It’s not just the plane ticket that costs more, but everything else: from the luggage to the window seat, to the date change. Every choice comes with a price: the real price only arrives at the end, with increases of up to +443%
The expensive fuel has found the most direct way to reach passengers’ pockets: not only through the price of tickets, but above all in that jungle of extra costs that now accompanies every flight. The result? The final price may rise up to 443% compared to the base rate. The photograph is by RimborsoAlVolo, a company specializing in passenger assistance. And just on the eve of summer, when demand grows, airlines are intensifying this strategy: acting on extra services to compensate for jet fuel by fragmenting it across services. In recent years these services have become a 148 billion euro global business, including not only baggage and seats but also insurance, hotels and car rentals sold during the booking. In Europe, passengers spend around 10 billion euros a year on hand luggage alone.
Flight price increases 2026: how much it really costs to choose a seat and change the ticket
The increases are evident and transversal. Let’s take it the choice of seat: a voice that was once often included and which today can have a significant impact. To fly with Ryanair you go from around 4.5 euros to 33 euros, EasyJet goes up from 1.49 to 16.99 euros, while Wizz Air goes up to 60 euros. The most emblematic case is that of Vueling, where seat selection can cost from 5 up to 85 euros one way per passengera figure that in some cases exceeds the price of the flight itself.
Also flexibility comes at a high price. Changing the departure date means incurring costs ranging between 40 and 70 euros: Ryanair varies between 45 and 60 euros, EasyJet between 36 and 59 euros, Vueling between 50 and 70 euros plus any fare difference, while Wizz Air is between 45 and 55 euros. Even more onerous is the name changewhich can go up to 160 euros with Ryanairstay between 73 and 79 euros with EasyJet, cost 50 euros plus price difference with Vueling and around 70 euros with Wizz Air.
Paid baggage: all new costs between cabins and hold
The heaviest chapter remains that of luggage, the center of the increases. Carrying a trolley in the overhead bin can cost up to 75 euroswhile packing a 20kg suitcase can affect the 154.50 euros. The differences between companies are large, but all oriented upwards: Ryanair asks between 9.49 and 44.99 euros for a 10 kg bag and between 18.99 and 59.99 euros for a 20 kg bag; EasyJet starts from 8.99 euros for 15 kg and goes up to 48 euros for 23 kg; Vueling varies between 10 and 95 euros for 15 kg and between 14 and 96 euros for 20 kg; Wizz Air fluctuates between 14 and 139 euros for 10 kg and from 20 to over 154 euros for 20 kg. The supplements have a further impact: each excess kilo costs between 12 and 15 euroswith peaks of 13 euros for Ryanair, 15 euros for EasyJet and up to 15 euros also for Wizz Air. Oversized baggage is another critical item, with costs reaching up to 140 euros with Vueling and 58 euros with EasyJet.
Summer 2026 flights: what travelers need to know to save
With summer just around the corner, the risk is that the increases will continue. Some American companies have already increased by The cost of the first checked baggage is 10 euroswhile the Lufthansa group introduced the paid hand baggage on short-haul Economy Basic fares, marking a trend that could extend. For travelers, the point is to look beyond the initial price. The basic ticket has long been just the beginning, but now more than ever. The real cost is discovered at the end of the purchase, once everything has been added: seat choice, luggage, boarding priority. And the ending could be a real surprise: even + 443% compared to the base rate.
