Time to get planning
Wizz Air is bringing back a selection of its Middle East routes this autumn, giving Abu Dhabi residents another budget-friendly way to get to Europe, with fares starting from just €24.99.
The airline has confirmed that flights to Abu Dhabi and Dubai will return from 25 October 2026 as part of a wider winter schedule reconnecting the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan with European destinations.
Across the restored network, Wizz Air says there will be 12 routes and 49 weekly flights, offering around 470,000 seats over the winter season.
For Abu Dhabi, that means the return of some particularly handy European connections, including Budapest, Katowice, Krakow, Cluj, Sofia and Larnaca.
Where can you fly?
The first Abu Dhabi services are set to return from 25 October, with Budapest and Katowice among the routes coming back first. More services follow from 27 October, including flights to Cluj, Krakow, Sofia and Larnaca.
That gives travellers plenty of options for an autumn or winter escape, from city breaks in Budapest and Krakow to a sunny getaway in Cyprus.
The restored Abu Dhabi routes include:
Budapest – four flights per week from 25 October
Katowice – five flights per week from 25 October
Cluj – two flights per week from 27 October
Krakow – three flights per week from 27 October
Sofia – three flights per week from 27 October
Larnaca – three flights per week from 27 October
Wizz Air says fares across the restored network start from €24.99, although, as ever with budget airlines, the cheapest seats are limited and extras such as luggage and seat selection can cost more.
So, what happened to Wizz Air Abu Dhabi?
Wizz Air previously had a locally based Abu Dhabi operation, but the airline shut down those operations and exited its regional joint venture in 2025.
That did not mean Wizz Air disappeared completely from the UAE, however, as its wider European network continued to serve the region.
The latest comeback is therefore not the return of the old locally based Wizz Air Abu Dhabi airline. Instead, the European Wizz Air network is restoring routes to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for the winter season.
In other words, Wizz Air is coming back, just not quite in the same way as before.
And it’s not just Abu Dhabi
The wider relaunch covers four Middle Eastern destinations: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jeddah and Amman.
Wizz Air says the 12 restored routes will connect nine European cities with those four destinations, creating 49 weekly services and around 470,000 seats throughout the winter season.
Some services have already restarted, including flights connecting European cities with Jeddah and Amman, while Abu Dhabi and Dubai services are scheduled to return from 25 October.
For UAE residents, that means more choice when it comes to getting out of the country without blowing the holiday budget before you’ve even reached the airport.
Time to start planning?
The timing couldn’t be much better for UAE residents looking ahead to the cooler months.
October onwards is when Europe starts getting properly autumnal, making it an appealing time for everything from cosy city breaks and Christmas-market trips to spontaneous long weekends.
And with fares starting from €24.99, Wizz Air’s return could make those “let’s just go for a few days” conversations considerably easier to justify.
Just remember that headline budget fares don’t usually tell the whole story. Check baggage allowances, seat fees, payment charges and the final fare before booking, particularly if you’re travelling with more than a small cabin bag.
Still, with 49 weekly flights returning across the wider Middle East network and several direct European options coming back to Abu Dhabi, it looks like UAE travellers are getting a few more excuses to book that long-overdue European escape.
For further information, visit wizzair.com
