November 14, 2025, 11:21 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Flying has become increasingly expensive in recent years–not least due to the significant increase in the aviation tax enforced by the traffic light coalition in May 2024. On Thursday evening, coalition leaders in Berlin agreed to lower the ticket tax again. But will consumers benefit from this? TRAVELBOOK provides an overview.
In their coalition agreement, the black-red federal government aimed to reduce the tax burden on the aviation industry. This was in response to growing demands from airlines and airports for relief from taxes, fees, and levies in Germany. Eurowings CEO Jens Bischof also urged the government a few months ago in an interview with TRAVELBOOK to promote and economically relieve air traffic more strongly.
Then on Thursday, an agreement was reached within the coalition committee: The aviation tax is to be reduced, relieving the industry by around 350 million euros. For example, the aviation tax is to be lowered to the level before the May 2024 increase by July 1, 2026.
Additionally, there will be no further increase in air traffic control fees in 2026, but rather an initial reduction. “Furthermore, we will ensure that fees decrease by significantly more than ten percent overall by 2029,” it was stated. Moreover, costs for airport security checks are to be reduced through better and more efficient processes.
Aviation Industry Welcomes the Agreement
The aviation industry welcomes the agreements in the coalition committee on relief for air traffic. This is a good impetus for Germany as a location. “This is a good first step to strengthen the competitiveness of our aviation industry–with positive effects far beyond our sector,” said Joachim Lang, CEO of the German Aviation Industry Association (BDL).
A Lufthansa spokesperson told TRAVELBOOK: “It is right that the federal government wants to relieve air traffic because flying in and from Germany has become too expensive.” The measures decided are an important step to strengthen the industry and Germany as an economic location. When asked whether and to what extent the reduction in the ticket tax will affect actual flight prices and make tickets cheaper, the spokesperson did not comment.
According to a report by “ntv,” currently, taxes per flight and passenger are 15.53 euros domestically and on short-haul routes. For medium-haul routes, it is 39.34 euros, and for longer destinations, 70.83 euros. Airlines have to pay this, but they are allowed to pass the tax on to customers. Whether the airlines will pass on the future savings to passengers remains to be seen.
Criticism of the Ticket Tax Reduction
The decisions of the black-red coalition on the industrial electricity price and the reduction of the ticket tax also face criticism. “The reduction of the ticket tax in air traffic is a fatal signal and underscores that the federal government still does not understand the urgency of targeted economic policy,” said Marcel Fratzscher, president of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW). He added, “This measure is ultimately a gift for the better-off and means a redistribution from poor to rich.”
The German Transport Club (VCD) sees the tax reduction as a blow against climate protection. “ntv” quotes VCD President Christiane Rohleder, citing the “Rheinische Post”: “Flying is getting cheaper, the Germany ticket is getting more expensive–that is the coalition’s fatal message.” The federal government is thus promoting “the most climate-damaging means of transport while additionally burdening the climate-friendly public transport.”
With material from Reuters