Package holiday costs in Cyprus also increased, rising 3.7% in August.
Airfares in Cyprus rose by 5% in August 2026 compared with the same month last year, while package holiday prices increased by 3.7%, according to the latest Eurostat figures.
The increases in Cyprus came against a different trend across the European Union, where passenger air transport prices fell by 0.4% year-on-year. Package holidays, meanwhile, became 3.2% more expensive across the bloc, matching the EU's overall inflation rate for the month.
Cyprus travel costs move higher
The increase in Cypriot airfares puts local travellers in a different position from those in much of the EU, where flight prices were slightly lower than a year earlier. Cyprus recorded a 5% rise, while airfares declined in 10 EU member states, showing how sharply travel costs differed between countries during the summer.
Greece recorded the largest annual increase in airfares at 16.3%, followed by Ireland at 14.4%. At the other end of the scale, Slovakia recorded a 61.2% fall, while Spain saw prices drop by 15.8% and Lithuania by 0.9%.
The figures reflect the considerable fluctuations seen in air travel prices over the past two years. Across the EU, airfares were 13.7% higher in April 2025 than a year earlier before falling by 3.2% the following month. In 2026, prices began the year 2.9% lower, fell another 4.7% in April and then jumped by 8.1% in May.
Package holidays also cost more in Cyprus
Package holiday prices in Cyprus rose by 3.7% in August, slightly above the EU increase of 3.2%. That means both categories of travel covered by the latest figures became more expensive for consumers in Cyprus, although the local increases remained well below some of the sharpest rises recorded elsewhere in Europe.
Belgium recorded the biggest increase in package holiday prices, at 16.2%, followed by Portugal at 14.3%. Prices also rose by 12.8% in Sweden, 12.3% in Lithuania and 11.9% in Romania.
Only four EU countries recorded annual declines in package holiday prices in August. Estonia saw the largest drop at 21.1%, followed by Spain at 5.2%, Italy at 4.8% and Ireland at 0.4%.
Package holiday prices have also fluctuated since the start of 2025. They were more than 8% higher year-on-year in both January and February 2025, reached a further increase of 7.7% in April and then gradually moved closer to the general inflation rate later in the year. In April 2026, prices fell by 0.5% before returning to increases in the following months.
Eurostat's figures measure the price of package holidays at the time they are purchased, rather than when the holiday itself takes place. The category covers organised trips and all-inclusive holidays combining services such as transport, accommodation, food and guided activities.
With information from Eurostat.
