Every month, the website of the French Ministry for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion and the DGAC publish the air passenger price index (IPTAP). This index enables travellers to assess changes in fares on departure from France, mainland France and the French overseas departments combined, noting in particular a fall in fares of -1.4 % for all destinations combined in May. But this reduction must be modulated according to the DGAC. It remains moderate on medium-haul networks (-1.0 %), strong on long-haul (-5.9 %), while the domestic network continues to show growth (+6.4 %).
The same applies to flights departing from mainland France, of which the prices sales fell by -2.1 % in May compared with May 2023. This result takes into account contrasting trends between domestic network tariffs up +6.4 % and those on the international network, which fell by -3.7 %. On the intra-metropolitan network alone, the increase even amounted to +6.7 % in May, although this marked a slowdown compared with April (+8.6%) and above all March (+23.4%).
Fares for flights to the French overseas departments and territories also rose, by +4.2 % in May. On departure from all the French Overseas Departments, air fares rose by 10.6 % overall in May, affecting all the French Overseas Departments. The biggest increase in May was in Mayotte (+15.7 %). The trends are fairly similar for departures from Martinique, Réunion, Guadeloupe and French Guiana. Fares vary between +8.3 % and +10.7 %.
+13.1% on domestic since the start of 2024
The air transport passenger price index shows a clear upward trend in air fares on the domestic network, up by 6.4 % in May and by 13.1 % for the first five months of the year as a whole. As far as domestic routes in mainland France are concerned, this growth is even approaching 20% (+19.2%). In this context, the contribution of low-cost carriers to the rise in prices to domestic destinations is predominant.
Over the first five months of the year as a whole, outbound prices from France rose slightly (+2.0 %), taking into account the moderation in fares seen in May on the international network. On medium-haul routes, air fares were down -1.0 % in May, as were -2.1 % for flights to countries in the European Economic AreaUnited Kingdom and Switzerland. On the other hand, the DGAC notes an increase to other European countries (+8.8 %) and, to a lesser extent, to North Africa and the Levant (+0.7 %). However, for the first five months of the year as a whole, medium-haul destinations recorded an average increase of +4.91 %.
Accelerated fall in international prices
On the other hand, the long-haul intercontinental network benefits from a significant price cutsIn May, fares were down 5.9 %, and down 3.8% since the start of the year. While long-haul flights to African countries have remained stable since the start of the year (+0.2%), their fares to the Middle East are down -1.3%. With the resumption of travel with Asia, the increase in capacity has resulted in a drop in fares of -6.8 % since the start of the year. The same applies to Latin America (-6.4%) and, to a lesser extent, to North America, with a decline of -2.7% since last January. It should be noted that economy class contributed more significantly to the fall in prices than business class.
Monthly price index for air passenger transport
