Europe’s Cheapest and Most Expensive Airports for Business Class Travel
Business class prices vary dramatically across Europe. The same destination, airline, and travel dates can produce very different fares depending on where your journey begins. Local taxes, airline competition, airport hub strength, and regional demand all play a role in shaping these differences.
Some European capitals consistently offer attractive premium fares, while others rank among the most expensive places in the world to start a long-haul business class trip.
To understand these differences, we analyzed business class fares from capital-city airports across Europe to major regions:
- USA and Canada
- South America
- Asia
- Middle East
- Africa
- Australia and New Zealand
In this report, you’ll find:
- A continent-by-continent ranking of the cheapest and most expensive departure airports in Europe
- A cross-European comparison of average business class prices
- The final combined list of the cheapest and most expensive airports in Europe to fly business class from
This gives a clear picture of where premium fares are highest, and where positioning flights can save you hundreds or even thousands of euros.
Methodology: How We Compared Business Class Prices
To keep the comparison fair, we analyzed business class fares from each European capital to the major world regions: North America, South America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia/New Zealand.
For every region, we included fares to both major and smaller destinations spread across the east, west, north, and south.
For example, in North America we looked at the East Coast, West Coast, Central U.S., and Canada.
From each airport, we collected multiple fares per region and calculated an average price. These averages were then combined into a single global value that determines each airport’s final ranking.
It’s important to note that when comparing prices from European airports to a single specific destination, the differences between airports can be much larger than what the averages show. This is completely normal, some routes are heavily competitive while others are dominated by one airline, and the averaging process smooths out those extremes to provide a more balanced comparison across all regions.
About Accuracy, Price Fluctuations & What We Included
Business class prices change daily, and it’s not possible to check every route from every airport. To keep the comparison meaningful, we used the following criteria:
✔ Only true long-haul business class
For this comparison, we included only real long-haul business class cabins with lie-flat seats. We did not include airlines that offer angled seats or basic recliners, such as Icelandair or Azores Airlines.
However, the Middle East is an exception, because many routes from Europe are operated with aircraft that do not feature lie-flat seats at all. To ensure a fair and realistic comparison, we included carriers such as Turkish Airlines and Gulf Air, where certain aircraft use a 2-2 configuration.
While not fully lie-flat, these products still offer:
- A true business class cabin
- Lounge access (including the excellent Turkish Airlines lounges in Istanbul)
- Full business class catering and service
For these reasons, they were included as part of the Middle East pricing data.
That said, we excluded flights marketed as “business class” that simply block the middle seat on short-haul aircraft, such as those operated by Eurowings, Austrian, Luxair and others, as they do not provide a genuine premium cabin experience.
✔ Only capital airports
While secondary hubs like Frankfurt, Munich, Barcelona, or Milan also offer strong long-haul networks, we found that prices within the same country are usually very similar. For example:
- Frankfurt and Munich show nearly identical pricing patterns
- Madrid and Barcelona are typically in the same price range
Therefore, focusing on capital airports still provides an accurate and representative comparison of each country.
✔ Fares checked within the next 9 months
This reflects how most travelers realistically book long-haul business class flights, as confirmed by our poll showing that the majority book between 3 and 9 months in advance
For more insights on timing, see our guide on the best time to book business class tickets.
About the Averages (and What That Means in Reality)
The values shown in this study are average prices based on the cheapest available fares at the time of research. In practice, you will almost always find:
- Cheaper fares during sales or with clever routings
- More expensive fares depending on dates, demand, or preferred layover length
Many of the lowest fares include long layovers or less convenient routing options, the kinds of itineraries not every traveler is willing to book. This means:
- Realistic prices are often a bit higher than the averages shown
- The ranking remains accurate, because the relative differences between airports are consistent
- Daily price changes or short-term promotions do not meaningfully impact each airport’s position
And of course, exceptional sale fares, the ones we publish on our deals page 😉, can temporarily lower prices on specific routes, but they do not change the overall pricing landscape from each departure airport.
Business Class Prices to USA & Canada from Europe
What is the cheapest airport in Europe to fly Business Class to North America?
The cheapest European capital to fly business class to USA and CANADA is Dublin (DUB), while the most expensive airport is Zurich (ZRH). Below is the full ranking of average business class prices for all European capitals.
