Wizz Air in Favorable Position Ahead of Winter Period

Wizz Air, the low-fare carrier headquartered in Hungary, is starting the winter season in a favorable position, in spite of the uncertain environment, CEO József Váradi said at a press conference in Budapest on Friday.

The CEO added that 82% of Wizz Air's fuel needs for the coming six months were covered by contracts at favorable prices. He added that the airline's young fleet and EUR 2.2 billion of liquid reserves give it a step up on its competitors.

József Váradi stated that he didn't expect a turnaround in either the Iranian or the Russian-Ukrainian wars before the end of 2027 and pointed to the impact of the conflicts on commodities, global supply chains and the delivery of aircraft and parts.

He added that Wizz Air would adjust its winter timetable to reflect geopolitical risks, moving capacity from Middle East flights to ones in Europe.

Wizz Air carried 23.8 million passengers in June-August, 27% more than in the base period. Flight numbers climbed 24% to 112,000.

Hungary remains a strategic market for Wizz Air, the CEO said, with 38% market share, 12 percentage points ahead of the runner-up. Wizz Air operates 18 aircraft on 88 routes from its Budapest base, he added.

Capacity on Wizz Air's Hungary flights has risen 17% to 9,550,000 in 2026. Summer passenger numbers climbed 30% to 2.6 million. Passenger numbers since the start of the year have reached 6.7 million, and numbers are set to exceed the earlier set 8.3 million target.

In 2025, passengers on Wizz Air's Hungary flights reached 7.4 million.

Wizz Air's overall passenger numbers are expected to reach around 80 million in 2026, up from close to 70 million in 2025.

The CEO concluded that all 27 Wizz Air aircraft grounded for engine overhaul due to a global recall could be back in the air by the end of 2027.