In the period of Christmas holidaysi flights from North to South Italy become a real one nightmare for out-of-towners. Ticket prices increase dramaticallyforcing many to deal with prices that exceed 400 euro for a family trip.
But there is a paradox that is causing discussion: if a foreigner decides to spend Christmas abroad, could spend even lessreaching destinations such as Hungary or Albania at significantly lower prices, with stopovers lasting even more than ten hours.
Low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet offer direct flights from Milan to Bari for 21 December, but prices start from a minimum of 130 eurosexcluding baggage. The alternative with Ita Airways is even more expensive, with fares exceeding 240 euros, but including baggage.
For those willing to sacrifice time and comfort, the cheapest solution is found with Wizzair, which offers flights for 102 eurosbut with a 13 hour and 45 minute stopover in Budapest. In practice, to save a few tens of euros, a foreigner should make a long stop in the Hungarian capital, a choice that becomes less attractive when you consider the time and inconveniences associated with the flight.
The bonus of the Sicily Region increases, but it is not enough
The phenomenon of expensive flights is even more evident on routes to Sicilywhere the cost of a family trip during the Christmas period reaches staggering figures. For a family of two adults, a teenager and a child, flights from Bergamo to Palermo, for example, exceed 1,500 euroswith an average cost of 391 euros per passenger, unless you choose a flight departing at dawn.
And the same trip, if destined for Trapani, is not much cheaper, with prices that are around around 1,568 euros. Flights from Rome to Catania are even more expensive, costing at least 628 euros for the whole family. And that’s not all: the risk of paying sky-high rates increases further as Christmas approacheswith prices rising suddenly, then falling just after a short period.
To try to counter this situation, the Sicily Region has decided to increase the bonus for residentsbringing the maximum discount to 50% from December 15th to January 15thbut the result does not seem sufficient to cope with increasingly exorbitant tariffs. In fact, even with the state contribution, you can travel to Italy during the Christmas period it remains a luxury that is difficult for many families to afford.
