Wizz Air is selling return flights from London to Rome from £26. Luton and Birmingham have fares from £26 return, Glasgow from £29. Comparison sites are showing returns from £33 this week, well below the £80–120 you’d typically pay for a short-notice return to Italy. At £26, you could fly to Rome and back for less than a tank of petrol.
What’s on offer
These fares were live on 11 May 2026. Use Wizz Air’s Fare Finder to see available dates at a glance.
- London Luton to Rome: return from £26 (example dates: 13–20 May 2026)
- Birmingham to Rome: return from £26 (example dates: 14–21 May 2026)
- Glasgow to Rome: return from £29
Prices shift fast at this level. Check directly at wizzair.com. Third-party sites sometimes show higher prices due to booking fees.
Is this genuinely good value?
Yes, with one caveat: what’s included. The base fare covers only a small personal item (40x30x20cm, under-seat). That’s smaller than a standard cabin bag. If you want to bring a proper carry-on (up to 55x40x23cm), that costs extra, currently around £13–18 each way, adding roughly £26–36 to the return total per person.
Budget around £52–62 all-in return with a carry-on, still well under half what BA or easyJet typically charge on this route. At the base £26 without luggage, it’s a remarkable fare.
Worth flagging on timing: the confirmed cheapest dates (13–20 May from Luton, 14–21 May from Birmingham) are only two or three days away, which won’t work for most people. Comparison sites are currently showing returns from £33 for later May dates. Still well below the usual price on this route.
The verdict
If you can travel soon with just a personal item, this is one of the cheapest ways to Rome available right now. Flights plus two nights in a central hotel can come in under £200pp in May, before summer prices kick in. Three nights is enough to cover the Colosseum, the Vatican, Trastevere and the Trevi Fountain without rushing. May’s also a good month to go, warm and a few weeks before the peak-season crowds arrive.
If you need hold luggage or you’re booking for a family, add the fees up first. For a couple travelling hand-luggage only on short notice, it’s hard to beat. For a family with checked bags, it’s worth comparing against easyJet or BA, which bundle more into the base fare.
Use Wizz Air’s Fare Finder and switch to the monthly calendar view to find the dates that suit you.
How to book
A few tips before you search. Tap Book Now to go straight there.
- Use Wizz Air’s Fare Finder. The monthly calendar view shows the cheapest price per day, which is the fastest way to find the best dates for your trip.
- Decide on luggage first. The free personal item (40x30x20cm) fits under the seat. If you need more space, add a cabin bag at booking. It’s significantly cheaper than paying at the airport.
- Skip the seat selection fee. For a 2.5-hour flight, seats are assigned at check-in and it rarely matters where you sit.
- Book directly at wizzair.com. Third-party platforms sometimes add service fees on top of the fare.
About Wizz Air
Wizz Air is a Hungarian ultra-low-cost carrier. They’ve been running since 2003 and are now one of Europe’s bigger budget airlines. In the UK, they fly primarily from Luton, Birmingham, Glasgow, Gatwick and Edinburgh. The model is simple: cheap base fare, everything else costs extra. That’s not a criticism. It’s just how they work, and if you know that going in, you can price a trip up properly.
- Free allowance: one personal item per passenger (40x30x20cm, under-seat only). Cabin bags and hold luggage are always charged on top.
- Luggage tip: add bags at booking, not at the airport. Airport add-ons cost significantly more and you’ll know the price upfront if you do it online.
- Wizz Discount Club: an annual membership (around £35) that gives reduced fares and baggage fees. It’s worth considering if you fly Wizz Air more than twice a year.
- On-time performance: broadly average for a budget carrier. Delays are more common on busy summer routes out of Luton.
Rome: what to know before you go
Rome is one of the most walkable capitals in Europe. Most of the headline sights (the Colosseum, the Forum, Trastevere, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain) are within 30 minutes on foot of each other. May is a good month to visit: warm (around 20°C) and a few weeks before the summer heat and crowds arrive in force.
- Getting in from the airport: Wizz Air lands at Fiumicino (FCO). The Leonardo Express train to Termini station takes 30 minutes and costs €14. Buses are cheaper but slower. Avoid taxis from outside the terminal. Use only official white cabs, which have a fixed city-centre fare (around €50).
- Transport in the city: a 48-hour or 72-hour Roma Pass (€28–€38) covers unlimited metro and bus travel plus one free museum entry. Good value on a short break.
- Free things to do: the Pantheon exterior, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Borghese Gallery gardens, and a walk through Trastevere. Note: the Pantheon interior now charges a small entry fee (€5).
- Where to eat well: walk two or three streets back from the main tourist sights and prices drop noticeably. Trastevere and Testaccio are the best neighbourhoods for food that isn’t aimed at tourists.
- Flight time: around 2 hours 30 minutes from London. You can leave on a Friday evening and be having dinner in Trastevere the same night.
For the full picture on costs, accommodation and what’s free, see our guide to Rome on a budget.
