ArmInfo. Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air has opened its 34th base at Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport. Currently, two Wizz Air aircraft, Airbus A321neos, will be based in the Armenian capital.
However, as Wizz Air Hungary CEO Roland Tischner noted during a press conference on October 1, the number of aircraft based there will also increase as demand and flights increase. "But I am positive and hope that these two aircraft are just the beginning of our further development and expansion," he remarked.
In conjunction with the opening of the airline's base in Yerevan, Wizz Air will launch eight new routes starting in October: Prague-Yerevan-Prague (starting October 1), Hamburg-Yerevan-Hamburg (starting October 1), Paphos-Yerevan-Paphos (starting October 2), Nice-Yerevan-Nice (starting October 2), Naples- Yerevan-Naples (starting October 15), Bari-Yerevan-Bari (starting October 26), Bucharest-Yerevan- Bucharest (starting October 26), and Memmingen-Yerevan-Memmingen (starting October 28). Thus, Wizz Air will operate flights from Yerevan to a total of 17 destinations in 10 countries. However, the company closed its direct flight to Sofia without explaining the decision, despite flights to Bulgaria, which had been a good hub, being fully booked.
Meanwhile, Marcelo Wende, Director of Zvartnots Airport, called the opening of the Hungarian airline's base in Yerevan an extremely important event, emphasizing that it will open up new opportunities for both leisure and business travel and will contribute to an increase in tourism to Armenia.
Wende also mentioned the launch of Wizz Air flights from the European city to Gyumri (Larnaca-Gyumri). Emphasizing this as a historic event, he noted that Gyumri Airport currently provides high-quality service and meets all necessary standards. He also expressed hope that Zvartnots Airport will soon be expanded, allowing it to handle more flights.
For his part, Armenian Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan noted that Wizz Air's decision to base itself in our country demonstrates investor confidence in the country, including its peace agenda. "They believe that all is well in Armenia, peace has been established, and we have entered a long period of economic development," Papoyan said.
The Minister of Economy emphasized that Armenian citizens should now "feel part of the European family."
He also recalled the government's program to subsidize airlines based in Armenia and carrying over 1 million passengers. The state has allocated 3 billion drams from the state budget for this purpose. "The state will reimburse 15,000 drams for each passenger arriving at Shirak Airport, and 20,000 drams for Zvartnots Airport," the minister said.
Papoyan noted that 3 billion drams is incomparable to what tourists spend in our country using the services of hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, guides, and other services. In this regard, he noted that the average tourist spending three days in Armenia exceeds $800.
"It is important for us to have numerous international brands present in Armenia, including those providing transportation and tourism services." The opening of a Wizz Air base is an important step toward "bringing our citizens closer to the world, and the world closer to Armenia."
Because if we want to welcome tourists, we must provide them with all the necessary conditions, and this primarily means the opportunity to travel to our country quickly, comfortably, and affordably," the minister emphasized.
The minister did not disclose the status of the "state program" regarding another global low-cost carrier, Ryanair, which received substantial government subsidies but subsequently withdrew from cooperation.
It is worth noting that, since 2020, Wizz Air has carried 2.6 million passengers to Armenia. The airline's market share in air passenger transportation is 24%. Its flight completion rate is 99.7%.
WizzAir is a low-cost Hungarian airline founded in September 2003 and headquartered in Vecses. The lead investor was Indigo Partners, an American private company specializing in transportation investments. The airline operated its first flight in May 2004 from Katowice.
According to the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia, air passenger traffic in Armenia increased by 4% from January to July 2025, reaching 3.1 million passengers.
