Wizz Air’s biggest-ever Slovak expansion takes off

Wizz Air is making its largest expansion in Slovakia to date, announcing 11 new routes from Bratislava for 2026.

The new Bratislava–Košice flights will begin on 21 November 2025 and operate nine times a week. Additional international routes will be introduced from January and March 2026 to destinations including Berlin, Rome, Warsaw, Tel Aviv and Larnaca.

Tickets for all services went on sale on Thursday, with most one-way fares starting at €19.99.

The expansion follows Wizz Air’s earlier decision to establish a base at Bratislava Airport from November, initially with two Airbus A321neo aircraft. Two more aircraft will be added in early 2026, allowing the carrier to operate 27 routes — the largest network ever run by a single airline from the Slovak capital.

Before the base opens, Wizz Air will add a Bucharest service from 28 October, joining its existing routes to London Luton and Skopje. In mid-November, the airline will launch routes to Barcelona, Malaga, Varna, Plovdiv and Lamezia Terme.

From mid-December 2025, Wizz Air will add further destinations: Athens, Oslo Gardermoen, Alicante, Basel, Palermo, Naples and Niš, further broadening its network ahead of the 2026 expansion.

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Slovakia–Germany flights return

The new services will also re-establish direct air links between Slovakia and Germany for the first time in eight years, with flights to Berlin and Dortmund. Connections to several other European capitals — including Rome, Warsaw, Pristina and Tirana — are also being added.

József Váradi, Wizz Air’s chief executive, said the move reflected growing demand for low-cost travel options in central Europe. Jozef Ráž, Slovakia’s transport minister, described the domestic route between Bratislava and Košice as “a long-awaited link” that would improve east–west connectivity within the country.

Bratislava Airport expects to handle between three and four million passengers next year as a result of the expansion, according to its chief executive, Dušan Novota.

The move puts Wizz Air in direct competition with Ryanair, which currently operates 24 routes from Bratislava and has added a third based aircraft for 2025. The rivalry between Europe’s two largest budget airlines is expected to increase downward pressure on fares while expanding travel options for Slovak passengers.

Bratislava, located 60 kilometres from Vienna, has long sought to position itself as a secondary hub for low-cost carriers in central Europe.

New routes from Bratislava (2026)