Wizz Air Connecting Flights

This is a Wizz Air connecting flights guide.

It covers everything from how to book connecting flights with Wizz Air to baggage rules and air passengers rights. Wizz Air is an ultra-low-cost airline from Hungary. Wizz Air is a very popular budget airline in Europe, operating flights to more than 140 destinations. There are several airlines operating under the same brand — including Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Wizz Air UK.

Book protected self-transfer connection with Kiwi.

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Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.

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How to Book Wizz Air Connecting Flights? Wizz Air Self Transfer?

First of all, Wizz Air doesn’t sell connecting flights.

If you buy two or three flights from Wizz Air, it’s a self transfer.

There’s only one safe way to do it – you must buy also insurance. There are flight search websites and online travel agents that sell travel insurance too. Alternatively, you can buy insurance separately.

1. Wizz Air Connecting Flights

Wizz Air is a low-cost airline.

Like many other low-cost airlines, Wizz Air doesn’t sell connecting flights, only direct flights. You can’t book airline-protected connecting flights with Wizz Air. If you book several separate flights with Wizz Air, these are considered self-transfer flights.

Self-transfer connecting flights are:

• Always risky. If you miss a connecting flight, it’s your fault.
• Less convenient. You check in separately for every flight. You collect and recheck baggage after every flight.
• More difficult to book. You have to book every flight separately.

Self transfers are worse than protected connections.

Wizz Air sells self-transfer flights / self transfer connections.

Wizz Air doesn’t sell protected connecting flights.

1.1 Several Flights With Wizz Air

You may book several flights with Wizz Air.

People do it all the time. When you want to get to some place, where there are no direct flights with Wizz Air, you book two flights, or sometimes three flights with Wizz Air. However, these still are self-transfer flights. These aren’t proper connecting flights. It’s a self transfer.

Wizz Air doesn’t sell protected connecting flights.

1.2 Flights With Different Airlines

You may decide to fly with two or more airlines.

You may book one flight with Wizz Air, and one — with easyJet or Ryanair. It can also be a flight with a full service airline like KLM, Lufthansa or Qatar Airways. No matter what airline you choose, it will still be a self transfer. It will still be your responsibility if you make it in time for your connecting flight or not.

There are also protected connecting flights with different airlines, but it’s something else. It’s when several airlines share a flight. This isn’t that thing. If one of your flights is with Wizz Air, then it’s a self transfer.

No matter if it’s only Wizz Air, or Wizz Air and some other airline:

• You check in for every flight separately.
• You collect baggage and recheck it yourself.
• If you miss a connecting flight, it’s your responsibility. Finding a new flight. Paying for new flight. It’s all your responsibility. No airline is obligated to help you with this. In some situations you may have a right to care from airline and flight compensation. Speaking of the latter, you should contact the airline operating the “bad flight”.

It is possible to insure self-transfer flights.

Kiwi.com sells protected self-transfer flights. If you buy a flight like this, you may have more rights and enjoy more convenience. For example, Kiwi offers its clients an option to check in for several flights at once, and they also offer protection in case of missed connections. But you don’t get any of these things when you book flights directly from Wizz Air.

2. What If Wizz Air Cancels a Flight?

Why is Wizz Air cancelling flights?

This may happen due to a number of reasons. From staff shortage to technical problems with airplane engine. What you should know is that sometimes you may have a right to flight compensation from Wizz Air (for flight cancellation).

2.1 One of Your Flights Is Cancelled

Wizz Air is a European airline (except for Wizz Air Abu Dhabi).

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, they must:

• Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
• Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).

This applies to all their commercial flights.

What if you miss another flight because of that? Unfortunately, but this is going to be your problem now, not airline’s. They are responsible for their flight only. They aren’t responsible for any other flights that you have — even if the other flight or flights are operated by Wizz Air. 

You may have more rights if your connection is insured.

You may have a right to compensation (more on this below).

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Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.

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2.2 All Your Flights Are Cancelled

Overall, for you as a passenger, the options are the same.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, Wizz Air must:

• Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
• Offer you assistance at the airport if it’s a last-minute cancellation and you are already at the airport (you have a right to care).

This applies to all their commercial flights. If you’re flying with Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, or any other non-European airline, these rules apply only to flights departing from Europe. If there are several airlines, every airline is responsible for their flight only.

Refund must be paid within seven days.

You may have a right to EU flight cancellation compensation.

2.3 Wizz Air Refund for Cancellation

Yes, you have a right to ask for a refund.

If you don’t wish to take an alternative flight, you can choose a refund. You have a right to choose whatever fits your travel plans the best. You have a right to request refund from Wizz Air to be paid to your bank account. You don’t have to accept vouchers.

3. Wizz Air Missed Connecting Flight

What if you miss connecting flight with Wizz Air?

Why is even happening? Why do people miss connections? Mostly, the reason is very simple — delay or cancellation of the previous flight. You may also fall asleep while waiting for connecting flight. It’s important to remember that Wizz Air doesn’t sell protected connecting flights.

3.1 What Happens If You Miss Wizz Air Connection?

Remember this, Wizz Air doesn’t sell connecting flights.

If you have several flights with Wizz Air, or one flight with Wizz Air and one with Ryanair, or any other airline, this is a self transfer. No matter why you miss connection, it’s your responsibility.

No airline is responsible for this connection.

No airline is responsible if you make it or not.

But they are responsible for their flight. They are responsible for delays, cancellations and overbookings. Wizz Air is responsible for their flights. According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, airline must:

• Take you to your destination as soon as possible (if a flight is cancelled, another flight must be offered; the same applies to denied boarding due to overbooking).
• Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).

Read more: Missed Connecting Flight Due to Delay 

3.2 Right to Compensation from Wizz Air

Sometimes you have a right to compensation.

