Jet fuel prices in Europe have jumped 114%. Photo: Shutterstock The European aviation industry is facing a sharp rise in one of its main expenses. A new report published on Thursday, October 29, by EUROCONTROL, the European body that manages and coordinates air traffic, reveals that jet fuel prices in Europe have jumped 114% compared with levels recorded before the crisis in the Middle East.
According to the data, the average price in October reached $4.84 per gallon, compared to only $2.26 on average in January and February 2026.
This is the highest monthly level since the beginning of the crisis, and even higher than the peaks recorded in March and April of this year.
On October 27, jet fuel reached $4.93 per gallon, up 2.1% in just two weeks.
Jet fuel is a major expense for airlines, so a sharp and sustained price increase could weigh on profitability.
Airlines may respond to the increase through price adjustments, fuel surcharges, capacity changes or other operational measures. However, the impact on the price of a ticket per passenger depends, among other things, on the airlines' fuel hedging agreements, demand levels, competition, and their ability to pass the price increase on to consumers.
The report does not indicate a blanket decision by airlines to raise prices, but rather an increase in economic pressure across the industry.
Alongside the increase in fuel prices, EUROCONTROL data also shows the enormous scope of European aviation activity.
Between October 19 and 25, the European aviation network recorded an average of 32,480 flights per day, including flights passing through airspace.
This is an increase of 0.7% compared to the corresponding week in 2025, but a decrease of 2.3% compared to the previous week. At the same time, air traffic management delays averaged 54 thousand minutes en route each day.
Capacity constraints and staffing shortages in air traffic control systems were the main cause of delays, accounting for 65% of en route ATFM delays. Weather accounted for another 20%.
Storms Austen and Boelo, which hit northern and western Europe between October 23 and 25, also caused widespread flight disruptions.
According to the report, the air traffic control centers that contributed most to the significant delays were Barcelona, Marseille, Madrid, Reims and Brest.
Despite the disruptions, the network's operational accuracy levels improved compared to the same period last year. The accuracy rate for landings was 73.5%, and for departures, it was 69.4%.
The new data illustrates the dual challenge facing the European aviation industry: exceptionally high fuel costs and the need to manage a busy aviation network affected by staffing, capacity, and weather constraints.
For passengers, the key question is whether the ongoing pressure on operating costs will translate into changes in airfare prices in the coming months.