Flights to popular holiday hotspots across Europe, including Spain, France, Portugal and Greece, will be hit with a new £32 charge from today.

As of Wednesday, April 1, Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates have increased and this is likely to have a knock-on effect for air fares, meaning pricier tickets for passengers. APD is a tax paid by airline operators to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for passengers departing from UK airports, with the rates varying depending on the length of flights and the class of travel. 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.

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 will apply from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, and depending on where you’re travelling to and what class you’re travelling in, the rates vary between £8 to and £1,141 per person.

Economy passengers will pay the least APD, with business and first class passengers brunting the higher charges, but of course the fee will vary based on how far you’re flying.

The flight taxes are divided into four bands, with the cheapest being domestic flights and those that fall into Band A. Domestic flight charges for economy class have gone up from £14 to £16 as of April 1, while business class rates have increased from £84 to £142.

Band A covers flights from zero to 2,000 miles, which would include all of Europe and the majority of North Africa, so travel to Spain, France, Portugal and Greece, among other popular European hotspots, would fall into this category.

Economy passengers travelling to Band A destinations have been hit with a £4 increase, with rates going up from £28 to £32 from April 1, while rates for those flying business, first or premium economy have gone up from £84 to £142.

Band B covers flights between 2,001 to 5,500 miles which would include destinations such as the USA, Canada, United Arab Emirates and India.

Rates for economy passengers travelling to Band B destinations have gone up from £216 to £244 , while rates for higher classes have increased to £1,097, up from £647.

Band C applies to destinations over 5,500 miles from the UK, such as Australia, New Zealand and Thailand, with economy rates now up from £224 to £253, and premium rates up from £674 to £1,141.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicts the latest increases 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