Returning home during the holidays for those away from home continues to be a real economic undertaking. The costs of flights from the North to the South of Italy, especially to Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria, reach record figures, fluctuating between 400 and over 800 euros for a return journey with increases that in some cases exceed 900% compared to low season fares.
Some examples, choosing various routes from the North? Turin–Catania 422 euros, Milan–Palermo 411 euros, the same price as the Verona–Palermo route. From Milan to Catania the cost is 406 euros, a little less (392 euros) if you leave from Genoa, but embark on December 23rd. Starting from Milan to Crotone the minimum spend is 390 euros (departure 23 December), from Venice to Palermo 386 euros and from Florence to Catania 384 euros.
Prices may rise further depending on the company and flight time. In some cases, return tickets exceed 800 euros, as in the case of the Milan Linate–Catania connection, which reaches the record of 841 euros, a figure even higher than that of many intercontinental flights.
According to the data collected by Assoutenti and reported by Codacons to Antitrust, Enac and the Ministry of Transport, the increase in prices has no real justification other than the combination of dynamic pricing algorithms, high demand and very little competition on routes towards the South.
Alternative strategies for saving: stopping abroad
Paradoxically, those who agree to make a stopover abroad can save more than half compared to a direct flight. For example, a direct Milan–Palermo connection costs almost 192 euros on December 20, while passing through cities such as Warsaw or Krakow, the total expense drops to around 100 euros. Similar routes allow you to save hundreds of euros, although they require more time and patience.
It’s no better for the train
Those who opt for the train fare no better. For example, the Turin–Reggio Calabria route costs 199 euros, while from Milan to Reggio Calabria you spend 185 euros. To reach Lecce, the prices are equally demanding: Milan–Lecce 153 euros, Turin–Lecce 183 euros.
The Milan–Lecce or Turin–Reggio Calabria route can cost over 180–190 euros for a one-way trip, and the time needed to complete the journey discourages many travellers. Intercity and regional trains also experience price increases, especially when the cheaper options are exhausted, leaving only higher-level fares.
Even the routes from central and North-West cities show notable increases: Bologna–Salerno 87 euros, Genoa–Bari 115 euros, Genoa–Reggio Calabria 167 euros, while from Rome towards the South the prices are slightly more contained, but still high, as in the case of the Rome–Reggio Calabria at 113 euros.
Travel time is added to these costs: even high-speed connections are unable to significantly reduce the long durations of journeys to the South, and Intercity or regional trains remain slow and less efficient. Furthermore, the cheapest routes often sell out quickly, forcing travelers to opt for higher-end tickets, with a further increase in expense.
The expensive fuel for those traveling by car
Even those who travel by car will find their wallets lighter, having to deal with expensive fuel: diesel exceeds 1.71 euros/litre and petrol 1.92 euros/litre in self-service mode, up by +6.4% compared to a month ago, equal to a greater expense of +5.2 euros per full tank, while petrol in the same period is increasing by +3.1%. A considerable expense for those who decide to undertake long journeys on Italian motorways.
The monopoly of connections to the South
The expensive Christmas flights are not a new phenomenon, but are the result of an almost monopolistic market where few operators control the routes to the islands and southern regions. The high demand during the holidays allows companies to apply “premium” prices at the most convenient times, penalizing those who cannot afford direct and fast flights.
Ficarra and Picone also talk about it in their new Netflix series
A situation denounced even by the Sicilian comic duo Ficarra and Picone with their new series Sicily Expressavailable on Netflix from 5 December 2025. The plot follows Salvo and Valentino, two Sicilian nurses who divide their time between work in Milan and family life in Sicily, until they discover a magical portal that changes everything and which, at least for them, will save them from the costs and infernal journeys from North to South. Unfortunately, however, it will take more than a miracle to truly save those out of office from spending a fortune to return to their loved ones for the holidays.
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