Why Wizz Air was named the most sustainable airline for 2025

The most sustainable airline of the year has been announced: Wizz Air will win the Airline Economics Sustainability Awards 2025.

The Budapest-based Hungarian low-cost carrier won over the jury with its focus on environmental management and social well-being innovation: measurable elements that are part of the company's ambitious project.

What are the Airline Economics Sustainability Awards?

The Airline Economics Sustainability Awards are annual awards organized by Airline Economics and celebrate aviation industry leaders who stand out for their focus on environmental stewardship, evaluating the initiatives they have implemented over the past year, up to the end of August 2025.

To select the winner, an industry-wide survey was considered with in-depth sustainability and emissions data provided by Estuaire, in collaboration with the editorial and Airline Economics Plus teams.

“The Sustainability Awards are a testament to the airline industry’s growing commitment to decarbonization,” said Victoria Tozer-Pennington , Editor and co-founder of Airline Economics. “We’re proud to highlight companies and individuals who are not only setting ambitious goals but also achieving concrete results.”

Wizz Air's winning factors

Wizz Air was crowned the most sustainable airline in 2025 thanks to its measurable progress in carbon reduction , transparency in reporting and its ambitious plan to achieve Net Zero by 2050 , which was unveiled in April 2025. This is a significant commitment, considering that air traffic currently generates around 2.4% of global CO2 emissions, according to data from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).

The Hungarian carrier's investment in fuel- efficient aircraft and operational strategies that prioritize environmental performance also contributed positively.

Specifically, during the 2025 fiscal year, Wizz Air's emissions intensity was 52.2 grams of CO2 per passenger kilometer. The Budapest -based airline also stands out for its fleet, which is among the youngest in the world: over 70% of the aircraft are ultra-efficient Airbus A321neos with an average age of 4.5 years, equipped with various technologies that enable further fuel savings.

Wizz Air's environmental goals

The Hungarian -based airline has declared two ambitious goals for the near future: to reduce its carbon intensity by 25% by 2030 and to power 10% of its flights with SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) by the same year.

As for Wizz Air's long-term strategy (which will open new routes from Italy to many dream destinations starting in October 2025), there are three goals to be achieved : a 30% reduction in emissions thanks to new aircraft technology and fleet renewal, a 53% reduction in emissions thanks to SAF fuel, and a 4% reduction in emissions thanks to the modernization of air traffic management.

“This recognition (as the most sustainable company at the Airline Economics Sustainability Awards 2025, ed.) is a testament to the dedication of our colleagues and the progress we are making on our journey towards Net Zero,” said Dorottya Durucsko , Head of Government Affairs and Sustainability at Wizz Air. “We will continue to invest in new aircraft technologies, collaborate to increase the production of sustainable aviation fuel and promote airspace reform.”