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Albanian citizens, but especially emigrants, will find it very expensive to travel by plane in the month of August, risking discouraging the arrival of many emigrants to their relatives.
Ticket prices through Rinas Airport, which this year have been significantly more expensive since the first months of the year, have jumped even further in August.
Especially for immigrants, the rates are very unfavorable, since the trip to Rinas is very expensive at the beginning of August (when most of them come) and leaving Tirana costs even more at the end of the month, being on average over 200 euros only one way.
Even if you find a ticket for less than 100 euros one way, mostly with Italy having the cheapest prices, the return is always much more expensive, over 100 or 200 euros, making a return ticket cost on average over 150 euros, reaching 455 euros in tourist destinations such as Spain.
August has always had high flight prices due to the high flow of travelers from immigrants and tourists, but in recent years tickets were reduced, after the entry of low cost companies, mainly Wizz Air, into the market, while in 2023 they jumped again , reaching new records.
Italy, the flight at the end of August from Tirana over 200 euros
From Tirana to Milan, with Wizz Air, on August 5, the ticket costs between 40-60 euros, while from Milan to Tirana on the 8th it is much more expensive, 100-120 euros, making a return ticket not cost cheaper than 140-150 euros.
At the end of August, when immigrants usually return to their homes, the opposite happens. The ticket from Tirana to Milan is much more expensive, at least 230 euros and up to 280 euros, for August 26. While the trip from Milan to Tirana on August 29 is much cheaper, only 25 euros. However, the return trip on August 26-29 is not cheaper than 250 euros.
Milan, with its two airports, Milan and Bergamo, is the first destination for flights from and to Tirana, according to data from Tirana International Airport (TIA).
The same trend is with Rome. At the beginning of August, to come to Tirana you need 90-110 euros, while from Tirana to Rome, the ticket is cheaper at 50-55 euros (for the trip 5-8 August). To fly from Tirana to Rome on August 26, the ticket costs 130-205 euros, while from Rome to Tirana only 23 euros.
With Air Albania, the second largest operator, tickets to Bergamo (Milan) are sold out for most of August, while on the days when there are still seats, the cheapest one-way ticket is around 100 euros, while on certain jump to over 200 euros (yes in one direction) while you won't find cheaper return tickets than 200 euros.
Spain, the cheapest ticket costs more than 300 euros
Spain has been a favorite destination of Albanian citizens in the last year due to direct flights and cheap prices from Wizz Air. But traveling in early August will be expensive. The flight to Barcelona on August 5 costs 130 euros and the return on August 8 costs 190 euros, a total of 320 euros.
Don't even bother going to Barcelona at the end of August. The return on the 26th costs 370 euros and the return 60 euros, in total 430 euros.
Not even Madrid is free anymore. The trip from Tirana to Madrid and vice versa on August 4-7 costs 360 euros. At the end of August, prices jump to 455 euros (round trip on August 25-28).
Germany, there is no cheaper than 250 euros
Germany is also expensive, which in recent years has become one of the main destinations where Albanians go to work. The trip from Tirana to Dortmund on August 5 costs 210 euros, and from Dortmund to Tirana on August 8, 60 euros, so a total of 270 euros.
At the end of August, from Tirana to Dortmund the ticket is 230 euros and from Dortmund to Tirana 35 euros, in total 265 euros for August 26-29.
Hamburg, a city frequented by Albanian citizens, as many of them live there, is much more expensive. The return ticket on August 5-8 reaches 330 euros, while for August 26-29 it fluctuates around 300 euros.
England, above 220 euros, the end of August jumps to 340 euros to escape to London
London is the second most frequented destination after Milan-Bergamo, according to data from TIA.
At the beginning of August, a return ticket costs 220-270 euros. (August 5-8)
At the end of August, tickets become more expensive. Those who want to fly from Tirana to London with Wizi Air (lLondon-Luton) have to pay from 340-390 euros, while from London to Tirana the ticket is much cheaper, at 30 euros, but still a return trip at 27 - August 29 costs up to 420 euros.
Even with Air Albania in London Stansted, the prices vary from 180-250 euros for one way.
Wizz Air takes 66% of the market, "dictates" the prices
Wizz Air, the Hungarian company, which entered the Albanian market as a low-cost operator a few years ago, has managed to constantly win the market, although now it is not as cheap as before, when you could often find 20 euro tickets in one direction, especially towards Italy.
According to Mondays from Tirana International Airport, for the period January-April 2023, Wizz Air had 66% of the market, clearly dominating a market where there are a total of 17 operators. This increase in market share has given this operator the opportunity to "dominate" over prices.
The second largest operator in the market is Air Albania, with 8%, followed by Albawings with 7%, Lufthansa with 4% and Austrian Airlines with 3%.
According to INSTAT statistics, the flow of passengers from and to Rinas has increased significantly this year. In the first quarter of 2023, 1,166,000 passengers traveled by airline. Compared to the same period of 2022, this indicator has increased by 53.3%./Monitor
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