Un-Fare Comparison: The true cost of coach versus air travel from the UK to Europe
This report compares the total journey cost of travelling from the UK to European holiday destinations by international coach and by air, with and without luggage allowance.
Our findings show that, although flights are often cheaper at headline fare level, coach travel is consistently cheaper when luggage allowance is taken into account.
Key points
When comparing headline fares only (assuming a single adult traveller with no luggage) flights are usually cheaper.
With luggage, coach travel is usually cheaper (even when two people share just one piece of checked luggage).
The business model of budget airlines relies on the fact that most passengers will pay extra to carry luggage.
Families can often unlock additional savings when travelling by coach.
Longer coach journey times can be a barrier to travel. As such, the report recommends the roll out of the Sustainable Travel Leave scheme, where employees can claim paid ‘journey days’ on top of annual leave for flight-free travel .
Why this report matters
Achieving the UK's net-zero targets will require a reduction in air travel and a corresponding shift towards lower-carbon modes of transport.*
A major obstacle to encouraging this shift in travel behaviour is the widespread perception that flying is the cheapest option. For journeys between the UK and Europe in particular, low headline airfares often dominate the conversation, reinforcing the view that flying offers the most affordable means of travel.
This report provides evidence to the contrary; when taking realistic travel needs into account, flying is usually significantly more expensive than taking the coach when travelling from the UK to mainland Europe. The fact that many routes initially appear cheaper by air, but become cheaper by coach once a single suitcase is added, demonstrates that advertised flight prices routinely exclude costs most passengers will realistically have to pay. This is not a minor discrepancy: the average saving of £45pp represents a substantial difference, particularly for families and groups travelling together.
For travellers, the implication is straightforward: compare total journey costs, not headline fares. For policymakers, employers and consumer advocates, these findings strengthen the case both for mandating greater transparency in airline pricing and for practical policies that make lower-carbon travel genuinely accessible.
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