Wizz Air expands summer schedule 17%

Wizz Air says its summer 2026 schedule will be 17% larger than last year, with most of the growth aimed at the Balkans and the Caucasus. (reuters.com) Chief Executive Jozsef Varadi told reporters on Monday, April 27, that summer bookings are running ahead of last year even as some European rivals have warned of softer forward demand. (reuters.com) Varadi said Wizz Air is 70% hedged for summer fuel needs and expects 35 new Airbus aircraft deliveries in 2026. He said the airline plans to renew some hedges when current cover expires this summer. (reuters.com) The expansion fits a strategy Wizz laid out in its June 2025 full-year results, where it said demand in its core Central and Eastern European markets could absorb fleet growth over the next five years. (wizzair.com) That eastern focus is already visible on the ground. Wizz opened its first base in Yerevan in October 2025 with two aircraft and eight new direct European routes, making Armenia a larger part of its network. (wizzair.com 1) (wizzair.com 2) In Romania, Wizz said last July it would add a second aircraft at Bucharest Baneasa and move more flying there, part of a broader network buildout around Bucharest. In Moldova, it said a second Chisinau aircraft would support added summer capacity. (wizzair.com 1) (wizzair.com 2) Bulgaria is another example. Sofia Airport said on April 21 that Wizz would raise summer 2026 capacity there by more than 63% versus summer 2025, adding more than 2 million seats. (sofia-airport.eu) The risk hanging over that growth is fuel. Varadi said the Iran war has raised concern about jet-fuel supply and cost for European airlines, although he added that higher U.S. prices were drawing tankers westward and helping offset Middle East shortfalls. (reuters.com) Wizz’s bet is that passengers will keep filling those extra seats through the peak travel months. The test for that 17% expansion will be whether strong bookings hold up as fuel hedges roll off and summer fares reset. (reuters.com)