Wizz Air announces new “All You Can Fly” scheme: Is it too good to be true?

Wizz Air has announced a new scheme for frequent flyers, but is it too good to be true?

The Hungarian ultra-low-cost airline has a new scheme – “All You Can Fly” – unlimited flights for an annual subscription fee. It sounds like a good deal. 

Wizz Air’s new scheme All You Can Fly receives mixed responses

Yet the title has divided passenger opinions, with some praising the seemingly low cost of €499 (£426) providing great value on trips, with the airline reporting being “overwhelmed” by the positive response. 

However, others have been more wary of the airline’s scheme, recalling their own experience of flight delays and disruptions, and remaining suspicious of the scheme’s terms and services.

Wizz Air promises €499 All You Can Fly scheme will benefit frequent flyers

Officially starting in September, Wizz Air markets its new membership scheme as allowing frequent flyers to “save money, visit friends and family more regularly and spontaneously visit off-the-beaten-track destinations.”

Extra costs after initial €499 fee for All You Can Fly scheme

According to the airline, it sold out in most markets within 24 hours, but some customers have been alerting to what they describe as a “catch”, pointing out that the scheme only allows passengers to book flights up to three days before departure, and an extra fee of €10 must be paid per flight.

Additionally, flights do not include “trolley bags” to stow in overhead compartments or checked baggage, and, whether you get the flight or not is dependent on whether there are any seats left. 

Finally, the scheme is limited to just 10,000 people, with many of the spots already sold according to the airline.

Editor of Which? Travel advises passengers to look beyond the price

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, advises passengers to look behind the enticing headline, look into the price and work out if it is too good to be true for them. 

After buying into the scheme, passengers will still have to pay for seat selection and luggage fees and ultimately will see costs climb over the initial €499 annual charge. 

Boland emphasised that multiple short-notice journeys will be required to break even on the original cost of the subscription, highlighting the irony in seeing “an airline which claims to be Europe’s ‘greenest’ airline encouraging consumers to take unlimited flights.”

The Hungarian airline has faced multiple hurdles in the last year

The low-cost airline has had a tumultuous past 12 months, which it might be hoping to overcome with the new scheme.

Based on an analysis of official data by the PA news agency, In June, 2024, the airline was named the worst for UK flight delays for the third year in a row, as passengers have mentioned again recently since the introduction of the scheme.  

In January, the Hungarian Airline was forced to pay an extra £1.2m to customers in compensation after the industry regulator intervened over the way it had handled the flight disruptions and delays. 

In response to these troubles, Wizz Air has pointed out that it has been working towards improvements, investing an extra £90m in its customer service and overall operations last year.