Package travel prices in the EU are up 3.2%; airfares have become cheaper: region shows big differences
Eurostat data For August, the prices of package arrangements show that they are moving in line with overall inflation, while airfares at EU level were slightly cheaper than last year. Behind the European average, however, there are significant differences between markets. This is particularly interesting for tourism companies in Croatia and neighboring countries.
Package travel prices in the European Union in August 2026 were 3.2 percent higher than in the same month last year. The total annual inflation in the EU was exactly the same. At the same time, the prices of air travel fell by 0.4 percent.
For tourism industry A more interesting view is the one below the European average. The differences between countries are very large, and the price movements of air travel and package arrangements are not necessarily related.
Airline tickets remain extremely volatile
Eurostat warns of large fluctuations in air transport prices since the beginning of 2025. In April last year, air tickets were 13.7 percent more expensive on an annual basis. Then in May they fell by 3.2 percent. A similar pattern continued this year: after a drop of 4.7 percent in April, an increase of 8.1 percent was recorded in May.
In August, Greece recorded the highest annual increase in air ticket prices, at 16.3 percent, followed by Ireland with 14.4 percent. In the ten EU member states, tickets were cheaper than a year earlier. Slovakia was extremely affected with a drop of 61.2 percent. In Spain, the drop was 15.8 percent.
Such volatility makes it difficult to compare individual months, but it is relevant for tour operators, TMCs, and leisure agencies. The price of the air segment can significantly change the overall competitiveness of package arrangements in a very short period of time.
Croatia, Slovenia and Austria: different picture of prices
Data for the markets in the region also show significant differences. The August air transport price index, with a base of 2025=100, was 105.97 in Croatia. It was 114.30 in Slovenia and 118.12 in Austria. In Hungary it was 117.15, and in Bulgaria 113.06.
In the broader index of services related to package holidays and accommodation, Croatia was at 128.91 in August, which is among the higher values in the EU. Slovenia was at 124.55. Austria was significantly lower, at 105.74. These values do not represent the annual growth rate and should not be interpreted in this way. Instead, they show the level of the harmonized index based on the base year of 2025.
An additional relevant fact for Croatia is the CPI data: the harmonized inflation in August was 3.7 percent. Restaurant and accommodation prices were 4 percent higher than a year earlier.
Package arrangements no longer cost the same in all markets
At the EU level, the trend of package deals is quieter than for airline tickets. After annual growth of 8.3 percent in January and 8 percent in February 2025, the growth gradually approached the general inflation rate. In April 2026, prices even briefly fell by 0.5 percent. After that, they started rising again.
In August, Belgium led the EU with a 16.2 percent increase in package prices. It was followed by Portugal with 14.3 percent, Sweden with 12.8 percent, Lithuania with 12.3 percent and Romania with 11.9 percent. Only four countries recorded a drop: Estonia, Spain, Italy and Ireland.
For the region, these data carry extra weight. Croatia is a highly seasonal destination: as much as 54.5 percent of all tourist nights in 2025 were booked only during July and August. This is the highest share in the EU. Austria, on the other hand, combines high tourist intensity with much less seasonality.
That is why the same price change does not have an equal effect on all destinations. For Croatia and other strongly seasonal leisure destinations, the price relationship between accommodation, package deals, and air tickets over several summer months directly affects competitiveness. Austria is less exposed to a short sales window due to more balanced demand throughout the year.
