Budget airline launches 'unlimited flight deal' with one catch

A budget airline has relaunched a popular unlimited flight package for under £500 a year - but there's one catch. Wizz Air, a Hungarian ultra-low-cost carrier that claims to be Europe's fastest growing cheap airline, has reinstated a discount flight package allowing frequent travellers to make hundreds of journeys over 12 months at an annual fee of £439 (€499).

While the scheme may seem too good to be true, it comes with some major conditions, including the catch that all flights must be booked within 72 hours of departure.

The yearly sum also doesn't include £9.99 booking fees, bag fees, which range from £13.21 and £133.41, and a seat protection fee, which costs between £44.03 and £132.09. It also has limited capacity, with only 10,000 membership spots up for grabs across 34 countries.

The 'All You Can Fly' package was first launched in 2024 and split travellers and commentators as to whether it was a good use of money.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, urged customers to question whether they really would be saving cash by paying the annual sum, especially when booking and seat selection costs are taken into account.

"It's also ironic to see an airline which claims to be Europe's 'greenest' encouraging customers to take unlimited flights," he told the BBC after the scheme was announced last year.

Travel journalist Simon Calder also suggested the payment plan could benefit those who regularly hop on planes to visit family abroad, but less so for travellers used to infrequent or group trips.

"People will do their sums and I've done mine, it won't really work for me," he said.

Michael Delehant, senior chief commercial and operations officer for Wizz Air, said subscribers had flown an average of nine times in the 12 months since they signed up for the package deal.

"Despite a challenging economic environment where most prices are rising, we've continued to provide affordable travel options, offering customers the opportunity to travel for the cost of a pair of sneakers," he added.

"This reflects our ambition to redefine the meaning of low-cost travel. We believe affordable prices should be matched with high-quality operations and customer service - and we're deliveirng. This summer was our best on record, with significant improvements in on-time performance, flight completion and turnaround times - all while reaching the milestone of 1,000 flights a day."