Daily briefing

Air Passenger Duty: The Tax on Every Flight

Air Passenger Duty (APD) is charged on almost every passenger departing a UK airport. It is easy to miss when booking flights because it is often buried in the total fare.

Long-haul premium cabins pay the highest rates, while domestic flights pay a lower band — but repeated business travel still accumulates substantial annual cost.

Families booking school-holiday flights can see APD add hundreds to a single booking when travelling in higher bands.