Emergency does not raise aircraft prices: 20 routes cost less
From Milan to Lanzarote the saving is 160 euros compared to last year
by Margherita Ceci and Michela Finizio
Key points
Geopolitical instability and a jump in oil prices have raised the alarmabout the cost of summer holidays. Particularly with regard to flights: the concern is of a domino effect that will result in higher ticket costs. But at least for now the high cost of energy does not seem to have touched the airlines' fares; on the contrary, perhaps due to the drop in bookings, in some cases the price is falling and is even lower than the averages of the last 12 months.
This is what emerges from the elaboration carried out by Il Sole 24 Ore on the offer surveyed by Google Flights on 32 national and international routes departing from Milan and Rome. Assuming a round-trip for one person (economy class) in the week from 9 to 16 July, a picture emerges that is by no means obvious: while the greatest tensions are concentrated on intercontinental connections, on European routes the average prices on 13 May 2026 are lower than the average.
The simulation
In detail, for those booking today, continental flights are cheaper than usual: two thirds of the routes - 20 out of 32 to be precise - show lower prices than in the last 12 months. This is the case, for example, with Milan-Madrid, where the average cost for a return flight in the week 9-16 July fell to around EUR 40 (the historical average is between EUR 50 and EUR 130). On the Milan-Lanzarote route, the difference with last year is as much as €160 (from over €200 in 2025 to €87 in 2026). Considerable savings are also made on Rome-Crete (-€91), Rome-Lisbon (-€79) and Milan-Lisbon (-€99).
The situation changes on long-haul routes. For a Milan-New York, the average price is over EUR 570, some 12% above the average of recent months. Similarly, Rome-Reykjavik is not worth the price: here it goes from 300-440 euros to 467. And it is precisely on the long haul that the cost of fuel is likely to have the greatest impact if geopolitical tensions continue throughout the summer.
In this sensitive context, it does not therefore appear that the airlines have adjusted their fares to make up for the jet-fuel price increases, in view of the summer period and the intensification of departures. But consumer associations urge caution: at the same time, the need for protected holidays (blocked prices, flexibility, protection from unforeseen events and so on) is growing, so much so that companies and tour operators could raise the rates of these ancillary services. It is therefore important for travellers to carefully check the weight of these clauses on their final expenditure.
