Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary expects airfares to rise by as much as 20% next year as soaring fuel costs put pressure on airlines. The warning comes amid continuing conflict in the Middle East and growing concerns about the future of European air travel.
Passengers could face the biggest increase in airfares in European history over the next 12 months, according to Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary. Speaking at a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday, he warned that ticket prices could climb by up to 20% in 2027 as airlines struggle with rising fuel costs.
The budget airline boss attributed the expected increase partly to the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has pushed oil prices higher and increased pressure on carriers to pass additional costs on to customers.
“I think you’re going to see the biggest increase in airfares in European history over the next 12 months,” O’Leary said, according to Bloomberg. He added that even such substantial price rises might not be enough to cover dramatically higher fuel costs.
Have you heard? Ryanair announced 29 new summer 2027 routes, including Budapest connection to UK
Why could flights become more expensive?
Fuel is one of the airline industry’s biggest operating expenses, making carriers particularly vulnerable to sharp oil price increases. According to O’Leary, Ryanair has secured part of its fuel supply for 2026 at around USD 67 per barrel, providing some protection against market fluctuations.
However, that protection is expected to weaken as existing agreements expire. O’Leary warned that fuel costs could potentially double in 2027, putting further pressure on airlines’ finances. Ryanair does not plan to introduce a separate fuel surcharge, he said, but passengers could still pay significantly more for tickets as higher operating costs feed through into fares.
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Ryanair has already warned of airline failures
Europe’s largest low-cost airline warned in September that airfares could rise sharply in 2027 if oil prices remained elevated. It also cautioned that some airlines could go bankrupt under sustained cost pressure. Ryanair has already lowered its passenger traffic target for the financial year ending in March, reflecting concerns about the challenging operating environment.
European aviation faces further pressure
O’Leary has also criticised EU environmental taxes and regulations, arguing that they put European airlines at a disadvantage compared with competitors in the United States and Asia.
In Belgium, Ryanair announced plans to discontinue 20 routes during the winter season and reduce the number of available seats on flights departing the country by one million. The airline cited the Belgian government’s decision to increase its air travel tax by EUR 2 to EUR 7 per ticket.
O’Leary said Ryanair would move aircraft to markets offering more competitive operating conditions, describing Belgium and France as uncompetitive and Germany as particularly challenging.