Published On: Thu, Oct 31st, 2024
Travel | 3,066 views

UK tourists flying to Spain, France and Greece hit with new £15 charge | UK | Travel


UK tourists flying to popular holiday destinations including Spain, France, Turkey and Greece will be hit with a new £15 charge.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that air passenger duty will rise from the 2026/27 financial year, which will mean pricier air fares for holidaymakers.

The increase was announced in Wednesday’s autumn Budget, which saw Labour raise taxes by £40 billion.

Air Passenger duty (APD) is a tax that applies to passengers departing from a UK airport, with the rates based on the length of flights and the class of travel.

In the UK, it applies to passengers aged 16 or over travelling on both domestic and international flights and was first introduced in 1994 to offset the environmental impact of air travel.

The tax is added to the price of the airline ticket and airlines then pass the fee to the government, so any hike to APD means more expensive air fares to UK tourists.

Reeves confirmed that the impending APD increase will add up to £2 to the cost of an economy ticket for a short-haul flight, while private jet users will be subject to a 50% hike in APD.

Currently, for passengers travelling in economy, ADP charges are £7 for a domestic flight, £13 for a short-haul flight, and £88-£92 for a long-haul flight.But from 2026/27, the rates will rise by £1 for domestic flights, £2 for short-haul flights and £12 for long-haul flights. 

It means that under the new rates, passengers will pay £8 for a domestic flight, £15 for short-haul flights, such as those to Spain, France and Turkey, and £100-£104 for long-haul flights. These new charges will take effect from April 1, 2026.

Meanwhile, private jet passengers currently face an APD rate of £78 for domestic or short-haul flights, and £581-£607 for long-haul flights. This is set to increase by 50% in the 2026/27 financial year.

Reeves told the Commons: “Air passenger duty has not kept up with inflation in recent years so we are introducing an adjustment, meaning an increase of no more than £2 for an economy class short-haul flight.

“But I am taking a different approach when it comes to private jets, increasing the rate of air passenger duty by a further 50%. That is equivalent to £450 per passenger for a private jet to, say, California.”

Here is a full breakdown of the new APD rates from April 1 2026 for flights in each band:

Domestic band

Band A (flights from 0 to 2,000 miles)

  • Reduced rate – £15

  • Standard rate – £32

  • Higher rate – £142

Band B (flights from 2,001 to 5,500 miles)

  • Reduced rate – £102

  • Standard rate – £244

  • Higher rate – £1,097

Band C (flights more than 5,500 miles)

  • Reduced rate – £106

  • Standard rate – £253

  • Higher rate – £1,141

A Treasury document states that the increases will “help correct for below-inflation uprating in recent years”.

But travel experts have criticised the hike as “disappointing”, saying it will make the UK “less competitive”. Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, which represents UK-registered carriers, said further increases to APD will “impact growth, directly hitting the pockets of ordinary travellers and making it harder for UK airlines to put on new routes”.

Karen Dee, chief executive of trade body AirportsUK, added: “If the government is serious about realising its aim for the UK to become the fastest growing economy in the G7, then it must recognise and champion the role that airports play in growth and international connectivity, and minimise the cost and regulatory burdens imposed.”



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