After several years of resistance and worries, I finally got the courage to fly with Wizz Air Abu Dhabi because of its unbeatable pricing. For just a little over 1000 AED, it came with a roundtrip flight to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) including all the add-ons. Below is my first flight experience with Wizz Air, from the booking process to the public transportation to Abu Dhabi, and even the flight experience. Shall we?
Wizz Air Booking Process, Pricing Plans, Discount Club and Add-ons
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is a subsidiary of the Hungarian ultra-low-cost carrier Wizz Air. Still categorized as a low-cost carrier, you would easily notice its unbeatable base fares from the platform. Different pricing plans are available to cater to the needs of everyone. Even as an ex-travel agent like me, the pricing plans sometimes felt a little overwhelming!
Ready to fly on a budget? Fly with Wizz Air! โ๏ธ
Booking with such platforms requires an intense amount of focus to avoid any mistakes and surprises. During the booking process, I was advised to check the following:
- Luggage allowances (Carry-on bags and checked-in bags)
- Free airport check-in
- Fare Rules (rebooking and refund policies)
- Baggage Protection
Based on fellow travelers' advice and my experience, these items could be easily ignored. But at the same time, can make or break the flight experience. Aside from luggage allowance and fare rules, make sure that airport check-in is included. It's very easy to not include it but then forget to do it. This way, you will have to pay a hefty amount when checking in at the airport or else you can not check in at all. Totally not a scam, but this is a common revenue generation strategy of ultra-low-cost and low-cost carriers.
Last but not least, pay a small amount for your baggage protection and I assure you, it can go a long way.
On top of all the add-ons mentioned above, you have the option to join the Discount Club. There are two memberships to choose from and their annual fees are AED 168 for the standard and AED 1,470 for the premium. Not to be confused with Wizz Air's All You Can Fly Programme, the Discount Club is suitable for frequent flyers. By joining the Discount Club, the base fares are discounted so the more you book, the more you save.
How to go to Abu Dhabi Airport from DXB
Fortunately, traveling from Dubai to Abu Dhabi International Airport is easier than ever. Apart from the RTA buses that go directly to Abu Dhabi, there's a new shuttle bus between IBN Battuta in Dubai and Abu Dhabi International Airport.
This shuttle bus is serviced by Zayed International Airport Express and runs 24/7. The journey lasts for an hour and costs AED 35 only (as of November 2024). You can find more information about timings here.
You can buy the tickets directly at the RTA Ticket counter in IBN Batuta Bus Station in front of Premier Inn. Check the map below for your reference:
Wizz Air Flight Experience
Moving to the most important part of this post, the airport and flight experience!
Due to several stories of friends who had a bad flight experience with Wizz Air, the scaredy cat in me was anxious as usual. Luckily, I didn't have any issues at the check-in counter. The Filipina lady who assisted me happily answered all my questions too.
Queues were quite long for non-priority passengers, with just two dedicated check-in counters serving all Wizz Air travelers, regardless of their destination. To manage the flow and avoid missed flights, staff actively monitored the last calls and frequently checked in latecomers at the counters.
Served by an A321 aircraft, the flight to Bishkek wasn't full. The number of passengers who boarded the flight didn't even amount to 50% of the total capacity for this aircraft. This was a blessing in disguise as passengers (including me) were able to take the full row to ourselves to get a proper sleep.
In the case of a full flight, sleeping while sitting on regular seats that don't recline and with limited padding seems challenging. But then again, you get what you pay for.
As for the meals, they are available for purchase on board and can be paid in USD, EUR, or AED (if I remember correctly). There are hot and cold sandwiches, pastries, instant noodles, and even hot and cold beverages.
Personal Thoughts on Wizz Air:
It is wrong to compare Wizz Air to FlyDubai because they are in a different category, but the price difference is huge between the two. I used both airlines to the same destination (Bishkek) hence I'm making a slight comparison.
With Wizz Air's affordable price, comfort may not be their best selling point but very easy to compromise. Its morning flight to Bishkek was quite challenging too especially for those who are coming from Dubai or other Emirates. However, flying over the snow-capped mountains in Central Asia during the day made the flight more memorable.
I may have to think twice about booking Wizz Air for a long-haul flight due to its non-reclining seats. Especially if the long-haul flight is about 6 hours or more. But for a short-haul flight like Abu Dhabi to Bishkek or something similar, I would definitely book Wizz Air again.
As mentioned in my post on how I build my travel fund, it's all about maximizing your travel fund. And if you're with me on that, flying on a budget with Wizz Air is the way to go!
