Australians to pay almost $500 in UK ‘flight tax’
An increase in the UK’s Air Passenger Duty rate will further boost the cost of airfares.
By Staff Writers, March 20 2026
Airfares from the UK to Australia are set to soar even higher next month, when the Air Passenger Duty – a controversial ‘departure tax’ imposed by the British government on all flights – takes another hike.
As of 1 April 2026 the APD will represent anywhere from $200 to almost $500 of the cost of the long-range flights from the UK.
The tax, which is calculated by both distance and which class passengers travel in, is lowest on domestic flights between two airports in the UK, but quickly rises for overseas trips.
The levy is increasing by a maximum of 15% per person aged over 16, and is forecast to generate a staggering £5.2 billion for the government coffers in 2027.
New APD rates for 2026-2027
Flights of over 5,500 miles from the UK – which includes destinations such as Australia, New Zealand and Asia – will carry an APD of £106 ($200) for passengers in economy, up from £94 ($177) today.
That same ‘reduced economy’ rate applies to premium economy cabins with a seat pitch less than 40 inches; this covers a handful of airlines including Qantas, British Airways and Singapore Airlines.
Cabins with a seat pitch of 40 inches or more will be taxed at the APD ‘standard rate’ of £253 ($477), up from the current £244 ($460).
This of course covers business and first class, but also encompasses more spacious premium economy seats, such as those of Cathay Pacific and Emirates.
(It will also apply to Qantas’ roomier Airbus A350 premium economy on those non-stop Project Sunrise flights from London to Sydney and Melbourne.)
A higher APD tier – unimaginatively called ‘the higher rate’ – applies to private jets and spans from £142 to £1,141 depending on the distance of the flight.
APD rates for the UK and Europe
If you’re darting around the UK, economy tickets will have an APD of £8, with £16 in business class – although with BA’s Club Europe business class being the same seat and pitch as economy, stumping up for the £16 APD will be prety rare.
For flights up to 2,000 miles, which covers pretty much all of Europe, the respective rates are £15 for economy as well as premium economy below a 40" pitch (which includes most ‘EuroBusiness’ offerings) and £32 for seats with a pitch of 40" or higher.
The Air Passenger Duty was introduced in 1994 as an ostensible airline-wide fuel tax of a modest £5-10, depending on distance, and has been climbing ever since.
Although initially promoted as a “green tax”, with revenues to help offset carbon emissions from aviation, it has since become yet another mechanism to bolster general government revenue.
Some canny travellers plan their trip to avoid the APD sting entirely by flying into the UK, but flying out of a nearby European port such as Paris.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Aug 2011
Total posts 169
This is bonkers stuff and there was plenty of advice opposing this to the UK Government, but it wants the money. You'll struggle to find ANY Eurobusiness class even closely approximating 40 inches of seat pitch, since they are just economy seats with the middle seat blocked, meanwhile, the losers are those flying JAL and EVA with 42 seat pitch in premium economy paying the same APD as in first class.
01 Dec 2012
Total posts 89
Added to other Heathrow premiums, the APD makes it most worthwhile for Qantas 787 flyers to depart Paris rather than London back to Perth. Last time we covered a Eurostar ride plus a nice Paris hotel and were still well ahead.
07 May 2015
Total posts 76
"Fly into London, fly out from Paris" is a great way to beat this, I think Qantas actually has that very deal available. And you don't even need to fly to Paris although the APD for that is pretty low, you can take the Eurostar.
23 Apr 2015
Total posts 28
Not as well known but you don’t need to leave the UK to avoid the APD…. Simply depart out of Inverness (and other regional Scottish airports), Belfast (or Dublin, albeit not in the UK) and you’ll still save as these airports are not subject to the charge. You can still connect in London and not be subject to the fee. E.g. fly BA INV to LHR, QF LHR > SIN > SYD
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
24 Feb 2015
Total posts 9
It's our duty to dodge this stupid tax. Then eventually the dark state in London might get the message.
01 Apr 2022
Total posts 7
This is just nuts. From now on, if I want to go to the UK, I'm going through Paris to catch the Eurostar. But to be honest, I'm avoiding the UK as much as possible these days.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1036
APD is *the* reason I haven't had a stopover in the UK since 2009. I've had connections and short day trips, but nothing that will trigger an APD payment.
17 Nov 2023
Total posts 72
Always fly out of FRA, CDG or anywhere that's not in the U.K. The very reasonable Eurostar prices make it a no brainer.
15 Mar 2016
Total posts 19
Yet another reason to avoid miserable UK airports. Amsterdam works well with plenty of connections and direct Eurostar trains to London. Should be even better since new Eurostar terminal opened at Amsterdam - used to be very congested in the waiting area.
30 Mar 2022
Total posts 4
Yet another reason to avoid flying into the UK...unless its for business you can't complete elsewhere. What are they thinking?!?
19 Sep 2017
Total posts 17
are long haul flights depart empty from UK? Apparently not. So there are enough people don’t mind paying APD. I will keep adding side trip/ stopover with my UK trip. Return from Spain Italy and Switzerland is much better value.
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