The common image of an Italian Christmas centers on family, with endless tables of friends and relatives gathering, especially when studying or working away from home. For thousands of students and workers, this year’s journey home risks turning into a real financial drain… far more than in previous years.
The Christmas airfare for 2026 is already a reality, with tickets approaching €430 to reach some southern destinations. The alarm was raised by Codacons, which analyzed the fares of national connections during the holiday period.
Christmas flight costs 2026: the increases
The countdown to Christmas is officially underway, and along with the desire to see home and loved ones comes booking anxiety; the Christmas mood is decidedly low, especially after reading Codacons’ study that tracked air fares for the year-end holidays with a particular focus on departures between December 23 and 24 with returns on January 6.
The most expensive route so far? From Milan to Reggio Calabria, where the round-trip ticket starts from €427; similar figures for the trip from Milan to Trani with costs around €383. From Turin, on the other hand, you need at least €359 to reach Reggio Calabria, €354 for Catania, and €349 for Brindisi.
And the list goes on: Florence–Palermo costs at least €345, while Bologna–Catania, Verona–Catania, and Venice–Catania start at €340.
Why do Christmas flights cost so much?
The airfare is worrying, but why do these increases occur? Certainly the primary cause is the concentrated demand in the same days; after all, students and workers cannot take too many days off and thus they all depart around December 23 and 24 to return by Epiphany. To complicate the picture, though, the cost situation is also described by Ryanair, which with fuel so dear cannot help but adjust its tariffs.
How to save on Christmas flights
Is there a way to save? Apparently there is a technique that many on social media have nicknamed the “sky ping-pong,” a trick to circumvent the increases. The mechanism requires a bit more flexibility by inserting more intermediate stops (even abroad) to achieve savings of up to 60%.
A concrete example? For a Milan–Catania flight, departing December 23 and returning January 6, the price drops from €342 to €157 by choosing a layover in Valencia on the outbound and Tirana on the return. A saving of €185, equal to 54%. Also for Turin–Catania, by routing via Tirana on the outbound, the saving can reach 47%, i.e., €167 per person.
However, we must prepare for longer journeys, with connections to manage and a greater risk of delays or cancellations. To try to spend less, it can help to compare alternative airports, check slightly different dates, and always verify the final price, including baggage. And remember that a seemingly convenient layover could entail other costs.
It seems returning home for Christmas is a small logistical and savings challenge, but the goal remains the hug under the tree, which has no price (and should not have to be so expensive).
