Wizz Air has officially inaugurated its new operating base at Palermo Falcone Borsellino International Airport, marking a major expansion of its Italian network with new aircraft, additional routes, and increased domestic and international connectivity.
The opening ceremony, held alongside airport operator GESAP and attended by Palermo Mayor Roberto Lagalla, celebrated the launch of the airline’s Palermo base with the departure of a Palermo–Turin flight, highlighting Wizz Air’s focus on strengthening domestic travel across Italy.
The new base begins operations with two Airbus A321neo aircraft, while a third aircraft will join the fleet from September 6, following stronger-than-expected demand.
“The response from the Palermo market has been so strong that it encouraged us to reinforce the base even before its official opening, announcing the arrival of a third aircraft and six additional routes,” said Ian Malin, Chief Commercial Officer at Wizz Air.
Network Expands Across Italy and Europe
The Palermo base supports a rapidly growing network that combines domestic and international destinations.
Recent additions include flights to Turin, Milan Malpensa, Bologna, Venice, Tel Aviv, and Sharm El Sheikh, while routes to Warsaw Modlin, Bratislava, Belgrade, Sofia, and Skopje are already operating.
From September, Wizz Air will further expand with six additional destinations:
- Rome Fiumicino
- Barcelona
- Prague
- Marrakech
- Dortmund
- Pisa
The airline will also launch flights to Tirana in late October.
By the end of 2026, Wizz Air will operate 18 routes from Palermo across 13 countries, offering more than 1.3 million seats and becoming the airport’s second-largest airline, with an expected market share of around 16%.
Prague, Marrakech and Dortmund will be served exclusively by Wizz Air from Palermo.
Investment Brings Jobs and Economic Growth
The three based Airbus A321neo aircraft are expected to generate 120 direct jobs and support more than 1,050 indirect jobs across aviation, tourism, logistics and related industries in Sicily.
The investment forms part of Wizz Air’s wider expansion strategy in Italy, where the airline now operates 329 routes to 33 countries with 45 aircraft based across seven Italian airports.
“The opening of Wizz Air’s new base at Palermo Airport represents an achievement of major strategic value for GESAP and for Sicily’s entire economic and tourism ecosystem,” said Gianfranco Battisti, Chief Executive Officer of GESAP. “It strengthens Palermo’s role as a gateway to the Mediterranean and consolidates the airport’s position within the development strategies shaping European mobility.”
Strong Growth in Italy
Wizz Air said nearly 140 million passengers have flown with the airline to and from Italy since it entered the market in 2004.
During the 2026 summer season, the carrier is offering 20.3 million seats, representing a 43.6% increase compared to summer 2025. Since the beginning of the year, it has operated approximately 66,000 flights in Italy, up 25% year-over-year, reflecting continued investment in both domestic and international connectivity.
