Abstract The finite element approach has previously been used, with the help of the ATILA code, to model the propagation of acoustic waves in waveguides [A.-C. Hladky-Hennion, Journal of Sound and Vibration , 194, 119–136 (1996)]. In this paper an extension of the technique to the analysis of the propagation of acoustic waves in immersed waveguides is presented. In the proposed approach, the problem is reduced to a bidimensional problem, in which only the cross-section of the guide and the surrounding fluid domain are meshed by using finite elements. Then, wedges the top angles of which vary, are studied and the finite element results of the wedge wave speed are compared with experimental results. Finally, the conclusion indicates a way to extend this approach to waveguides of any cross-section.