- Maximum fares on 13 subsidised domestic routes will increase by up to 11pc from 25 October 2026.
- Routes in Marche, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Calabria, Sicily and Tuscany are affected.
- ITA Airways raised ticket prices 5pc to 10pc for 2026.
- Aviation fuel costs tied to Middle East conflicts drove the increases.
- Territorial continuity schemes face ongoing pressure from fuel prices and regulatory changes.
Maximum fares on 13 subsidised domestic routes will increase by up to 11pc from 25 October 2026 because of higher aviation fuel costs. The adjustments affect services linking regions including Marche, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Calabria, Sicily and Tuscany. Routes such as Crotone to Rome and Ancona to Milan see some of the largest rises.
ITA Airways announced ticket price increases of 5pc to 10pc for 2026 to offset rising aviation fuel costs tied to Middle East conflicts. Broader Italian domestic and subsidised regional routes face ongoing pressure from fuel prices, high demand and regulatory changes. Fuel cost pressures led ITA Airways and other carriers to raise baseline ticket prices.
Subsidised territorial continuity schemes such as flights connecting Sardinia and Sicily to the mainland have faced repeated tenders, contractor shifts and scrutiny from antitrust authorities over peak-period price spikes. Studies indicate average Italian domestic airfares have risen compared to past baseline years due to capacity limits and operating expenses.
Further increases of up to 50pc on wider air fares remain possible if Middle East tensions keep fuel prices elevated. The Italian government attempted to cap dynamic airfare prices on domestic routes to Sicily and Sardinia in August 2023 but reversed the decision in September 2023 following pushback from airlines. The government decree prohibited algorithmic dynamic pricing on island routes if tickets exceeded 200pc of the average seasonal price.
Airlines including Ryanair protested the rule as illegal responding by cutting certain domestic routes and seat capacities in Sardinia. The Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy dropped the hard price cap shifting enforcement power to the Italian Competition Authority to monitor algorithms and anti-competitive practices.
