London Gatwick: Wizz Air launches new direct route to major Asian city

The daily service, set to launch on March 31, 2025, will be served by the company’s first A321XLR (Extra Long Range) aircraft.

Wizz Air’s first Airbus A321XLR aircraft will arrive in March 2025, marking a new era of intercontinental travel with the launch of a direct route from London Gatwick to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

The strategic move supports Wizz Air’s rapid growth and will revolutionise the travel experience for passengers travelling from the UK.

The extended reach and efficiency of the Airbus A321 XLR will enable the airline to offer direct access to distant destinations at significantly lower fares, connecting more cultures, people and economies with affordable fares.

Tickets are already on sale on wizzair.com and via Wizz Air’s official app from as low as £134.99.

The new route, lasting nearly seven hours, will be the first of many to leverage the extended range and efficiency of the Airbus A321XLR.

Additionally, another new Wizz Air A321XLR aircraft will be based in Italy, operating a daily flight between Milan Malpensa and Abu Dhabi, starting from June 2, 2025.

Underpinning Wizz Air’s commitment to more sustainable operations, the Airbus A321XLR’s carbon intensity is estimated to be at least 30% less than that of other carriers on the same routes.

József Váradi, Wizz Air's chief executive officer, said: “The Airbus A321XLR is the most cost-efficient aircraft in its class.

“Its enhanced range capability allows Wizz Air to connect the farthest destinations in its network, while also providing opportunities for further expansion, connecting more cultures, economies and continents.

“We are excited to offer unbeatable fares to our customers on the new route from London Gatwick to Jeddah.

“Since establishing our base at London Gatwick in 2020, we have demonstrated ambitious growth, making it a natural, strategic decision to operate our first Airbus A321XLR from this airport.”

The decision to base the Airbus A321XLR in London Gatwick reflects Wizz Air’s commitment to strengthen its UK presence.

Since the opening of the airline’s second UK base at London Gatwick in October 2020, Wizz Air has continued to expand its presence at the airport.

The airline has five Airbus A321neo aircraft based at the airport and operates flights to 26 destinations in 17 countries and employs 259 staff.

The close collaboration with the London Gatwick team has been crucial to Wizz Air’s rapid UK growth, with the airline recently celebrating the milestone of welcoming seven million passengers through the airport.

Stewart Wingate, CEO of London Gatwick, said: “We’re delighted that Wizz Air has decided to operate its first A321XLR based in the UK from London Gatwick.

“Wizz Air has grown consistently since opening its base here in 2020.

“This new type of aircraft will allow us to provide a wider range of routes and increase our capacity, offering our passengers even more travel opportunities.

“The development will play an important role in the further growth in our intercontinental network, as we look to offer more choice for passengers and work towards our vision to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey.”

Wizz Air is committed to providing its customers with a seamless travel experience.

The airline has made significant investments into its operations and customer service, which are both improving year-on-year.

As a result of this investment, the airline’s flight completion rate so far in 2024 sits at 99.5% in the UK, with 100% completion in February and May.

On-time performance for flights departing to and from the UK has also increased by 11% to 70%, and flight cancellations have reduced by 28%.

With ambitious growth targets in mind, having a 500-plane fleet by 2030, Wizz Air continues to hire both first officers and captains to its ever-widening network in Europe and beyond.

Those interested, can apply here: Pilot Jobs & Pilot Academy | Wizz Air.