Lufthansa ticket prices are going up in 2027, and by a lot. Presenting its quarterly results Tuesday, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said fares are set to rise by "double digits" next year as fuel costs keep climbing, according to AFP. It's the second time in two days that one of Europe's biggest airlines has warned travelers to expect to pay more, after Ryanair said the same thing on Monday.
The warning reaches well beyond Lufthansa itself. The Lufthansa Group also runs SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings and Discover Airlines, and it owns a stake in Italy's ITA Airways. Between them and Ryanair, a big share of flights within Europe, and between Europe and the US, are now pointing in the same direction.
Why Fares Are Going Up
Fuel is the whole story. Lufthansa now expects to spend about €9.3 billion on fuel this year, roughly €2 billion more than in 2025, largely because the Iran war has kept oil prices high. Its finance chief, Till Streichert, told investors the 2027 fuel bill should be even higher, and he was blunt about who pays for it. "We'll pass on fuel cost into ticket prices ultimately," he said.
Like most big airlines, Lufthansa buys much of its fuel in advance at fixed prices, which is called hedging. That's what has softened the blow so far. More than 60% of its fuel for 2027 is already locked in, and 75% for the first half of the year. The catch is that much of that was bought after the war pushed prices up, so next year's locked-in price is still higher than this year's.
The business itself is doing fine. Revenue rose 9% to €12.2 billion between July and September, and operating profit climbed 6% to €1.4 billion, helped by strong demand for premium seats. Lufthansa did trim its full-year profit forecast slightly because of fuel.
What It Means for Your Trips
If you're flying within Europe next year, expect fewer cheap options as well as higher prices. Lufthansa said all of its growth in 2027 will come from long-haul flights, while its short-haul flying inside Europe will shrink. Fewer seats on those routes usually means higher fares, especially at busy times like summer weekends and holidays.
Flights between Europe and the US are a slightly different picture. What Lufthansa earned per passenger on its transatlantic routes rose about 9% between July and September compared with a year earlier, thanks to what Spohr called "exceptionally strong premium demand from both sides of the Atlantic." Demand that strong gives airlines room to raise prices further, particularly in business and premium economy.
None of this means every ticket will jump by 10% or more overnight. Lufthansa didn't give an exact figure, and prices will still swing with demand, the season and how full each flight is. If fuel prices fall, for example because tensions in the Middle East ease, some of the pressure could come off.
If you already know your dates for a 2027 trip, booking earlier is the simplest way to lock in today's prices before increases kick in. Look for fares that let you change dates for free, so you're not stuck if plans shift, and set price alerts for the routes you care about so you can see where fares are heading before you commit.
