Airfares Could Rise 20% in 2027. What About Business Class?

If you're flying to Europe in 2027 and want to fly business class you may want to keep a closer eye on your airfare prices.

Ryanair's CEO recently predicted that airfare prices across Europe could increase by 10–20% in the coming year. That could be a huge price jump that may set Europe up for its biggest jump in airfare in 2027. Of course this is just a prediction and doesn't necessarily mean your business class flights to Europe will go up by 20%. But there are some things going on that we should know about.

Higher fuel prices, fewer available flights, and increased demand for business class are all factors worth watching. Together, they could make it harder to find cheaper business class flights to Europe.

What Will Cause Airfare To Go Up In 2027?

Gas prices will have the largest effect on airline tickets.

Airline companies spend a lot of money to fly their planes. Some predict that in 2026 gas prices will make up more than 30% of an airline's operating budget, with the average price forecast to reach $152 a barrel. That's an increase of nearly 70% since 2025.

Many airlines were able to mitigate these high prices by purchasing gas at a lower rate earlier in the year.

Similar to locking into an interest rate. Airlines can lock into buying their fuel for a cheaper rate and save themselves from these increased prices.

For the time being anyway. 

Ryanair currently has about 80% of their gas locked in until March of 2027 at an average price of $67 a barrel. Once that runs out they only have about 15% locked in for the next price range at $85 a barrel. Current prices are much higher than that. 

Other airlines will run into this issue as well once their price locked gas begins to run out. One international airline stated they anticipate high fuel prices to remain in 2027. They plan on raising fares and limiting their flight availability to cover for the increased prices.

The bottom line is that at some point these costs will be reflected to the consumer.

How Will This Affect My Business Class Fare?

As mentioned earlier, just because airfares could increase by 10-20% doesn't mean your current $4,000 business class flight to Europe will suddenly cost $4,800.

There are many factors that go into an airline's pricing structure for their tickets. Depending on where you're flying to and what airline you're flying with can change the price of your ticket drastically.

Flying business class from New York to Paris could cost more or less than flying to Rome, London, Madrid or Frankfurt.

You're still susceptible to the effects of airfare increasing though. If an airline decides to take away a flight from their schedule your business class seat is going away with it. There will be fewer options for travelers and when gas prices are high the airline needs to find a way to cover for that cost.

We're already seeing some airlines decrease their capacity. Ryanair has stated they will be decreasing flights and seats in certain areas in Europe. Easyjet is also cutting out several hundred thousand seats during the winter season to help offset their high fuel costs.

While there isn't a direct correlation to less seats on an airplane creating higher airfare prices. When you add constant demand to the equation your chance of finding lower priced business class flights will be less.

Business Class Prices May Continue To Be High

Not only will airfare be going up due to increased fuel costs. But there has also been an increased demand for business class flights. Many airlines have seen their economy fares drop due to lower budgets from consumers. This has allowed airlines to make up those losses by selling more business class flights.

One airline group reported that first class and business class accounted for 28.1% of its revenue in 2025, up from 26.9% the year before. Meanwhile, its economy revenue remained relatively flat. Many other airlines are also seeing this trend and continuing to invest more in their business class offerings. Some airlines are even taking away economy seats to offer more business class seating.

So will you ever be able to find a cheap business class flight to Europe?

Yes, you will still be able to find good deals on business class flights. But there will be less incentive for airlines to lower their business class fares.

Especially when flying to longer destinations. Since there are only so many business class seats on an airplane once those cheaper prices are sold out the rest of the seats can be extremely expensive. Even if your flight isn't filled to capacity.

Which can lead to you checking the price of your business class flight one week and seeing a completely different price the following week.

In 2027 we may see this become more prevalent if airlines continue to remove flights from their schedules.

What Have People Been Experiencing So Far? 

From our recent conversations with customers, we've been seeing some crazy things happen when it comes to airfare prices.

People are already dreading the prices they're seeing for 2027 flights. Wondering if waiting will allow them to find cheaper airfare. Some have stated that after waiting their prices went up. Others waited to book due to the increase in fuel costs and saw their prices go down after they purchased.

There's no way of telling when your specific business class flight will be at its cheapest price.

As you can see airfare can go both ways when it comes to increasing or decreasing in price.

Customers have also told us that it depends on where you're flying too as well. If you're flying to Europe on a shorter flight you're able to find some great prices that aren't much higher than flying economy. But if you're flying to a longer destination you're more likely to care about your seat and comfort.

So keep that in mind when looking at airfare prices for 2027.

How Can I Book Cheaper Business Class Flights To Europe?

You don't need to rush out and book all your 2027 flights now. But it may be a good idea to start looking a little earlier than you normally would.

If you already know when you're traveling, start checking business class airfare prices to your desired location. You'll be able to get an idea of what the average price is for that flight and know when to book.

Flying to Europe in 2027 may also require you to be flexible with your flight. By adjusting your flight by one or two days or flying into a different city you may be able to find cheaper airfare. There are many things that can affect your flight price when flying to Europe. So being flexible can benefit you when it comes to finding cheaper business class flights.

Make sure you look at all your options when finding the best price. Just because a ticket may be cheaper doesn't mean you're able to select your seat. You may not be able to change your flight or receive certain amenities with your ticket. Always research what you're getting for the price you're paying. And what kind of plane you're flying on can play a big factor as well.

Find Cheap Business Class Flights To Europe 

If you're trying to find cheap business class flights to Europe remember there's more to consider than just the price of your ticket. Make sure you're able to enjoy your flight as well.

TravelBusinessClass.com can help you find the cheapest business class flights to Europe that fit your needs. Not only can we help you find cheaper airfare but also compare flights to each other. We can help you find the best plane and seats to fly on.

So if you're having trouble deciding which airline and flight to book. Allow us to help you find your next business class flight to Europe.

We will help you find your perfect flight to Europe.