Travel uncertainty and fuel surcharges: will the price of my summer holiday go up?

Are the prices of summer holidays going up because of the conflict in the Middle East?

We dug into our site data to find out whether holiday prices are currently rising. The good news is that, on TravelSupermarket, the price of holidays is staying remarkably stable. And, as travel companies are keen to keep bookings moving, we’ve noticed that prices had even dropped in some locations.

Chris Webber, head of holidays and deals at TravelSupermarket, said: "Despite the current uncertainty, summer holiday prices haven't moved dramatically. For holidaymakers sitting on the fence, that's a signal worth paying attention to. Prices won't stay like this indefinitely, so now could be a smart time to book ahead of any increases.”

Are flights currently being cancelled?

In a recent advice piece on its site, the trade association for UK travel agents ABTA was keen to reassure Brits that holidays are currently taking place as normal. It said: “We’re not aware of UK flights being cancelled due to the availability of jet fuel.

“We are in close contact with airline bodies who have said UK airlines are currently not seeing disruption to jet fuel supply, because the UK sources fuel from a diverse range of places.”

It added that: “Some European airlines have been reducing flights to some destinations to save money on fuel, but where they have multiple flights going to the same place on the same day…

“In these cases, customers will be moved onto the next available flight, likely to be on the same day. So, even if flights are cancelled, it doesn’t necessarily mean that people will have difficulty getting to their destination.”

Similarly, a statement from the UK government’s Department for Transport said: “There is no current need for passengers to change their travel plans. UK airlines buy jet fuel in advance, and airports maintain stocks to support their resilience. The government is working closely with the aviation industry to monitor risks and minimise disruption to passengers.

“If your flight is cancelled, you have clear legal rights, including the right to a full refund or re-routing.”

What can I do to protect my summer holiday?

In times of travel uncertainty, booking a package holiday is a sensible option as you’ll have financial protection and expert support should things go wrong. You’ll also only have one travel company to deal with if anything changes.

If your flight is cancelled and you can’t reach your holiday destination on an alternative flight, with a package holiday booking, the company you booked with must either offer an alternative holiday or refund the whole holiday – not just the flight. But, if you’d booked your flight and hotel separately, your hotel is not obliged to refund you and not all travel insurance policies will pay out.

Watch Martin Lewis talking about the extra protection you get by booking a package holiday.

It’s also worth knowing your rights in case your flight is cancelled so you’re confident should anything change.

What is a holiday surcharge – and which companies are adding them on?

A holiday surcharge is an extra fee that your holiday company might ask you to pay after you’ve booked. This might kick in when the price of holidays goes up due to factors such as taxes, the rising cost of fuel or currency changes.

However, due to consumer protection from the Package Travel Regulations, these surcharges must be detailed in the terms and conditions of the company you booked with, and companies can’t surcharge within 20 days of your departure date.

The surcharge can also only be up to an extra 8% of the total cost of your holiday or your travel company must give you the option to cancel and request a refund.

If prices decrease, they should refund you the amount.

What are the fuel surcharge policies of popular UK travel companies on TravelSupermarket?

Jet2

Jet2 has assured customers that the price they book is the price they will pay, pledging that it will not pass cost increases onto customers after they have booked.

It has removed the surcharge provision across all flights and holidays, even though it has never previously applied them.

In a statement about surcharges, Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2 said:

“Holidaymakers should have every right to book their hard-earned break in the sun, without worrying about being hit with additional costs, and they can have that complete assurance when they book a flight or holiday with Jet2.

“As a result of today’s announcement, customers booking with Jet2 know that they are locking in their price without additional cost surprises later and we strongly believe that is the right thing to do by them.”

TUI

On its travel alerts page, TUI has reassured its customers that it will not add any unexpected charges on after booking. It says:

“We know customers want confidence and clarity when booking a holiday. Customers who book with TUI can be reassured that their holiday price is fixed, with no fuel surcharges added.

“Our teams are available to support anyone considering a booking, as well as customers who have already booked, helping them feel confident about their holiday plans.”

easyJet

easyJet has also promised not to add any surcharges onto pre-booked flights and package holidays – or any new bookings for summer 2026.

It says that it’s not currently seeing any disruption to its jet fuel supply and that package holidays continue to operate normally.

Gary Wilson, CEO of easyJet holidays said:

“We know that holidaymakers may have questions about what recent global events might mean for their travel plans this summer so we are giving our customers absolute peace of mind that no surcharges will be added to their flights or package holidays.

“Our operations remain unaffected, so customers can be confident that not only will their holiday go ahead as planned, but there will be no surprise extra payments, and they can enjoy their brilliant holidays at unbeatable prices.”

When’s the best time to book a holiday for summer 2026?

With prices stable and deals available to tempt customers to book, Chris Webber says that now is a great time to search for a holiday, comparing prices to make sure you don’t pay over the odds. All of the holidays that include a flight on TravelSupermarket come with ATOL protection.

For confidence when booking a holiday, TravelSupermarket’s three golden rules are:

• Book a package holiday with ATOL protection
• Pay with a credit card for extra financial protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act
• Take out travel insurance as soon as you book to cover you for cancellation due to circumstances outside of your control.