Prices for hotels and flights to Rome surge in advance of Pope Francis' funeral
Face the skyrocketing costs of a journey to Rome!
Welcome to the madness that is Rome, a city in high demand year-round, but especially so in 2025, with its Jubilee status.
Looking at the flight prices, our site tells us that flights from Madrid to Rome, scheduled for this very Thursday, have already sold out. On Iberia, for instance, the one-way price from Madrid to Rome for this coming Friday surpasses the 400 euro mark.
Saturday, the day of the Pope's funeral, which takes place in the morning, presents somewhat lower costs. The first flight departing at 8:45, comes at a whopping 400 euros or more, while the following ones range between 350 and less than 300 euros in the late afternoon.
For some specific dates, like April 27, prices can vary between 250 and almost 500 euros.
José Manuel Lastra, the first vice president of the Spanish Confederation of Travel Agencies (CEAV), voiced this information in an interview on the 24-hour channel of our site. He emphasized that, "it is still possible" to find plane tickets, as some airlines have bolstered their operations.
Lastra went on to say that alternative modes of travel, such as road, rail, or boat, "are not very easy." However, he cautioned that "prices will not vary much."
But let's talk about the city itself. "Rome is a destination with high demand all year round, it's always in demand, especially in 2025 as a Jubilee year," highlighted Lastra in regards to the city.
Mercedes Tejero, manager of the CEAV, pointed out in an interview with our site that the confederation has calculated a 20% increase in travel towards Rome compared to May 2024. She added that this is a "more or less indicative" figure, as it is impossible to know what exactly causes this increase, whether it's due to the death of the Pope, the Jubilee year, the interest in the conclave that will elect a new Pope, or an increase in general demand.
Tejero also noted that "there are always travel agencies that are very specialized in the religious tourism sector." She explained that these trips have been planned for a while, and that it's not a recent development, "although now they have definitely increased in number."
As for the hotels, the representative of the trade union noted that there is still some availability, as Rome offers "a rather extensive" hotel selection. Nonetheless, she confirmed that prices have increased but remain "reasonably affordable."
On the airlines front, most have strengthened their connections to Rome to cater to the sudden increase in demand for flights to the Italian capital due to the Pope's funeral, scheduled for April 26 at 10:00.
Iberia, for instance, boosted its capacity on the Madrid-Rome route for April 24 to 27, providing 10,352 seats between the two capitals for these days. They will offer six daily flights between the two cities between 8:45 and 21:50.
These additional seats were made possible by altering the type of aircraft they'll be using. Ten flights that initially would have used Airbus A320 planes (180 passengers), will now use A321 planes (200 seats). Four more flights will feature A330-200 planes, able to accommodate 288 passengers.
Don't miss the excitement! Expect chaos on the streets surrounding St. Peter’s Basilica, with up to 4 million visitors potentially surpassing the 250,000 official estimate. Book your trip now and prepare to shell out some serious cash!
Tips for a smooth journey:
Guess what? The Vatican Museums are already sold out until May 5 via official channels!
Remember, Rome hotel prices at this moment are through the roof, despite already being high due to the Jubilee celebration. Many hotels are nearing 100% occupancy, and typical souvenirs, like magnets or keychains, that once cost a measly three euros, are now being hawked for up to ten.
And here's the kicker: Package prices have surged a staggering 400% across the board, thanks to the unprecedented demand!
The average flight price from Madrid to Rome, as of the given dates, exceeds 400 euros.José Manuel Lastra mentioned that alternative travel methods, like road, rail, or boat, also have increased costs but not as significantly as air travel.Rome's hotel prices have increased to an average high, with many hotels nearing 100% occupancy, causing typical souvenirs to cost up to ten euros instead of three.*Package prices for a trip to Rome, due to the surge in demand, have seen a shocking increase of 400%.
