Americans planning a Europe trip in 2027 may want to prepare for a much more expensive flight map. Ryanair CEO Michael O\u2019Leary is warning that European airfares could rise by 10% to 20% over the next 12 months, a jump he says could become the largest increase in the continent\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The warning comes as airlines face sharply higher jet fuel prices, reduced protection from fuel hedging and the prospect of fewer seats in the market next year. For U.S. travelers who rely on Ryanair and other low-cost carriers to move cheaply between European cities, that combination could make some of the continent\u2019s famous bargain fares much harder to find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
O\u2019Leary\u2019s warning is largely about what happens from spring 2027 onward. Many European airlines protected themselves from fuel-price swings by buying fuel in advance at fixed prices, a strategy known as hedging. Ryanair had secured much of its 2026 fuel needs at around $67 a barrel, shielding the carrier from much of the recent surge in energy prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That protection becomes far weaker next year. Speaking in Brussels on October 20, O\u2019Leary said: \u00ab We\u2019re 85% unhedged next year, and most of the other European airlines are in a similar position. \u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also warned that Ryanair\u2019s effective oil cost could roughly double compared with the price it had locked in for 2026. According to Euronews<\/a><\/em>, jet fuel prices in Europe and the CIS averaged $207.61 a barrel during the week ending October 16, nearly 128% higher than a year earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rise has been driven by geopolitical tensions and disruption around major energy supply routes, leaving airlines exposed to much higher operating costs just as their existing hedge contracts begin to expire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n