Long-haul flights to popular holiday destinations including Australia, Thailand, Mexico and Japan will be hit with new £253 charges from April.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed new Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates from next month, which are likely to have a knock-on effect on air fares, leading to higher ticket prices for passengers. APD is a tax paid by airline operators to HMRC for passengers departing from UK airports, and the rates vary depending on flight duration and class of travel. The tax, introduced in 1994 to offset the environmental impact of air travel, applies to passengers aged 16 and over travelling on domestic and international flights.

While the tax is paid by airline operators, ticket prices usually include a charge to cover this cost, and airlines then pass the fee to HMRC, so any hike to APD typically means more expensive air fares for UK passengers.

The new APD rates from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, have been confirmed by HMRC and vary in cost from £8 per person up to £1,141.

Economy passengers pay a lower APD rate, with business and first class passengers incurring higher charges, but the fee varies based on where you’re flying.

The flight taxes are divided into four bands, with the cheapest being domestic flights and those that fall into Band A, but for long-haul flights of more than 5,500 miles, the charges are much more expensive.

For flights from the UK that fall into this category, economy rates are rising from £224 to £253, while premium rates are going up from £674 to £1,141, meaning higher costs to visit the likes of Australia, Thailand, Mexico and Japan, among other faraway destinations

For travel to other long-haul destinations between 2,001 and 5,500 miles from the UK, economy rates are rising from £216 to £244 from April, while those in higher classes will pay £1,097 instead of £647. These charges will apply to flights to destinations including the USA, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Arab Emirates and India, among others.

On the cheaper end, domestic flight charges for economy class are rising from £14 to £16 from April, while business class rates will go up from £84 to £142.

As for flights between zero and 2,000 miles, which would include all of Europe and the majority of North Africa, economy rates will rise from £28 to £32 from April, while those flying business, first or premium economy will see rates go up from £84 to £142. Travel to popular holiday destinations like Spain, France, Portugal, Italy and Greece would all fall into this category.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicts the latest increase will generate £5.2 billion for the exchequer by 2027, compared to £4.6 billion this year.

Here is a full breakdown of the new APD rates from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, for flights in each band:

Domestic band

• Reduced rate (lowest class of travel) – £8
• Standard rate (other than the lowest class of travel) – £16
• Higher rate – £142

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