Wizz Air launches ‘premium’ membership programme

The Hungary-based airline said premium membership of its existing WIZZ Discount Club (WDC) would be priced at €349.99 per year.

Premium members receive all the ‘perks’ of a standard WDC membership – €10 off fares starting at €19.99, €5 off online checked baggage purchases and exclusive onboard coupons – with the addition of priority boarding, premium seat selection and the option to bring an extra cabin bag onboard.

The move follows the carrier’s recent introduction of its “All You Can Fly” membership programme, which allows customers to buy last-minute flights for a flat booking fee of £9 per segment.  

The new premium membership can also be extended to groups of up to six passengers with a ‘Premium Plus’ membership, which costs €384.99 per year. The standard WDC membership, which costs €39.99 per year, can also be extended to groups of six for €69.99 per year.

In a statement the carrier said: “By offering multiple tiers of membership, Wizz Air continues to evolve its services to meet the diverse needs of its customers, ensuring that everyone, from occasional flyers to frequent travellers, can benefit from more savings and enhanced comfort in the skies.”

The airline already runs a MultiPass subscription service with members paying a monthly fee, which allows them to book a Wizz Air flight once per month for a fixed fare covering both the ticket and baggage.

Subscription-based models are becoming more popular across the wider global travel industry, particularly within the B2C leisure market. They have also been introduced by travel management companies (TMCs) – although they have mostly had very limited success so far, with the transaction fee model continuing to dominate.

South American carrier Avianca also launched a subscription service last year catering specifically for SMEs clients based in Colombia.