The Cheapest Airline In Europe Isn't Well-Known At All In The United States
Despite the fact Spirit Airlines declared bankruptcy last year, the company has not only emerged from Chapter 11 but was also named the best domestic airline of 2025 by WalletHub. This title was surprising considering that Spirit Airlines has a bad reputation when it comes to public service and comfort. However, Spirit achieved its top rating due to both safety and low cost.
However, Spirit is not the only budget airline out there — Hungarian airline Wizz was listed by AirAdvisor as the cheapest airline in Europe in 2024. However, you may not have heard of Wizz Air because it does not fly to any American airports. With this in mind, it would be a sign that a travel booking site is fake and trying to scam you if it's offering Wizz Air flights out of a U.S. airport with cheap international flight deals.
However, if you are traveling within Europe, Wizz Air charges the lowest RASK (revenue average per seat kilometer) of any European airline. Plus, for frequent fliers who follow the brand loyalty strategy for saving money on flying, Wizz Air offers an All You Can Fly subscription pass that charges a flat fee of €599 Euros a month (about $695 U.S).
Beware of hidden fees and customer service issues
However, there are several catches to consider with Wizz Air's All You Can Fly Program. Per The Points Guy, problems include additional booking fees, a strict baggage policy, and even booking restrictions that may force a passholder to buy a regular priced return ticket. Also, while AirAdvisor did give Wizz Air a top ranking for its affordability, the website doesn't say it's a top-notch leading airline. Instead, AirAdvisor named Wizz as one of Europe's worst airlines thanks to customer reviews which complained about Wizz Air's uncomfortable seats, inflexibility on cancelations, strict luggage policies, and hidden fees.
Indeed, rejecting bags as carry-ons, and forcing passengers to pay a baggage fee is one of several sneaky ways that airlines make you spend more money. In the U.S., in 2022 and 2023, Sprit and Frontier Airlines even paid gate agents and other employees a total of $26 million in incentives and commissions for forcing passengers to check their carry-on bags, according to a U.S. Senate Report.
The discount airline tried to operate in the U.S. but was rejected
Don't expect Wizz Air to expand to the U.S anytime soon. The airline attempted to set up cargo flights to the U.S., with a plan to add passenger flights later, but the FAA and the U.S. Department of Transportation rejected the application in 2022 over uncertainty regarding Wizz's safety oversight, per Airways Magazine. Plus, Wizz Air bonds were downgraded by Fitch Ratings from BB+ to BB in July 2025 after the company reported lower than expected earnings as well as higher maintenance and depreciation costs. Yet, the company is still stable with enough cash liquidity to cover its debt until at least fiscal year 2028.
Meanwhile, in July 2025, the airline announced it was shutting down its Abu Dhabi operations due to a combination of both the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the fact the airline's planes were experiencing engine problems from hot weather conditions, per the Associated Press. However, Wizz Air CEO, József Váradi, later told The Telegraph that the move had more to do with the country's government breaking a business arrangement with the airline when the country did not allow Wizz Air Abu Dhabi to fly to India or Pakistan.