UK Air Passenger Duty increasing again and more in 2025

[RooFlyer]

From OMaaT:

$ quoted are USD

As of April 1, 2024, the United Kingdom will be increasing the Air Passenger Duty for many types of tickets:

The domestic economy APD will increase by £0.50, from £6.50 to £7 (~$9)
The domestic premium APD will increase by £1, from £13 to £14 (~$18)
The long haul economy APD will increase by £4, from £84 to £88 (~$112)
The long haul premium APD will increase by £9, from £185 to £194 (~$246)
The ultra long haul economy APD will increase by £1, from £91 to £92 (~$117)
The ultra long haul premium APD will increase by £2, from £200 to £202 (~$257)

but the kicker is in 2025:

Not only is the UK Air Passenger Duty increasing in 2024, but we’ve already learned the details of a new APD price hike as of April 1, 2025. This will apply specifically to premium cabin passengers:

The domestic premium APD will increase by £2, from £14 to £16 (~$20)
The short haul premium APD will increase by £2, from £26 to £28 (~$36)
The long haul premium APD will increase by £22, from £194 to £216 (~$274)
The ultra long haul premium APD will increase by £22, from £202 to £224 (~$284)

 

[clifford]

Yes, but nobody in their right mind would pay it, unless flying to Europe.

There are just so many ways around it.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Yes, but nobody in their right mind would pay it, unless flying to Europe.

There are just so many ways around it.

Other than the "catch a train to Paris/Amsterdam and fly from there"..what are the other ways around it?

 

[SYD]

Other than the "catch a train to Paris/Amsterdam and fly from there"..what are the other ways around it?

That’s it. But ANY Euro departure port will work (easy if flying home via the ME). A bit more limited via Asia.

Insuspect QF into LHR and home from CDG/FCO might become popular!

 

[jase05]

Bit of a hike but when you are paying several thousands for a fare then a $40 Increase really is insignificant.
I will still fly out of the UK as it’s usually more convenient but YMMV

 

[CaptJCool]

£224 is A$434

$ figures mentioned above are US$

 

[jb747]

How much does the train to Paris cost?

 

[SYD]

How much does the train to Paris cost?

Less than the tax (flying the short hop ironically can be cheaper) but personally I wouldn’t do either just to avoid the APD. I’d structure my travel accordingly.

eg my next trip is into MAD then London, fly to AMS and home from there after several days. BA LHR-AMS in whY was cheap.

 

[Himeno]

Other than the "catch a train to Paris/Amsterdam and fly from there"..what are the other ways around it?

Not stay in the UK for more then 24 hours. Under 24 hours counts as a connection and departing connecting passengers are exempt.
Departing the UK from the Scottish Highlands and Islands region is exempt.

Scottish Highlands defined as:

• the Highland Region, Western Isles Islands Area, Orkney Islands Area, Shetland Islands Area, Argyll and Bute District, Arran, Great coughbrae and Little coughbrae
• in the Moray District, the parishes of Aberlour, Cabrach, Dallas, cough, Edinkillie, Forres, Inveravon, Kinloss, Kirkmichael, Knockando, Mortlach, Rafford and Rothes

Departing the UK from Northern Ireland, on a direct flight to somewhere in band B or C, is exempt.

Can avoid the excessive band B or C charges by flying to mainland Europe and remaining there for more then 24 hours. You then pay the band A amount. (if you connect to the ex-EU flight (stay in mainland for less then 24 hours), then you pay for the higher band of your trip - eg LHR-xCDG-PER = band C, LHR-oCDG-PER = band A)

I have not been in the UK for more then 24 hours at a time since 2007 because of APD.

 

[Scarlett]

Is APD an ‘environmental’ tax? If so, I trust the UK Govt is using that money for direct carbon capture or other air travel emission mitigation purposes?

I do also wonder about the law of unintended consequences: introduce a tax to lessen the amount of flying = people do more flying to (CDG/AMS etc) to pay less overall.

 

[dajop]

If paying a fare it's all hidden in the fare anyway which are largely priced according to supply and demand.

It probably mainly affects those redeeming points of course.

 

[andye]

Is APD an ‘environmental’ tax? If so, I trust the UK Govt is using that money for direct carbon capture or other air travel emission mitigation purposes?

I do also wonder about the law of unintended consequences: introduce a tax to lessen the amount of flying = people do more flying to (CDG/AMS etc) to pay less overall.

Pretty sure it started as a pure revenue-raising position* (like tax on petrol) but I'm sure the environment has been used to justify increases

*at the time GBP5 to Europe and GBP10 long-haul

 

[torks]

Pretty sure the justification this time is that it helps repair the UK budget!

 

[Himeno]

Is APD an ‘environmental’ tax? If so, I trust the UK Govt is using that money for direct carbon capture or other air travel emission mitigation purposes?

They claim that. It goes into the general revenue bucket. It isn't kept aside for any sort of environmental program.

 

[Brissy1]

Not stay in the UK for more then 24 hours. Under 24 hours counts as a connection and departing connecting passengers are exempt.
Departing the UK from the Scottish Highlands and Islands region is exempt.

