UK holidaymakers are set to face higher costs for their trips abroad due to a new tax increase. Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed on Wednesday that Air Passenger Duty (APD), a tax applied to airlines and passengers departing from UK airports, will rise from April 1, 2026.
The rates, which are based on flight length and travel class, apply to passengers aged 16 or over on both domestic and international flights and are included in the airline ticket price. This means that passengers flying with major airlines such as easyJet, TUI, Ryanair, Jet2, and others from a UK airport may face pricier tickets when the new rates come into effect, according to the Express.
Reeves confirmed that the APD increase will add up to £2 to the cost of an economy ticket for a short-haul flight, while private jet users will see a 50% hike in APD. Currently, ADP charges are £7 for a domestic flight, £13 for a short-haul flight, and £88-£92 for a long-haul flight.
However, from 2026/27, these rates will rise by £1 for domestic flights, £2 for short-haul flights, and £12 for long-haul flights. Therefore, 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.
Private jet passengers will see their Air Passenger Duty (APD) spike by 50% in the financial year of 2026/27. For domestic or short-haul flights, APD is currently £78, with long-haul rates ranging between £581 and £607.
Private jet passengers currently face an APD rate of £78 for domestic or short-haul flights, and £581-£607 for long-haul flights, and 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’s what travellers can expect from April 1, 2026:
Domestic band
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Reduced rate (lowest class of travel) – £8
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Standard rate (other than the lowest class of travel) – £16
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Higher rate – £142
Band A (flights from 0 to 2,000 miles)
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Reduced rate – £15
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Standard rate – £32
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Higher rate – £142
Band B (flights from 2,001 to 5,500 miles)
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Reduced rate – £102
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Standard rate – £244
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Higher rate – £1,097
Band C (flights more than 5,500 miles)
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Reduced rate – £106
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Standard rate – £253
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Higher rate – £1,141
A Treasury document states that the increases will ‘help correct for below-inflation uprating in recent years’.