Package holidays cost more while flights cost less: how can both be true?

Eurostat’s September 25 summary shows EU package-holiday prices in August 2026 were 3.2% higher than a year earlier, while passenger air-transport prices were 0.4% lower. The measure follows the time of purchase, which may differ from the travel date.

The different directions are not inherently contradictory. Packages can include accommodation and other services alongside flights, with different costs. A traveller’s bill also depends on route, dates, baggage and booking conditions. An EU average cannot establish that any particular flight serving Budapest became cheaper.

Business travel requires the full-trip price. A lower base fare can be offset by hotel costs or flexible-ticket charges. Fair comparisons require equivalent services and similar booking terms; otherwise, a change in package contents can look like a price change.

A booking decision at the end of September therefore needs an actual current offer. Statistics describe the cost environment rather than promise a promotion next week. Autumn releases can show whether the two services continue to follow different price paths.