| Airport | Country | Avg. Price to North America (€) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin (DUB) | Ireland | 1900 | 1 |
| Oslo (OSL) | Norway | 2160 | 2 |
| Stockholm (ARN) | Sweden | 2180 | 3 |
| Madrid (MAD) | Spain | 2190 | 4 |
| Budapest (BUD) | Hungary | 2295 | 5 |
| Lisbon (LIS) | Portugal | 2300 | 6 |
| Copenhagen (CPH) | Denmark | 2590 | 7 |
| Milan (MXP) | Italy | 2650 | 8 |
| Athens (ATH) | Greece | 2670 | 9 |
| London (LHR) | United Kingdom | 2670 | 10 |
| Helsinki (HEL) | Finland | 2675 | 11 |
| Frankfurt (FRA) | Germany | 2690 | 12 |
| Prague (PRG) | Czech Republic | 2700 | 13 |
| Amsterdam (AMS) | Netherlands | 2770 | 14 |
| Warsaw (WAW) | Poland | 2780 | 15 |
| Paris (CDG) | France | 2805 | 16 |
| Brussels (BRU) | Belgium | 2840 | 17 |
| Vienna (VIE) | Austria | 2890 | 18 |
| Luxembourg (LUX) | Luxembourg | 2900 | 19 |
| Zurich (ZRH) | Switzerland | 3240 | 20 |
Business Class Prices to South America from Europe
What is the cheapest airport in Europe to fly Business Class to South America?
The cheapest European capital to fly business class to South America is Madrid (MAD), while the most expensive airport is Luxembourg (LUX). Below is the full ranking with 20 European capitals.
| Airport | Country | Avg. Price to South America (€) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid (MAD) | Spain | 2150 | 1 |
| Lisbon (LIS) | Portugal | 2415 | 2 |
| Rome (FCO) | Italy | 2500 | 3 |
| Paris (CDG) | France | 2625 | 4 |
| London (LHR) | United Kingdom | 2680 | 5 |
| Frankfurt (FRA) | Germany | 2695 | 6 |
| Amsterdam (AMS) | Netherlands | 2700 | 7 |
| Brussels (BRU) | Belgium | 2805 | 8 |
| Dublin (DUB) | Ireland | 2850 | 9 |
| Vienna (VIE) | Austria | 2890 | 10 |
| Budapest (BUD) | Hungary | 2905 | 11 |
| Oslo (OSL) | Norway | 2925 | 12 |
| Zurich (ZRH) | Switzerland | 3010 | 13 |
| Warsaw (WAW) | Poland | 3190 | 14 |
| Athens (ATH) | Greece | 3240 | 15 |
| Copenhagen (CPH) | Denmark | 3295 | 16 |
| Stockholm (ARN) | Sweden | 3355 | 17 |
| Prague (PRG) | Czech Republic | 3365 | 18 |
| Helsinki (HEL) | Finland | 3490 | 19 |
| Luxembourg (LUX) | Luxembourg | 3515 | 20 |
Southern countries in Europe like Madrid and Lisbon stand out as the cheapest gateways to South America, helped by strong airline competition and extensive connections to Latin America. Rome also performs well, offering noticeably lower prices compared to other major EU hubs. Meanwhile, Nordic and Central European capitals show significantly higher fares. Luxembourg remains the most expensive capital for business class flights to South America, followed closely by Helsinki.
Business Class Prices to the Middle East from Europe
What is the cheapest airport in Europe to fly Business Class to the Middle East?
The cheapest European capital to fly business class to the Middle East is Athens (ATH), while the most expensive airport is Zurich (ZRH). Below you can find the full ranking based on average prices.
| Airport | Country | Avg. Price to the Middle East (€) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens (ATH) | Greece | 1420 | 1 |
| Oslo (OSL) | Norway | 1635 | 2 |
| Budapest (BUD) | Hungary | 1670 | 3 |
| Amsterdam (AMS) | Netherlands | 1715 | 4 |
| Paris (CDG) | France | 1720 | 5 |
| Rome (FCO) | Italy | 1730 | 6 |
| Dublin (DUB) | Ireland | 1740 | 7 |
| Copenhagen (CPH) | Denmark | 1790 | 8 |
| Luxembourg (LUX) | Luxembourg | 1795 | 9 |
| Warsaw (WAW) | Poland | 1820 | 10 |
| Brussels (BRU) | Belgium | 1850 | 11 |
| Frankfurt (FRA) | Germany | 1860 | 12 |
| Madrid (MAD) | Spain | 1865 | 13 |
| Vienna (VIE) | Austria | 1890 | 14 |
| Helsinki (HEL) | Finland | 1900 | 15 |
| Stockholm (ARN) | Sweden | 1920 | 16 |
| London (LHR) | United Kingdom | 1980 | 17 |
| Prague (PRG) | Czech Republic | 2100 | 18 |
| Lisbon (LIS) | Portugal | 2150 | 19 |
| Zurich (ZRH) | Switzerland | 2200 | 20 |
Athens is by far the cheapest European capital for business class flights to the Middle East, largely because it is geographically closest and many flights on this route do not offer lie-flat seats. Oslo and Budapest also provide very competitive fares. At the higher end of the spectrum, Zurich, Lisbon, and Prague stand out as the most expensive departure points for Middle East travel.
Business Class Prices to Asia from Europe
What is the cheapest airport in Europe to fly Business Class to Asia?