Let’s assume, you have two flights with Wizz Air. If your first flight has arrived 2-3 or more hours later than planned, you may have a right to compensation. You may miss your second flight, and you won’t get compensation for that. You won’t get compensation for missed connecting flight. But still you may have a right to compensation for first flight.

The same rules apply to your second flight. If it’s delayed and you reach your final destination later than planned, you may have a right to compensation.

Make sure to file a claim for compensation.

Flight cancelled less than 2 weeks before the trip?

You might be entitled to flight cancellation compensation.

3.3 Right to Care from Wizz Air

On all Wizz Air flights you have a right to care.

With Wizz Air Abu Dhabi it applies to flights from Europe.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, airline should provide:

• Free food and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time.
• Free hotel accommodation if a stay of one or more nights is necessary.
• Free airport transfer to hotel and back.
• Plus, two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails. You have a right to means of communication, so you can get in touch with whomever you may want to get in touch (to let them know about these flight changes).

It applies to all domestic and international flights with Wizz Air. Again, it’s because Wizz Air is a European airline. With non-European airlines it applies only to flights departing from European airports. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is a non-European airline.

4. How to Book Connecting Flights with Wizz Air?

You can do it directly from Wizz Air or via a third-party.

But I’ll repeat— these will be self-transfer flights. And unlike how it is with connecting flights, with self-transfer flights sometimes it’s the opposite — sometimes it’s more safe to book flights from a third-party flight booking website than directly from Wizz Air. Because it may include a travel insurance.

We recommend kiwi.com for that.

Read more: How to Book Connecting Flights?

5. Wizz Air Connecting Flights: Baggage

Wizz Air is a low-cost airline from Europe.

Wizz Air sells only direct flights, not connecting flights.

Accordingly, you have to recheck baggage for every flight. Every flight you book with Wizz Air is considered a separate flight. That’s why you have to collect baggage after every flight. And you have to recheck baggage after every flight. If there’s immigration control at the airport, you have to go through the control after every flight. Take this into account when planning a layover / stopover.

Read more: Baggage on Connecting Flights

5.1 Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines

What happens if there are several airlines?

What if one of your flights is with a different airline, not Wizz Air? It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t change anything. These still are considered separate flights, and you still have to collect and recheck baggage after every flight. You have to do it yourself.

Wizz Air won’t transfer your baggage to the other airplane.

Read more: 

• Connecting Flight Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines
• Lost Baggage on Connecting Flights
• Delayed Baggage on Connecting Flights
• What is Checked Baggage?

5.2 Wizz Air Baggage Allowance

Baggage allowance varies — it’s not the same on all flights.

Baggage allowance varies depending on your ticket, destination, and occasionally some other factors. You should pay attention to that when making a booking. Don’t forget also about the cabin baggage rules on Wizz Air flights — they are more strict than with some other airlines.

Wizz Air doesn’t offer free checked baggage allowance.

5.3 Wizz Air Carry-On Bag Allowance

By default you can bring only one small bag (40 x 30 x 20 cm).

With WIZZ Priority you bring one more item (55 x 40 x 23, up to 10 kg).

Remember this! If you have several flights, and you would like to have more than one cabin bag, you have to purchase WIZZ Priority for every single flight separately. The same applies to checked baggage, you have to book it separately for every single of your flights.

6. Connecting Flight Examples

Here are two “connecting flight” examples with Wizz Air.

6.1 Self-Transfer Flights with Wizz Air (Most Common)

For this example I’ll be using the website of Wizz Air.

For example, I want to fly from Bucharest to Marrakech.

1. I know that Wizz Air has flights from Bucharest to Bergamo in Italy. So, I look for flights on August 1, from Bucharest to Milan. There is a flight that arrives in Bergamo at 8:35 am.
2. And then I look for flights from Bergamo to Marrakech. The nearest flight is a day later, at 11:25. I can book that flight and have a little bit more than 24-hour stopover in Bergamo. 

Here is the first flight:

Here is the second flight:

I can book these flights, or look for other options.

I can also book the same flight to Bergamo but a day later. It’s a very convenient option with a 3-hour layover time. There are literally hundreds of options. You can search them yourself, or you can use a flight booking website you like, and see what you can find there.

Unlike how it is with connecting flights, with self-transfer flights sometimes it’s the opposite — sometimes it’s more safe to book flights from a third-party flight booking website than directly from Wizz Air. Because it may include an insurance.

6.2 Flights With Different Airlines (Very Popular)

You can travel on the same route but with different airlines.

One of your flights can be with Wizz Air, and other — with Ryanair, easyJet or any other airline. In any case, these will be self-transfer flights. Same like in the previous example, you can book these flights directly from the airline or from a third-party flight booking website like Kiwi.

1. I know that Wizz Air has flights from Bucharest to Bergamo in Italy. So, I look for flights on August 1, from Bucharest to Milan. There is a Wizz Air flight that arrives in Bergamo at 8:35 am. I book this flight.
2. And then I look for flights from Bergamo to Marrakech. There are a lot of options. You don’t have to fly with Wizz Air. You can fly with another airline.

Be extra careful when an itinerary involves change of airports.

In both situations, make sure to check the entry and transit rules. Do you need a visa for a connecting flight like this or not? If you need a visa for that country you are stopping at, most likely you will need a visa for connection. Because these are self-transfer flights. Even if you don’t plan to leave the airport, you may need a visa with self transfer. Take this into account!

What is your experience with Wizz Air? Have you ever missed a flight with Wizz Air? How did the airline solve this? Have you received compensation or refund from Wizz Air? Did you file a compensation claim yourself or via a flight compensation company?

Featured photo by Markus Winkler