Air fares to the destination of one of the globe’s most magnificent and renowned Christmas markets have plummeted in cost. Based on Skyscanner data, flight prices to the stunning cathedral city of Cologne have fallen dramatically over the past year, reports the Mirror.
The market welcomes visitors from November 17 and continues until December 23. Currently, one-way tickets are on offer for when the market operates, departing from various UK airports, starting from just £14. Chelsea Dickenson, a travel expert with a talent for finding budget-friendly celebrations, hails Cologne’s Christmas markets as the finest available.
Not only does it offer a wealth of attractions, but it also delivers superior value for money when compared to its British equivalents.
The thrifty traveller, who provides cost-effective travel guidance on social media, recently posted on TikTok with her recommendations.
“If you haven’t booked a European Christmas market yet this year, here’s why I think you should opt for Cologne,” she began. “So last year I visited seven European Christmas markets and Cologne was my absolute favourite.”
Cologne Tourism confirms the city’s seasonal appeal, saying: “This year the Christmas markets in Cologne opened their gates around November 18, and are welcoming visitors with delicacies such as mulled wine and waffles. You can explore the many markets in the course of a mulled wine tour through the cathedral city.”
Chelsea, the brains behind Cheap Holiday Expert, detailed her magical experience at Cologne’s Christmas markets on her website.
She said: “I loved Heinzels Wintermärchen Christmas Market in Cologne’s old town, spread over the Alter Markt and Heumarkt squares.
“This is a traditional market, centred around the folk legend of household spirits, the Heinzelmännchen. As well as stalls selling incredible hand-made gifts, there are food stands, live music, artist performances and an ice rink too.”
Cologne topped Skyscanner’s list of the best value holiday destinations, combining experience and affordability among those seeing the biggest year-on-year drops in flight prices.
Over the past year flights from the UK to Cologne have dropped 44%. There are a number of reasons why fares may drop to certain destinations, including new routes opening up and more frequent services from low-cost carriers.
For example, direct routes have resumed from London Heathrow to Ottawa. Bryan Batista, CEO of Skyscanner, said: “Skyscanner’s 2026 Travel Trends report shows how travel is about to get more personal than ever.
“Whether it’s building a trip around a must-stay ‘destination hotel’, getting lost in a new favourite book on a reading retreat, incorporating a beauty routine into their travel itinerary or bringing the whole family along for the journey, travel will become more curated, grounded and unique.”
It’s important to highlight that travelling by train from the UK to Cologne is not only swift and straightforward, but also significantly less damaging to the environment compared to flying.
According to Eurostar analysis, a train journey from London to Cologne emits approximately 12.7kg of CO2 (i.e. carbon dioxide) per passenger, which is considerably less than the estimated 45kg produced by a flight covering the same route.