Wizz Air to resume flights from Polish airport after 13 years
After a 13-year hiatus, Wizz Air will resume flights from Warsaw-Modlin Mazovian Airport starting December 2025, intensifying the low-cost battle in Poland against Ryanair.
According to Aviation Week, the Hungarian budget airline will base two Airbus A321neo aircraft at the airport, located roughly 40 kilometres from the Polish capital, and launch 11 new international routes, as announced at a press conference in Warsaw.
New routes and a growing footprint
Wizz Air’s new destinations from Modlin include Alghero in Sardinia, Athens, Barcelona, Bergamo, Bergen, Brindisi, Chișinău, Malta, Palermo, Paphos, and Sofia. The first three routes—Alghero, Athens, and Barcelona—are set to launch on December 1, with the rest rolling out gradually from mid-December. Alghero will initially be served only seasonally, starting spring 2026. Most routes will operate three to five times a week, with Bergamo running daily and Malta up to six times weekly.
The airline expects to serve over 500,000 passengers annually from Modlin, significantly boosting budget flight capacity in Poland. The new base is also projected to create more than 80 local jobs.
Strategic return and market drivers
Wizz Air originally left Modlin in 2012 due to runway quality issues. Its return now reflects a broader strategy to strengthen its presence in Central and Eastern Europe. The move is partly driven by the airline’s retreat from more challenging markets in the Middle East and the closure of its Abu Dhabi base, freeing up aircraft and crews for European expansion, according to AIRportál.
Currently, Wizz Air operates mainly from Warsaw Chopin (WAW) and Radom airports, holding a 22.8% market share in the Warsaw region compared to Ryanair’s 8.1%. Nationwide, however, Ryanair remains the dominant player, controlling nearly 32.5% of seat capacity, while Wizz Air and LOT Polish Airlines each account for about 23%.
How will Ryanair respond?
In response to Wizz Air’s return, Ryanair announced a multi-year agreement with Modlin in July, aiming to increase annual passenger traffic from 1.5 million to 5 million by 2030. The Irish low-cost carrier plans to double its fleet at Modlin from four to eight Boeing 737s and add 25 new routes over the coming years. To accommodate this growth, the airport will expand its boarding gates, check-in counters, and aircraft parking areas by 2027.
As both budget airlines ramp up their operations, discount flight capacity in Poland is expected to exceed 60% of the market during the 2025 summer schedule. With Wizz Air’s return, Warsaw-Modlin Airport is poised to reclaim its role as a key low-cost hub in Central Europe.
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