Air Europa vs Wizz Air

Overview

Air Europa is a Spanish airline founded in 1986 and, according to Wikipedia, the third-largest in Spain after Iberia and Vueling. It is owned by the Globalia group, is headquartered in Llucmajor, Mallorca, and has been a member of the SkyTeam alliance since 1 September 2007. Its loyalty programme is called Suma.

Ownership is changing. Aeromorning reports that Spain approved Turkish Airlines taking a minority stake of roughly 25–27% for about €300 million on 4 June 2026, with European Commission clearance still pending at the time of that report. FlightGlobal covered the original investment agreement.

Network and hubs

• Main hub: Madrid–Barajas.
• Focus cities: Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife North, per Wikipedia.
• Network: domestic Spain, European routes and long-haul services to the Americas.

Wikipedia lists about 44 destinations; check the airline's site for the current timetable.

Fleet

According to Planefinder, the fleet is 47 aircraft of four types: Boeing 787-9, 787-8, 737-800 and 737 MAX 8. Other trackers give different counts depending on what they include, so treat the figure as approximate. Air Europa also operates regional ATR and Embraer aircraft through Air Europa Express. In January 2026 it firmed an order for up to 40 Airbus A350-900s to renew its fleet.

On board

• Cabins: Economy and Business.
• Entertainment: films, series and music on long-haul aircraft.
• Wi-Fi: offered on most long-haul and some short and medium-haul flights, according to Kayak. A review of 787 Business noted a small free data voucher for Business passengers.

Good to know

• Baggage: Cabin Zero states that Economy Lite includes no checked bag. Third-party sources report a 10 kg cabin bag in Economy, and stricter limits on ATR and some smaller aircraft. Confirm your own fare on the airline's website.
• Lounges: Air Europa has no lounge of its own in Madrid; Business passengers use Sala VIP Cibeles in Terminal 1.
• Upgrades: Business upgrade bidding is available on some bookings.
• Punctuality and fees: no published figures were found for this profile.

Overview

Wizz Air, legally Wizz Air Holdings plc, is a Hungarian ultra-low-cost airline group. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in September 2003 by its current chief executive, József Váradi, and began flying on 19 May 2004. It is headquartered in Budapest, is incorporated in Jersey and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (FTSE 250). It is not a member of any of the three major alliances. Subsidiaries include Wizz Air Hungary, Wizz Air Malta and Wizz Air UK. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi was closed in September 2025.

Network and hubs

The airline serves 194 airports in 46 countries across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Its largest bases are Budapest, Bucharest Henri Coandă and London Luton. Other bases include Warsaw, Katowice, Kraków, Sofia, Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, Vilnius, Belgrade, Tirana, Skopje and London Gatwick. New bases are due at Valencia (2 November 2026), Madrid (3 November 2026), Pristina (16 November 2026), Brașov (18 December 2026) and Santiago de Compostela (1 February 2027). Longer routes include London Gatwick to Medina and Jeddah, flown by the A321XLR, and Katowice to Abu Dhabi.

Fleet

Wizz Air operates an all-Airbus fleet and is described as the world's largest operator of the A321neo. The Wikipedia infobox lists 257 aircraft in 2026. The group reported 262 aircraft at the end of its financial year to March 2026. An earlier fleet table lists A320-200, A320neo, A321-200, A321neo and A321XLR aircraft, with older A320ceo and A321ceo types being phased out. Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engine problems have kept part of the fleet grounded in recent years, as Simple Flying reported.

On board

Wizz Air sells a no-frills, single-cabin product. The sources reviewed did not give seat pitch, meal or entertainment details, so check the airline's website before booking. Food, drink and extras are generally sold separately on ultra-low-cost carriers.

Good to know

• Baggage and fees: allowances and change fees depend on the fare and route. Check the Wizz Air website for current rules.
• Loyalty and subscriptions: programmes include Wizz Discount Club, Wizz Privilege Pass, Wizz MultiPass and the Wizz All You Can Fly subscription, launched in August 2024 at €499 a year.
• Lounges: no airline lounges were found in the sources reviewed.
• Results: in the year to March 2026 the group reported revenue of €5.69 billion and about 69.7 million passengers.