Over a million more people in the US have traveled to Europe this year than in 2017. I find this intriguing because any other region in world’s travel numbers have changed no more or less than 10k, according to the US International Air Passenger Statistics Report. I don’t know about you, but one of the main reasons I had not personally traveled to Europe prior to this year, was because airline tickets were too expensive for my travel budget. But this time, I was traveling alone, so I was more flexible and willing to take the chance.
One day I was on Google Flights, wishful shopping for flights to Europe for my possible birthday trip. All of a sudden, I see an airline called WOW Airlines, offering prices that are half of any other airline. “Could this be real?!” was my initial reaction. Being the Google queen that I am, I went to work to find out more information about this airline. One thing I realized while researching WOW Air, was that there were not many reviews, especially not recent reviews. Also, the few reviews that were available, were not positive at all.
This was going to be my first Eat, Pray, Love solo trip, so I just decided to figure out a way to turn those negative reviews into a positive experience. The whole purpose of this trip was to get me outside of my comfort zone, and this was a perfect start to this journey. Also, since I was traveling alone, I was more flexible with experiencing the unknown. With this decision, I only ended up paying $647.94 for round-trip tickets from BWI Baltimore, MD to Barcelona, Spain. That fee included travel, baggage fees, and a 15 hour stopover in Iceland which allowed time to do some exploring of this beautiful country.
The WOW Experience
How was my experience you may be asking? AMAZING. Now I will be honest and admit that I can understand how people could be upset with their experience on WOW. That would make sense if they bought the flights without doing any research. I’m going to help you out, and share how and why I had a great experience with WOW Air. Hopefully it could help you while planning your next affordable international trip.
If you were like me, you probably never even really heard of WOW Air or maybe you’d heard of it but weren’t sure how it worked. This is understandable, given that they’re an Icelandic Airline. They’ve been around since 2011, but didn’t actually start servicing flights in the US until 2015. When they did, they came out announcing $99 transatlantic flights from the US to Europe. Sounds like a Spirit Airline pitch right?
Well, it is very similar to a domestic Spirit Airline, except, much nicer planes. WOW Air’s fleet is much newer than many rival carriers. I read somewhere that most of their fleet are no more than 3 years old. They only fly out of a handful of cities, so do check to see if they service your city. I live in the DC/Virginia area, and had to fly out of Baltimore BWI Airport. This is only an hour from me, so it wasn’t too bad.
WOW currently flies to 36 countries across Europe, North America, and Middle East. Since their headquarters are in Reykjavik, Iceland, you can add a stopover there at no extra cost. I opted for a 15 hour layover in Reykjavik that allowed me enough time to leave the airport and explore Iceland. Basically, I was able to explore two countries for the price of one!
Turn Negatives Into Positives
While looking up reviews for WOW Air, I ran into the same few complaints over and over. The main complaints being in regards to the additional fees, and the flight itself. Some people felt as if you could have just paid for a regular flight, and end up paying the same price by the time you added up all the additional fees involved with WOW. Some thought the seats were too crowded and uncomfortable. Many were disappointed with the lack of entertainment on the flight. Well, let’s dive into how to make this not only an affordable flight, but an enjoyable as well. This is coming from someone that not only has flown all over the world in many different aircraft, but also someone that is afraid to fly.
Additional Fees
When it comes to additional fees, WOW Air is very similar to Spirit airlines. You pay for everything, down to water if you need it on the flight. I will admit, the prices were not cheap, but nothing usually is when it comes to airports and airlines. There are two areas people felt the most upset with regards to fees. They were baggage and food/drinks.
When it comes to checking bags in, size does matter. I realized it’s not just WOW, but more of a European style to pack light. What we in the US would consider a carry on size bag, Wow considers a checked bag. It also matters if you pay for your baggage before your flight versus when you arrive at the airport while checking in. Here is a breakdown of their luggage fees:
- Carry On Bag (Size 22x18x10in (26lbs)) is $44.99 online while booking, $49.99 online after booking, $59.99 at check in desk, and $99.99 price at gate.
