Why the unlimited flights already offered by some airlines may not be a bargain

This article was originally published in English

After the recent WizzAir launches its “All you can fly” passThere has been speculation about whether it is worth taking out unlimited flight plans and which other airlines could follow WizzAir’s example.

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) expects 2024 to be a record year, with the travel and tourism sector likely to generate $11.1 trillion (€10.09 trillion) worldwide.

According to the UN World Tourism Barometer, international travel increased by 20% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same quarter of the previous year, reaching 285 million travelers.

Therefore, travelers are increasingly looking for better travel deals and flights that offer good value for moneyThe current cost of living crisis, which is still being observed in several parts of the world, has also contributed to this change by significantly reducing disposable income.

Are unlimited flight deals really a bargain?

Several airlines today offer some version of multi-destination, multi-flight, or unlimited flight deals and passes, such as WizzAir, Frontier Airlines, Air Canada and Porter Airlinesto name a few.

They are often promoted as products that save a lot of money and allow avid travelers to experience several adventures a year. However, this may not always be the case, as In some cases there are hidden traps.

Several of the new unlimited flights offers may have membership limits. For example, WizzAir’s newly launched “All you can fly” pass currently offers a maximum of 10,000 membershipsThese affiliations are distributed among several airports in the destinations to which the airline flies, Europe, Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.

Of these destinations, several popular European airportssuch as London Gatwick, London Luton, Athens, Barcelona El Prat and Paris Orly, among many others, They are already sold outThis means that travellers intending to make the majority of their journeys from these airports will no longer be eligible for an All You Can Fly pass until further passes are released.

At the moment, WizzAir has not revealed any information on if, when and how many more passes might go on sale. So, even if you are willing to pay, Travelers may be left without the unlimited flight pass if the airport of your choice sells out quickly.

These offers of Flights also often include additional chargessuch as a flat fee per flight, which is usually kept to a symbolic amount, like 9.99 euros in the case of WizzAir. Similarly, Travelers may also have to pay for their seats.as well as baggage chargesin case you want to carry checked or hand luggage, since the price of The offer usually only includes personal itemsNeedless to say, other extras, such as snacks or drinks, are not included either.

Several flights can also open reservations just a few days in advance. Frontier Airlines allows international travelers using their “GoWild! All you can fly” pass to book international flights 10 days in advance, while Domestic flights can only be booked one day in advance.An advance booking fee is charged in case passengers wish to book their trips even earlier.

WizzAir reservations for the “All you can fly” pass open three days in advance.

So, some of these unlimited flight deals may be geared toward spontaneous travelers, while potentially not as suitable for travelers who like to plan ahead.

Similarly, because return flights also open only three days in advance, and Seats are not guaranteedtravelers may find that they cannot return on their chosen dates, and may be forced to be more flexible. Therefore, these offers may not be suitable for longer trips.

In some cases, this could also mean shelling out more money to book a scheduled flight so you can return when you need to. Some airlines only offer credits for one-way flights, which can leave travelers needing a return ticket.

Airlines such as Air Canada also have significantly limited flight routesallowing travelers to choose just one route, from one destination to another, rather than mixing and matching destinations. However, such plans could be useful for students and frequent business travelers.

For low-cost airlines like WizzAir, which already regularly offer discounted flights, travellers may need to fly very frequently to make the most of their pass, which may not always coincide with their schedules.

Therefore, although Unlimited flight deals may seem attractive at first, but ultimately whether they turn out to be a bargain or not depends largely on how often you use them. and the type of traveler.