Wizz to order 75 more jets as expansion targets 500-plane fleet

Wizz Air Holdings Plc plans to order 75 Airbus SE narrow-body jets as the discount carrier doubles down on its rapid expansion in a challenge to sector leader Ryanair Holdings Plc.

Wizz will exercise purchase rights for the A321neo jets granted by the manufacturer last year, it said in a statement Thursday. Delivery dates are subject to agreement.

Eastern Europe’s biggest low-cost airline has already lifted capacity above pre-Covid levels as travel rebounds from the pandemic. Chief Executive Officer Jozsef Varadi said the new order puts Wizz on track to become a 500-aircraft group by the end of the decade as it expands west to challenge network airlines and rival discounters like Ryanair.

“The combination of Wizz Air’s ultra-low cost operation and the market-leading Airbus A321neo aircraft together create a strong platform for Wizz Air’s future growth,” Varadi said.