The cheapest European capital to fly business class to Asia is Rome (FCO), while the most expensive airport is Zurich (ZRH). Below is the full ranking of average business class prices from all European capitals.
| Airport | Country | Avg. Price to Asia (€) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome (FCO) | Italy | 1900 | 1 |
| Oslo (OSL) | Norway | 1920 | 2 |
| Amsterdam (AMS) | Netherlands | 1980 | 3 |
| Paris (CDG) | France | 1995 | 4 |
| Budapest (BUD) | Hungary | 2000 | 5 |
| Madrid (MAD) | Spain | 2130 | 6 |
| Brussels (BRU) | Belgium | 2130 | 7 |
| Stockholm (ARN) | Sweden | 2140 | 8 |
| Frankfurt (FRA) | Germany | 2160 | 9 |
| Athens (ATH) | Greece | 2190 | 10 |
| Copenhagen (CPH) | Denmark | 2195 | 11 |
| London (LHR) | United Kingdom | 2230 | 12 |
| Warsaw (WAW) | Poland | 2270 | 13 |
| Vienna (VIE) | Austria | 2290 | 14 |
| Luxembourg (LUX) | Luxembourg | 2330 | 15 |
| Dublin (DUB) | Ireland | 2400 | 16 |
| Prague (PRG) | Czech Republic | 2430 | 17 |
| Helsinki (HEL) | Finland | 2430 | 18 |
| Lisbon (LIS) | Portugal | 2680 | 19 |
| Zurich (ZRH) | Switzerland | 2700 | 20 |
Rome surprisingly emerges as the cheapest capital for business class flights to Asia, followed closely by Oslo and Amsterdam. Western European hubs like Frankfurt, Paris, and London sit around the middle of the ranking. At the higher end, Dublin, Prague, Helsinki, Lisbon, and especially Zurich show significantly higher average prices for Asia-bound premium travel.
Business Class Prices to Africa from Europe
What is the cheapest airport in Europe to fly Business Class to Africa?
The cheapest European capital to fly business class to Africa is Athens (ATH), while the most expensive city is Luxembourg (LUX). Here is the complete average price ranking.
| Airport | Country | Avg. Price to Africa (€) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens (ATH) | Greece | 2000 | 1 |
| Oslo (OSL) | Norway | 2010 | 2 |
| Paris (CDG) | France | 2090 | 3 |
| Budapest (BUD) | Hungary | 2100 | 4 |
| Brussels (BRU) | Belgium | 2125 | 5 |
| Stockholm (ARN) | Sweden | 2125 | 6 |
| Amsterdam (AMS) | Netherlands | 2135 | 7 |
| Frankfurt (FRA) | Germany | 2145 | 8 |
| Rome (FCO) | Italy | 2170 | 9 |
| Madrid (MAD) | Spain | 2185 | 10 |
| Vienna (VIE) | Austria | 2195 | 11 |
| Copenhagen (CPH) | Denmark | 2280 | 12 |
| London (LHR) | United Kingdom | 2300 | 13 |
| Warsaw (WAW) | Poland | 2360 | 14 |
| Zurich (ZRH) | Switzerland | 2380 | 15 |
| Lisbon (LIS) | Portugal | 2380 | 16 |
| Dublin (DUB) | Ireland | 2410 | 17 |
| Helsinki (HEL) | Finland | 2475 | 18 |
| Prague (PRG) | Czech Republic | 2540 | 19 |
| Luxembourg (LUX) | Luxembourg | 2700 | 20 |
Athens is the clear surprise winner for Africa, offering the lowest average business class fares despite rarely appearing in the headline “top deals.” Northern Europe also performs well, with Oslo ranking second. Western European hubs like Paris, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt sit in the middle of the pack. Prices rise sharply in Central Europe, with Prague and Luxembourg being the most expensive capitals for Africa-bound business class flights.
Business Class Prices to Australia & New Zealand from Europe
What is the cheapest airport in Europe to fly Business Class to Australia and New Zealand? The cheapest European capital to fly business class to Australia and New Zealand is Warsaw (WAW), while the most expensive airport is again Luxembourg (LUX). Below is the full ranking of average business class prices for all European capitals.
