Summary

  • Wizz Air plans to more than double its current aircraft portfolio to 500 by 2030-2032, aiming to operate one million flights annually.
  • The airline’s expansion strategy includes adding more Airbus A320 and A321neo jets, with a focus on longer routes and new subsidiaries.
  • Wizz Air’s growth ambitions also involve establishing new base airports, creating new airline companies, and doubling its current workforce.

More than most other kinds of airlines, low-cost carriers are known for their expansionist strategies, looking to grow quickly in a market where margins are low but capacity is high. Hungarian budget giant Wizz Air is a prime example of this, having made additions to its fleet and network even during the quietest months of the pandemic. Now, the carrier is aiming to more than double its aircraft portfolio.

Bigger and better

It is worth noting at this juncture that Wizz Air is far from a small airline, with the Hungarian operator also boasting smaller subsidiary carriers in Malta, the UK, and the UAE. These have helped it expand its reach beyond the frontiers of its European heartland, and it now has, according to Wizz Air CEO József Váradi in a recent interview with Index, 208 aircraft in its fleet. However, this number is set to rise.

Indeed, Váradi notes that the Hungarian low-cost carrier has “more than 300 more in the pipeline over the next 5-6 years,” adding that “our goal is to have a fleet of 500 aircraft by 2030-2032.” Such a fleet expansion would assist the airline in achieving its goal of operating one million flights a year, and transporting some 170 million passengers in the process. But which aircraft types will form this growth?

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi Airbus A321neo

Photo: Wizz Air

Like many budget operators, Wizz Air favors a uniform fleet model, with its aircraft family of choice being the Airbus A320. According to Airbus‘ latest data pertaining to orders and deliveries, the carrier currently has 13 outstanding orders for the A320neo, and a whopping 310 for the larger A321neo model.

Longer flights and new subsidiaries

Data from ch-aviation shows that a reasonable proportion of Wizz Air’s Airbus A321neo orders are examples of the extra-long-range A321XLR model. Specifically, the site lists 45 as being on order for Wizz Air’s mainline division, as well as one apiece for its subsidiaries in Abu Dhabi and the United Kingdom.

Wizz Air is already no stranger to a long route, with some of its services this summer scheduled to have block times of almost seven hours, as linked below. Nonetheless, the presence of the A321XLR would take its capabilities in this regard to the next level, unlocking further opportunities for operational growth.

Related

Up To 6h 45m: Wizz Air’s 11 Longest Routes This Summer

Which do you think made the cut?

Wizz Air Airbus A321neo Departing From Skiathos

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

Indeed, Reuters quotes Váradi as saying that the carrier’s planned fleet growth “will create opportunities for new base airports and even establishing new airline companies,” as well as more than doubling its workforce. As such, it is clear that Wizz Air’s planned fleet expansion will enable it to grow in multiple facets.

Is such growth achievable?

Intending to more than double the size of what is already a large fleet is one thing, but achieving such an ambitious goal is another matter altogether. For Wizz Air to receive 300 aircraft in the next six years would require an average of four to five new planes to arrive at the carrier every month.

Data from Airbus shows that it received three aircraft in January and another three in February, with this figure rising to five in March before dropping back to three in April. As such, the carrier requires a small but consistent uptick in deliveries to meet its goals. Simple Flying has contacted Wizz for further information.

What do you make of Wizz Air’s planned fleet expansion? Have you flown with the Hungarian low-cost carrier this year? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!


  • Wizz Air Getty Gdansk

    Wizz Air

    IATA/ICAO Code:
    W6/WZZ

    Airline Type:
    Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier

    Year Founded:
    2003

    CEO:
    József Váradi

    Country:
    Hungary

  • rsz_airbus_50th_years_anniversary_formation_flight_-_air_to_air

    Airbus

    Stock Code:
    AIR

    Date Founded:
    1970-12-18

    CEO:
    Guillaume Faury

    Headquarters Location:
    Toulouse, France

    Key Product Lines:
    Airbus A220, Airbus A320, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A350, Airbus A380

    Business Type:
    Planemaker

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