Jet Fuel Surge: Why Your Fares Are Climbing and How to Protect Your Summer 2026 Budget
Royal Air Maroc suspended a dozen routes amid the jet-fuel surge, while the best-hedged carriers keep their full schedule. We break down fuel, hedging, who protects their prices, and how to protect your ticket budget this summer.
TL;DR
- •Fuel accounts for 20 to 35% of an airline's costs. It is the largest variable expense.
- •Jet fuel topped 200 dollars a barrel in April 2026, around 150 dollars in May, driven by Middle East tensions.
- •The whole sector is affected: Lufthansa expects 2 billion dollars in extra costs in 2026, Air France-KLM cut its forecasts, and Royal Air Maroc temporarily suspended a dozen routes on 24 May 2026.
- •Ryanair says it locked in 80% of its fuel at about 67 dollars a barrel through April 2027, thanks to hedging, and keeps its full summer schedule.
- •Same shock, opposite responses: RAM suspended a dozen routes while the best-hedged carriers keep their networks. Over 15 years, RAM has also lost 24 points of market share to low-cost airlines.
- •For MRE: higher fares and tighter capacity this summer. The good news is there are concrete levers to limit the bill.
Why fares are climbing
Fuel is the lifeblood of an airline: between 20 and 35% of operating costs. When jet fuel rises, the bill rises with it, and part of it passes through to ticket prices.
Since late February 2026, tensions in the Middle East and around the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted global supply. As a result, jet fuel topped 200 dollars a barrel in April before easing to around 150 dollars in May, still well above pre-crisis levels.
This is a shock that hits the entire sector, but responses differ sharply from one airline to another. Lufthansa expects two billion dollars in extra costs over the year, Air France-KLM lowered its forecasts, and the Airports Council International warns that tickets will stay more expensive for a while. Royal Air Maroc, for its part, announced on 24 May 2026 the temporary suspension of about a dozen routes, citing the jet-fuel rise, with a gradual restoration as conditions allow. The route list and alternatives are in our dedicated article: RAM suspends 12 routes: what to do if your summer 2026 flight is affected.
What is fuel hedging?
Hedging is a risk-management strategy. The airline locks in its fuel price in advance through financial contracts, committing to pay a fixed price for future delivery.
The goal is not necessarily to save money, but to turn an unpredictable cost into a predictable one. If the market rises above the locked price, the airline gains. If it falls, it pays more than the spot price. It is a bet on stability, not on lower prices.
Hedging has its limits too: it ties up cash, can lose money if prices fall, complicates accounting and is never perfect. Each airline sets this cursor differently, and not all make their policy public.
Which airlines locked in their prices
Here are the coverage levels disclosed by the airlines themselves. Note: strong coverage protects in the short term, but all hedges decline toward 2027, so exposure rises for everyone over the medium term.
| Airline | Fuel coverage | Horizon |
|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | about 80% (at ~67 dollars/barrel) | through April 2027 |
| easyJet | 84% then 62% | 1st then 2nd half 2026 |
| Wizz Air | 83% then 70% | early then summer 2026 |
| Lufthansa | 82% then 77% | over 2026 |
| IAG (Vueling, Iberia, British Airways) | 60 to 70% | over 2026 |
| Transavia (Air France-KLM group) | coverage raised to 87% over one year | extended horizon |
The contrast is clear: European low-cost carriers and the major groups publish high coverage levels for 2026, whereas Royal Air Maroc and Air Arabia Maroc have not disclosed their hedging policy. Hedging remains a management choice unique to each airline.
What it means for your summer 2026 ticket
In practice, higher fuel translates into two effects: higher ticket prices and tighter capacity (some airlines cut routes or frequencies in summer). Fewer available seats also means prices that rise faster as dates approach.
Conversely, well-hedged airlines keep a cost advantage and can maintain their full summer schedule with more stable fares. That is exactly the argument Ryanair makes. The result for summer 2026: price stability leans clearly toward the carriers that locked in their fuel in advance.
The low-cost airlines serving Morocco
Several low-cost carriers connect Europe to Morocco, which leaves room to compare:
- •Ryanair: strong presence, many secondary airports.
- •Transavia (Air France-KLM group): wide Europe-to-Morocco network.
- •Vueling (IAG group): mainly from Spain, France and Italy.
- •Air Arabia Maroc: extensive network from France (Basel-Mulhouse, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Paris, Strasbourg, Toulouse) and other countries.
- •easyJet, Volotea, Wizz Air: present on the Europe-Maghreb axis.
6 tips to protect your ticket budget
- •Book early. The MRE peak from June to August, combined with reduced capacity, makes the cheapest seats sell fast.
- •Set price alerts on Google Flights or Skyscanner and watch the swings.
- •Be flexible on dates and airports. Avoiding weekends and comparing secondary airports (Beauvais, Charleroi, Girona) often lowers the bill.
- •Diversify airlines. Compare low-cost and full-service carriers, some well-hedged airlines hold their fares better.
- •Keep a ferry plan B. Spain-Morocco and Marseille-Tangier crossings are useful if airfares spike or seats run out. Our full guide: Spain-Morocco ferry, and our Marhaba 2026 hub.
- •Check before booking whether your route has been temporarily suspended, and look at alternatives (another nearby Moroccan airport, another airline).
To understand the underlying dynamic between RAM and the low-cost carriers, see also our investigation: RAM loses market share to low-cost airlines.
Frequently asked questions
Why are Morocco-Europe fares rising in 2026?
Because jet fuel rose sharply (above 200 dollars a barrel in April 2026), which raises every airline's costs and partly passes through to prices.
What is fuel hedging?
A financial cover that locks in the fuel price in advance, turning an unpredictable cost into a predictable one and reducing volatility.
Which airlines are best protected this summer?
Per their own disclosures, Ryanair (about 80% through April 2027), Lufthansa, Wizz Air, easyJet and Transavia show high coverage for 2026.
Why did some airlines suspend routes and others did not?
The difference mostly comes down to fuel hedging. Heavily hedged carriers (Ryanair, about 80% through April 2027) were better protected against the jet-fuel rise and kept their schedules. Coverage levels differ from one airline to another, and not all are made public.
Will Royal Air Maroc restore its suspended routes?
RAM has indicated a gradual restoration of the routes as soon as operational and economic conditions allow.
What share of a ticket price comes from fuel?
Fuel generally accounts for 20 to 35% of an airline's operating costs, its largest variable expense.
How can I pay less for my ticket this summer?
Book early, stay flexible on dates and airports, compare several airlines, and keep the ferry as a backup.
Sources
- •Official Ryanair press release (full-year 2026 results, 18 May 2026)
- •Air Journal, Maroc Hebdo, Le Desk, H24info (RAM suspensions)
- •OilPrice, ChemAnalyst (jet fuel prices 2026)
- •CNBC, Aerotime (European airline fuel hedging)
Related articles
Related practical guides
Are you an MRE?
Join the platform and access 131 verified professionals in Morocco. Free.
Have a project in Morocco?
Find a LesMRE-verified expert to guide you through your steps.
Find an expert →