Wizz Air's Abu Dhabi exit to affect short-haul tourists, budget travel, spike in fares

Wizz Air’s decision to suspend its operations in Abu Dhabi and exit its joint venture in the UAE is expected to hit backpackers and budget-conscious travellers who relied on the ultra-low-cost airline for short getaways, say travel agents.

“There will be an impact because some of Wizz Air’s destinations were unique,” said Avinash Adnani, managing director of Neo Travel and Tourism. “It will affect people who took 2–3 day trips due to the affordability. It’s a setback for backpackers, as some of the routes Wizz Air served are either underserved or more expensive with other airlines. This move will impact both the economy segment and budget travellers.”

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Reena Philip, general manager of Air Travel Enterprises in Dubai, echoed these concerns, highlighting the airline’s competitive pricing.
“There will definitely be slightly higher fares when people switch to other airlines. But people will still travel,” she said.

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Wizz Air announced on Monday that it will suspend all Abu Dhabi operations effective September 1, 2025, as it plans to exit the joint venture and refocus on its core markets in Central and Eastern Europe, along with select Western European countries such as Austria, Italy, and the UK.

The airline cited three key reasons for the decision: ongoing engine reliability issues, geopolitical instability, and regulatory hurdles.

Passengers with bookings beyond August 31, 2025, will be contacted directly via email with refund options or alternative travel arrangements.

Opportunities for other carriers

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi operated a wide network of routes across the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Asia, including cities such as Alexandria, Almaty, Amman, Baku, Belgrade, Bishkek, Cairo, Cluj, Dammam, Kutaisi (Georgia), Larnaca, Male, Madinah, Astana, Samarkand, Sarajevo, Sohag, Tashkent, Turkistan, Tirana, Varna, and Yerevan.

Travel agents say the airline’s exit will benefit other low-cost carriers in the region.

“Wizz Air’s loss is a gain for airlines like Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, flynas, flyadeal, Jazeera Airways, and others,” Reena said.

Avinash Adnani agreed, noting that many travellers from Dubai who previously opted for Wizz Air’s Abu Dhabi flights may now shift to other options.
“Some travellers from Dubai who used to fly Wizz Air will now turn to flydubai, while those in Abu Dhabi may choose Air Arabia Abu Dhabi,” he added.

• Abu Dhabi

Written by

Waheed Abbas

Waheed Abbas is Assistant Editor, covering real estate, aviation and other business stories that directly affect the lives of UAE consumers. He frequently reports human interest stories, too.