Wizz Air Returns to Warsaw Modlin, Reigniting Rivalry

Wizz Air is making a high-profile return to Warsaw Modlin Airport (WMI) after a 13-year hiatus, intensifying its competition with Ryanair in Poland’s rapidly expanding low-cost aviation market. The Hungarian budget carrier plans to base two Airbus A321neo aircraft at Modlin and launch 11 new routes starting in December 2025, signaling a strategic shift back to Central and Eastern Europe.

The first phase of Wizz’s new Modlin schedule will begin December 1, with flights to Athens, Barcelona, and Bergen. Additional destinations—including Bergamo, Chișinău, Malta, and Palermo—will roll out through mid-December. The carrier expects to operate most routes three to five times per week, with daily service to Bergamo and six weekly frequencies to Malta during the winter season. In total, Wizz Air aims to offer over 500,000 seats annually from Modlin, located about 25 miles north of Warsaw.

Wizz Air originally exited Modlin in 2012 due to runway condition concerns but is now returning as part of a broader rebalancing of its network. Amid ongoing issues with Pratt & Whitney GTF engines affecting its A320neo-family aircraft, the airline is cutting back operations in “hot and harsh” environments such as Abu Dhabi and refocusing growth efforts on Poland, Hungary, and Italy—markets it identifies as more sustainable and profitable.

Wizz Air’s return to Modlin comes just weeks after Ryanair unveiled an ambitious expansion at the same airport. On July 8, Ryanair signed a multi-year deal with WMI that will see the Irish ultra-low-cost carrier triple its passenger volume there—from 1.5 million to more than 5 million annually by 2030. The agreement includes infrastructure upgrades by 2027 and plans to grow Ryanair’s Modlin-based fleet from four to eight Boeing 737s while launching up to 25 new routes.

Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary stated that Modlin is on track to become Poland’s fastest-growing airport over the next three years, citing the close partnership between the airline and airport management. Wizz Air’s renewed presence, however, sets the stage for an intense rivalry between the two dominant ULCCs, each vying for control over Poland’s budget-conscious travelers.

The competitive landscape at Modlin is now primed for rapid change, as both carriers invest heavily in route growth, fleet expansion, and passenger capacity. With Poland’s low-cost market gaining momentum, Wizz Air and Ryanair are poised for a head-to-head contest that will reshape air travel options across the region.

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