- Check in Bag (44lbs max) is $54.99 online while booking, $59.99 online after booking, $69.99 at check in desk, and $99.99 price at gate.
WOW also gives you package options while buying your ticket. The packages are as follows:
- WOW Basic – Your basic airline ticket with your personal item (purse/bookbag)
- WOW Plus – Includes your ticket, personal item, upgraded seat selection, carry-on luggage, and your checked bag
- Wow Comfy – Includes ticket, personal item, upgraded seat selection, carry-on, checked bag, and travel protection
- WOW Premium – Includes everything listed above and also meal.
I originally bought a one way ticket on the way there, and paid $333.45 USD for WOW Plus. So I did not have to worry about extra baggage fees, and I was also able to pick a seat. Without the seat selection in your package deal, you are assigned a seat when you check in. I only find this as an inconvenience if I am traveling with family or a large group, or if I prefer a specific seat (aisle, window, etc). But I since I was traveling alone, I could personally care less about where I sat. I didn’t even pay for the option on my flight back to the US.
I felt that $333 was a great price to fly to Europe with bags included, and to have stopover in Iceland. I did buy my return ticket separate, and I did not do a package. I bought the ticket while at the airport on my way to Spain for $245.56 USD. I paid for luggage a day before my flight, and paid $68.93 USD for a checked bag. I only traveled with a small suitcase and a bookbag. Either way, my ticket, along with baggage fee, was still less than half of what any other airline was charging for a one way, without luggage included.
Meals
Once you’re on the plane, they do not serve you a meal for an international flight. I mean, they do offer meals, but at a cost. You also have to pay for water, which I believe is around $3 USD. My flight was at 7pm, so I ate a hearty dinner before heading to the airport. I brought my own water bottle, and filled it with fresh cold water before boarding. I also stopped at the convenience store before heading to the airport, and bought snacks for the evening and breakfast bars for the morning of the flight. My friend even bought me small alcohol shooters in case I needed a drink. Since they are under the 3oz limit, I just put the shooters in a sandwich bag, and brought them on board with me. I spent zero dollars on the flight, and never once felt hungry because I came prepared.
The Service
One complaint I read about often, was that the staff was rude and cold. I didn’t experience this at all. I found their service to be very helpful, all the while being very friendly, and smiling throughout! I even enjoyed the pilot talking often over the intercom. For someone that is nervous when flying, this was a nice assurance. He gave us a tour with fun facts over most cities we flew over. He even made us aware if we were going to hit turbulence before we did.
Seat Sizes
When it comes to the seat size, WOW Air does offer three different sizes. They have standard, which include seats in the back and middle rows of the plane with a seat size from 29 to 30 inches. Their Standard Plus includes seats in the front section, as well as in the window row towards the front of the plane that also have a seat pitch of 29 to 30 inches. If you’re tall, you can go for the Extra Legroom offer that gives you 32-22 inches of room.
I am a 5’9 average sized woman, and I was comfortable in a standard seat for a seven hour flight. I brought a neck travel pillow, and slept just fine. If you feel you need the additional room and comfort, then they do give you the option to upgrade. You are not forced to sit in a standard seat. Once again, I did not dish out any extra money on leg room and was still satisfied with my trip.
In Flight Entertainment
WOW Air does not provide any entertainment, meaning no inflight TV’s or WIFI. I got around this by downloading a few Netflix and Amazon Prime movies/shows on my phone and tablet. With downloads, you do not need WIFI to watch anything that you download. WOW does provide outlets at each chair, so my phone and tablet did stay charged while watching. Also, it was such a late flight that I only probably watched one movie before passing out.
Final Thoughts
Not only would I fly WOW Air again, but since my trip, I have been recommending it to everyone. I hope this review not only helps you get all your answers in one place, but assists in making your decision to fly WOW Air an easy one. It is either for you, or not. But if you’re looking to save money, all while having a great experience, I recommend you follow my steps when flying WOW Air.
Dallas is a lover of tacos and wine. Budgetnista, while still living a pretty good life. DC living, but raised North Side Chicago. GO CUBS! Catch me at a good brunch, on a beach, or Netflixin with my two dogs.
