Wizz Air Launches London-Medina Route
Wizz Air is set to expand its operations in Saudi Arabia with the launch of a second Airbus A321XLR route from London Gatwick Airport (LGW), introducing nonstop flights to Medina. Scheduled to begin on August 1, 2025, this new long-haul service will make Wizz Air the only airline offering direct flights between London Gatwick and Medina, a city of significant religious importance in Islamic tradition.
The new daily Medina service is designed to provide UK travelers with improved access to one of the three holiest cities in Islam. With an annual capacity of over 174,000 seats, the route is expected to attract both pilgrims and leisure travelers looking to explore Saudi Arabia. This expansion comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is actively pursuing its Vision 2030 strategy, aimed at boosting international tourism and diversifying its economy. The kingdom has set ambitious targets, including increasing annual passenger numbers to 330 million and expanding air connectivity to more than 250 global destinations.
Wizz Air’s move to introduce the Medina route is part of its broader strategy to leverage the extended range of the Airbus A321XLR, which is capable of flying up to 4,700 nautical miles. The airline has 47 A321XLRs on order, and its inaugural commercial flight using the new aircraft is scheduled from London Gatwick to Jeddah on March 31, 2025. CEO József Váradi has outlined plans to position this new fleet at six to eight operating bases, with three to five aircraft stationed at each base, ensuring operational resilience and sufficient backup if needed.
This announcement marks the third A321XLR route revealed by Wizz Air. It joins the planned London Gatwick-Jeddah service and an upcoming route between Milan Malpensa and Abu Dhabi, set to commence in June. The London-Medina route fills a gap in the market; while Saudia operated limited flights between the cities until 2019 primarily for Hajj travelers, there has been a lack of regular scheduled service. According to Sabre Market Intelligence, the origin-destination traffic between London and Medina reached nearly 158,000 two-way passengers in 2024, making it the sixth-largest city pair between Europe and Saudi Arabia.
London Gatwick is further enhancing its network, as Wizz Air has also announced a new daily route from LGW to Warsaw Chopin Airport, scheduled to launch on August 2, 2025. This additional expansion demonstrates Wizz Air’s commitment to growing its route network and providing travelers with a wide range of connectivity options.
“Offering more choice to our passengers with a second destination in Saudi Arabia is an exciting development,” said Stephanie Wear, Vice President of Aviation Development at London Gatwick. “Medina is a highly popular destination for pilgrimages, and this new service will provide a convenient option for travelers looking to explore this sacred city.”
With these strategic moves, Wizz Air is poised to strengthen its presence in Saudi Arabia and capitalize on the growing demand for long-haul low-cost travel. The expanded network not only enhances connectivity between Europe and Saudi Arabia but also supports the airline’s vision of offering affordable, high-quality travel options to a diverse customer base.
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