High season is upon us, and that means prices for usually cheap weekend getaways are skyrocketing. Heading on a Virgin Voyage cruise in Greece at the end of May 2024, I faced the tough decision of an eye-watering £400 round trip per person on a major airline, or halving that sum (and some more) and taking a budget option. I’d never taken Wizz Air before, put off by past experiences on American carriers like Spirit and Allegiant, which were seriously bad. But as Europe’s fastest-growing ultra-low-cost airline and with good feedback from my editor, I was curious about the Wizz Air experience. I got in touch to give it a go and found myself pleasantly surprised. Here’s what it was really like.

While this journey was complimentary, all thoughts and opinions are our own

Wizz Air flight review

Pre-boarding

Boarding Wizz Air
The gate at Athens including baggage allowance information.

On the way out we boarded from Gate 22 in Gatwick. Here, I made the mistake of not using the gents before entering the gate, as there were no facilities inside. To use them I’d need to leave my passport at the front desk to exit the area. On the return journey from Athens Venizelos there were WCs at each gate, but no USB charging points throughout the entire terminal. I recommend packing an adaptor if you want to charge ahead of the Wizz flight: the plane has no USB ports.

For Priority customers, two bags including a small roll on are permitted, and for non-Priority customers, it’s just one bag. I had one large backpack, which fit with plenty of room in the overhead bin. Boarding was relatively fast both times and it seemed like checked luggage was very swiftly off and uploaded. 

Seat comfort

Wizz Air seats
The seats all the way down to the end were same size and style.

The seat was bigger than what I’ve experienced on other budget carriers. I was in seat 2A on both journeys, and the size seemed to be the same all the way down to the end. Each one is blue and pink in colour, with a leather finish that’s easy to wipe down. Seat belts were new and none of them scuffed up. 

On the first leg, our plane was exceptionally clean and felt brand new. On the way back, traffic at Athens airport meant previous passengers came off late and there was a tight turnaround before boarding. The seats admittedly were not as clean as the outbound journey, however, I was personally pleased to get going instead of waiting on cleaners to do a second mop. The mesh pockets in front of us were clean both ways and I liked that you could see your items meaning less risk of leaving something behind.

Whilst seats do not recline, they’re spacious enough to nod off in. I was happy with the overall seat comfort and cleanliness. 

Food and drink

Food and drink in Wizz Air magazine
The food and drink menu can be found within the Wizz Air magazine in your front seat pocket.

Meals, snacks, alcohol, and hot and cold beverages were available to purchase from the cart, which came around an hour into the flight. There are multiple meal deals for better value, including a £5 breakfast with a hot drink, a £8.70 risotto lunch, snack, and drink, and an £11.40 double beer and peanuts deal. 

I did not purchase anything on either journey, but got this information from the menu within the magazine in the seat pocket. Remember to do your part for the planet and bring a reusable water bottle to fill at the airport.

Entertainment

Front seat Wizz Air
The space in front.

No TV was fine for me as I never watch movies for short journeys, however, I really wish there was USB charging as it would have been nice to get more done on my phone without worrying about running out of juice. There was a very worn magazine both times in the seat pocket. The one that customers use for selecting meals as there is no separate laminated menu.

The service

Wizz Air Wing
Our journey was smooth on both rides.

We experienced minor delays on both occasions due to factors out of Wizz’s control, and the captain did a good job of keeping passengers updated on the status. The ride was smooth even when going through clouds. The staff were attentive and helpful. 

On the way back, we had a few rows empty behind and one attendant was happy to move me so I could stretch out along three seats. Tip: the seats near the middle are the furthest from the toilets and I recommend not selecting anything too near to the front or the back, otherwise you’re next to loo lines half the journey. 

Would I do it again?

Considering the price and when up against competitors I’d say Wizz is an excellent option for a flight route such as LGW to ATH. Delays happen on any airline and I thought ours were handled well and with professionalism. The cabins are new and well-maintained. There’s ample overhead bin space and this ticks all the boxes for short-haul travel. The only downside for me was the lack of USB charging to stay entertained. Otherwise, it was a stellar first-time experience of what will be more for me on Wizz Air.

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