UK Air Passenger Duty: How to Avoid Paying Hundreds

UK Air Passenger Duty: How to Avoid Paying Hundreds
There are different APD rates for short-haul and long-haul flights departing from the UK. Photo: British Airways.

If you’ve ever booked a flight that departs the UK, you may have noticed that there’s a rather hefty departure tax that you need to pay on both commercial and award bookings. This is called the UK Air Passenger Duty (APD).

The UK APD adds up to £200 (~AU$373) to the cost of your ticket! Luckily there are a few ways to avoid paying the expensive Air Passenger Duty, which is included in the airfare paid to the airline.

The exact rate depends on the distance you’re travelling from the UK and your class of travel. The rates for short-haul international flights are £13 (~AU$24) per Economy passenger and £26 (~AU$48) for passengers in any higher class of travel (i.e. Premium Economy, Business or First class). There is also a much higher rate that applies to private jets, although a discounted rate is charged on domestic flights.

The UK Air Passenger Duty was first introduced in 1994. The UK government claims that the tax is designed to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment. Critics say that the tax is merely revenue raising, noting that the efficiency of the aircraft is not taken into account and that proceeds from the tax do not actually contribute to environmental projects.

APD changes from 1 April 2023

Previously, routes were split into short-haul or long-haul for the purpose of calculating the APD. But from 1 April 2023, the UK government has created two new zones. There are now four destination bands:

  • Domestic
  • Band A (previously categorised as “short-haul”)
  • Band B (medium to long-haul flights)
  • Band C (ultra long-haul flights)

Band A (short-haul flights) are defined as travel from the UK to a country whose capital city is less than 2,000 miles from London. This includes travel to all countries in Europe, as well as northern Africa, Turkey, Greenland and western Russia.

Band B destinations are countries whose capital city is between 2,000 and 5,500 miles from London. This includes countries such as the United States, Canada, UAE, Qatar, China, India and Egypt.

Band C destinations are countries with a capital city more than 5,500 miles away from London including South Africa, Japan, Singapore and (obviously) Australia.

From 1 April 2023, the UK government has also increased the duty payable to Band B and Band C destinations. For example, the tax on an Economy Class flight from London to Perth has gone up from £84 (~AU$157) to £91 (~AU$170).

The rates will increase again on 1 April 2024, as they have done every year in recent history.

Current Air Passenger Duty rates

Here is a summary of the Air Passenger Duty rates as of 1 April 2023:

EconomyPremium cabins
UK Domestic£6.50£13
Band A (short-haul)£13£26
Band B (medium to long-haul)£87£191
Band C (ultra long-haul)£91£200

How to avoid paying the UK Air Passenger Duty

The UK Air Passenger Duty can quickly add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars, especially if you’re travelling as a family. So, how can you avoid paying this tax?

Firstly, the tax only applies to international flights departing the United Kingdom. There is no charge to arrive in the UK. So, if you’d like to include a visit to the UK on your European holiday, you should consider starting rather than ending there. Returning to Australia from outside of the UK will ensure you don’t pay hundreds of dollars in unnecessary taxes.

Even if you’re planning to visit only the UK, the cost of a Eurostar ticket to Paris or Brussels is often lower than the Air Passenger Duty for a long-haul flight!

Eurostar train London
Taking a Eurostar train to Brussels or Paris, and flying from there, can save you a lot of money. Photo: Matt Graham.

If you specifically wish to take a flight that departs the UK, there is a loophole. Passengers that are in transit in the UK for less than 24 hours do not need to pay the Air Passenger Duty. For example, you could fly from Paris to London, spend a night in London, and then fly out of London the next day. You won’t pay the Air Passenger Duty as long as your layover is under 24 hours and you’re travelling on a single ticket.

There is an exemption for children under the age of 16 that are flying in Economy, who do not need to pay this tax. This exemption does not apply to children flying in a premium cabin.

Another exemption applies to long-haul flights departing Northern Ireland. Flights departing from Jersey or Inverness are exempt from the APD as well.

The Scottish government had previously proposed to replace the Air Passenger Duty applicable to flights departing Scotland with a lower “Air Departure Tax”, but progress on this has stalled.

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 70 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include economics, aviation & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.
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Wow - as if the APD isn't already high enough!

Reply 6 Likes

Will make the old trick of flying out of the continent even more important!

Reply 3 Likes

Will make the old trick of flying out of the continent even more important!

Yes, but domestic flight taxes have been halved. INV here I come!

And the long haul APD has only gone up by a token amount, but yes, fly out of continental Euope of course.

Reply 1 Like

wow - £601 for departures to Australia o_O

Reply Like

I thought Boris was trying to cosy up to Australia and New Zealand and make us forget how the UK happily shafted our economies in the 1970's when it joined the EEC, as was. I have been ambivalent about re-visiting there for years and this fee certainly doesn't encourage me to change my mind. I assume airlines will rapidly find a way to encourage arrivals in the UK and departures via the continent - or maybe we all fly via Eire?

Reply 2 Likes

wow - £601 for departures to Australia o_O

Although I don’t think that will affect too many (any?) AFF’ers. How many of us fly to/from the UK on private jets? (Applies on > 20t jets with less than 19 seats).

Reply 1 Like

Although I don’t think that will affect too many (any?) AFF’ers. How many of us fly to/from the UK on private jets? (Applies on > 20t jets with less than 19 seats).

ohhhh :oops:

Reply Like

And people ask why I fly out of EU instead of LHR...

Reply 2 Likes

And people ask why I fly out of EU instead of LHR...

Excellent strategy. High taxes like this are self-defeating. Boris must have received some very misguided advice, and was stupid enough to accept and implement it.

Reply Like

Excellent strategy. High taxes like this are self-defeating. Boris must have received some very misguided advice, and was stupid enough to accept and implement it.

Agreed. Considering it's quite easy to hop on the Eurostar, then switch at Gare du Nord to CDG and get there in ~3 hours for under 60 euro if you book far enough in advance, it can save quite a bit of APD for not much time.

Heathrow Express is 25 quid too!

Reply 2 Likes