| Airport | Country | Avg. Price to Australia/New Zealand (€) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warsaw (WAW) | Poland | 3510 | 1 |
| London (LHR) | United Kingdom | 3610 | 2 |
| Frankfurt (FRA) | Germany | 3650 | 3 |
| Madrid (MAD) | Spain | 3700 | 4 |
| Amsterdam (AMS) | Netherlands | 3700 | 5 |
| Oslo (OSL) | Norway | 3750 | 6 |
| Paris (CDG) | France | 3770 | 7 |
| Vienna (VIE) | Austria | 4000 | 8 |
| Copenhagen (CPH) | Denmark | 4030 | 9 |
| Rome (FCO) | Italy | 4080 | 10 |
| Budapest (BUD) | Hungary | 4100 | 11 |
| Helsinki (HEL) | Finland | 4250 | 12 |
| Stockholm (ARN) | Sweden | 4300 | 13 |
| Dublin (DUB) | Ireland | 4335 | 14 |
| Athens (ATH) | Greece | 4360 | 15 |
| Lisbon (LIS) | Portugal | 4400 | 16 |
| Brussels (BRU) | Belgium | 4560 | 17 |
| Prague (PRG) | Czech Republic | 4700 | 18 |
| Zurich (ZRH) | Switzerland | 4780 | 19 |
| Luxembourg (LUX) | Luxembourg | 4800 | 20 |
It may come as a surprise that London and Frankfurt appear among the cheapest capitals for Australia and New Zealand on average. This does not mean these airports regularly offer the lowest premium fares, our deals consistently show far cheaper departures from other European cities. However, in long-term averages across many routes, the rankings hold. At the opposite end, Zurich and Luxembourg remain among the most expensive capitals, continuing a pattern seen across most long-haul regions.
Overall Cheapest & most Expensive European Airports for Long-Haul Business Class
The 3 Cheapest European Airports for Business Class Flights
Across all long-haul regions we compared, these three European capitals consistently offered the lowest average business class fares. They are usually the best starting points if your goal is to save money on premium cabin tickets.
| Rank | Airport | Country | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin (DUB) | Ireland | Shows some of the lowest business class fares across several long-haul regions. |
| 2 | Madrid (MAD) | Spain | Very competitive overall, especially for routes to South America. |
| 3 | Rome (FCO) | Italy | Particularly strong for business class fares to Asia and the Middle East. |
The 3 Most Expensive European Airports for Business Class Flights
These airports consistently showed the highest average business class fares across all long-haul regions. While excellent premium products may be available, they often come at a noticeably higher cost.
| Rank | Airport | Country | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luxembourg (LUX) | Luxembourg | Among the highest average fares in nearly every long-haul category. |
| 2 | Zurich (ZRH) | Switzerland | Consistently one of the most expensive departure points for premium travel. |
| 3 | Prague (PRG) | Czech Republic | Frequently on the upper end of business class pricing across long-haul routes. |
Final Thoughts
While these rankings highlight which European capitals generally offer the cheapest and most expensive business class fares, this does not mean that these airports will always provide the lowest prices for a specific destination. This is also where positioning flights can help you start your journey from a cheaper airport and save hundreds or even thousands on long-haul business class. Dublin, for example, often provides excellent prices to North America, but other cities can still undercut it when a strong deal appears. A limited-time sale or promotional fare may suddenly make a usually expensive airport, such as Lisbon or Amsterdam, the cheapest option for flights to the U.S., Canada, or Asia.
To learn how to spot these unusual price drops, check out our guide on how to find cheap business class flights
It’s also worth remembering that a lower price does not necessarily reflect the quality of the onboard experience. Some airlines may offer lie-flat seats but deliver a service level far below top carriers such as Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, or All Nippon Airways. Always check the aircraft type, seat configuration, and service reputation before booking.
Overall, these tables provide a clear look at how long-haul business class pricing behaves across Europe, and can serve as a valuable guide for choosing your next departure point.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest airport in Europe to fly business class?
Based on average pricing across all long-haul regions, Dublin (DUB) is currently the cheapest European capital for business class flights. Madrid (MAD) and Rome (FCO) also rank among the most affordable options.
Which European airport is most expensive for business class flights?
Luxembourg (LUX) and Zurich (ZRH) consistently show the highest average business class fares across almost all long-haul destinations, making them the most expensive capitals to depart from.
Why do business class fares vary so much between European airports?
Pricing differences come from a mix of taxes, competition between airlines, available routes, local demand, and whether an airport serves as a major hub. These factors influence long-haul business class fares significantly.
Does the cheapest airport always offer the best deal for my destination?
No. While some airports have lower average prices, specific destinations may still be cheaper from other cities when sales or promotional fares appear. For example, Lisbon or London can become the cheapest option when a strong deal pops up, even though they do not rank among the cheapest on average.
Do lower prices mean lower business class quality?
Not necessarily. Some airlines with low fares offer lie-flat seats but provide varying service quality, while premium carriers such as Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, or ANA may cost more but deliver a far superior product. Price alone does not determine the onboard business class experience.
What factors make some airports consistently cheaper for long-haul premium flights?
Airline competition, local demand, taxes, fuel surcharges, and route availability all influence pricing. Airports with higher competition and more long-haul carriers typically offer better business class fares.
Note: All deals are personally verified and bookable directly with airlines or reputable travel partners. Prices and availability can change quickly, we never sell flights ourselves.