Scottish Highlands defined as:

• the Highland Region, Western Isles Islands Area, Orkney Islands Area, Shetland Islands Area, Argyll and Bute District, Arran, Great coughbrae and Little coughbrae
• in the Moray District, the parishes of Aberlour, Cabrach, Dallas, cough, Edinkillie, Forres, Inveravon, Kinloss, Kirkmichael, Knockando, Mortlach, Rafford and Rothes

Departing the UK from Northern Ireland, on a direct flight to somewhere in band B or C, is exempt.

Can avoid the excessive band B or C charges by flying to mainland Europe and remaining there for more then 24 hours. You then pay the band A amount. (if you connect to the ex-EU flight (stay in mainland for less then 24 hours), then you pay for the higher band of your trip - eg LHR-xCDG-PER = band C, LHR-oCDG-PER = band A)

I have not been in the UK for more then 24 hours at a time since 2007 because of APD.

Free stopover accommodation in IST. Check the T&Cs (eg."Stopover Accommodation Service is available for round-trip tickets and passengers' outbound and inbound flights need to be on the same ticket" et al.).
Curiously for dates I was looking at, LHR-MEL (various transfer times in IST up to 20 hours) was dearer than 2 bookings LHR-IST then IST-MEL even accounting for the extra UK APD charge in the single booking.

https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-int/flights/stopover/index.html?https://www_turkishairlines_com/en/flights-from-melbourne-1&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA_5WvBhBAEiwAZtCU75nnksRuFMEyFZl4My-GSBf_BvCQycoQ_58zdSGc1qhu5A1eROaiqhoCW8cQAvD_BwE

 

[CaptJCool]

The labyrinth of airfare pricing
Aside the APD being cheaper because IST is a short hop than say SIN
The stopover probably saw Another day fare ex-IST Being available cheaper than the straight through day (as fares compete on popularity)

 

[SeatBackForward]

Not stay in the UK for more then 24 hours. Under 24 hours counts as a connection and departing connecting passengers are exempt.
Departing the UK from the Scottish Highlands and Islands region is exempt.

Scottish Highlands defined as:

• the Highland Region, Western Isles Islands Area, Orkney Islands Area, Shetland Islands Area, Argyll and Bute District, Arran, Great coughbrae and Little coughbrae
• in the Moray District, the parishes of Aberlour, Cabrach, Dallas, cough, Edinkillie, Forres, Inveravon, Kinloss, Kirkmichael, Knockando, Mortlach, Rafford and Rothes

Departing the UK from Northern Ireland, on a direct flight to somewhere in band B or C, is exempt.

Can avoid the excessive band B or C charges by flying to mainland Europe and remaining there for more then 24 hours. You then pay the band A amount. (if you connect to the ex-EU flight (stay in mainland for less then 24 hours), then you pay for the higher band of your trip - eg LHR-xCDG-PER = band C, LHR-oCDG-PER = band A)

I have not been in the UK for more then 24 hours at a time since 2007 because of APD.

Less than the tax (flying the short hop ironically can be cheaper) but personally I wouldn’t do either just to avoid the APD. I’d structure my travel accordingly.

eg my next trip is into MAD then London, fly to AMS and home from there after several days. BA LHR-AMS in whY was cheap.

Good methods, but there's a time cost involved in both of them also.

 

[SYD]

Good methods, but there's a time cost involved in both of them also.

Yes, if you’re flexible then plenty of workarounds. Anyone just going to the UK and time poor, it’s a little harder. Although I need to look at the cost benefit of a HEL stopover on the way home on an AY fare!

 

[CaptJCool]

budget day in the UK

50% increase in air passenger duty for private jets​

There will be a small increase of no more than £2 for economy, short-haul flights.


Making a joke about Rishi Sunak, Reeves says this would be the equivalent of £450 per passenger for a flight to California.

Rachel Reeves mocks Rishi Sunak while slapping huge tax on private jets

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has increased Air Passenger Duty in her first Budget. Before the Budget, APD ranged from £7 for a domestic flight in economy class to £202 in a premium cabin to a far away destination in Asia or South America, for example. The majority of travellers pay £13 for a flight...

www.mirror.co.uk

Air Passenger Duty: rates from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026

www.gov.uk

Air Passenger Duty: rates from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027

www.gov.uk

 

[SydneySwan]

budget day in the UK

50% increase in air passenger duty for private jets​

There will be a small increase of no more than £2 for economy, short-haul flights.


Making a joke about Rishi Sunak, Reeves says this would be the equivalent of £450 per passenger for a flight to California.

Rachel Reeves mocks Rishi Sunak while slapping huge tax on private jets

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has increased Air Passenger Duty in her first Budget. Before the Budget, APD ranged from £7 for a domestic flight in economy class to £202 in a premium cabin to a far away destination in Asia or South America, for example. The majority of travellers pay £13 for a flight...

www.mirror.co.uk

Air Passenger Duty: rates from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026

www.gov.uk

Air Passenger Duty: rates from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027

www.gov.uk

Yet more reasons to depart from used to be called London's third airport - Schiphol!. I make a point of flying into the UK then catching Eurostar (no APD) and departing from the European mainland. In any case it is a much more pleasant way of leaving the UK than departing from LHR.