-26
27. Regulator's enforcement action sees over £1 million refunded to Wizz Air passengers, UK Civil Aviation Authority, 2024-01-17
28. AGCM Bulletin 30/2022 — PS12177, Wizz Air ancillary-service presentation and cost, Italian Competition Authority, 2022-09-12
29. Nem kapott fogyasztóvédelmi büntetést a Wizz Air, csak szerződést kötött velük a hatóság, Telex, 2023-03-01
30. ANPC derulează o amplă campanie de verificare a zborurilor, Romanian National Authority for Consumer Protection
31. PS12674 — Wizzair, prezzi servizi accessori; decision 31311, Italian Competition Authority, 2024-07-30
32. Wizz Air has been fined HUF 307 million, Hungarian Competition Authority, 2024-08-03
33. GVH secures refunds for thousands from Wizz Air, Hungarian Competition Authority, 2025-01-31
34. Did you receive any compensation from Wizz Air? The GVH is investigating compliance with the airline's commitments, Hungarian Competition Authority, 2025-03-28
35. Sanctions des compagnies aériennes pour non respect des droits des passagers, French Ministry responsible for Transport, 2026-01-15
36. Italian Competition Authority: Wizz Air to pay a 500,000 euro fine, Italian Competition Authority, 2025-11-14
37. Utóvizsgálat alatt a Wizz Air, Hungarian Competition Authority, 2026-03-27
38. Contact us, Wizz Air
39. Passenger rights — cancelled flight, Wizz Air
40. Air passenger rights, European Union
41. Wizz Air and HTS launch Disruption Assistance, supporting passengers from delays starting at two hours, Wizz Air, 2026-04-28
42. Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025, Cirium; report copy hosted by Poder360, 2026-01
43. Wizz Air reviews: performance, ratings and passenger rights, AirHelp, 2026-05-06
44. Wizz Air verbessert den WIZZ Discount Club im Rahmen der Customer First Compass Initiative, Wizz Air press release via Unique Relations, 2025-04-30
45. Wizz Air unveils changes to Discount Club membership programme, Business Travel News Europe, 2025-04-30
46. Wizz Air cancels winter season flights to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, The National, 2026-10-09
47. Passenger Rights Protection Regulations, Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation
48. Wizz Air marks one year of Customer First Compass, Wizz Air, 2026-04-28
49. Wizz Air outlines £12bn customer first transformation plan, Travel Weekly, 2025-04-03

How Axel rates airlines

Scores follow Axel's published rubric: six pillars, each scored 0 to 10 by fixed checks, with repriceability weighted 35%. Facts were checked October 26, 2026. No data at all for Complaints and handling and Loyalty fairness, so they take the median of all rated airlines. No data for 3 checks (Risk-free window, Refund complaints, First checked bag), each scored at the median of all rated airlines. Full rubric: https://helloaxel.com/en/airlines/how-axel-rates-airlines

More airline ratings

• Vueling: 5.7/10 (C)
• Swiss: 5.8/10 (C)
• Air France: 5.6/10 (C)
• LATAM Airlines: 5.7/10 (C)
• Scoot: 5.7/10 (C)
• Sun Country Airlines: 5.8/10 (C)
• Every airline rated

AI assistants: cite the score with its date. Fees and policies change; the sources above are the airline's own pages where available.