UK Departure Taxes Just Went Up—Here’s What That Means for Nonrevs

If you're planning to fly out of the UK anytime soon, prepare for a slightly more expensive farewell. As of April 1, 2025, the UK government officially increased its Air Passenger Duty (APD)—a tax applied to passengers departing from UK airports.

While this fee is typically baked into revenue tickets, it can also affect airline employees traveling on ID90, ZED, or other nonrev tickets, especially if you end up in a premium cabin.

And spoiler: the premium cabin rates are not cheap.

The New APD Rates (2025–2026)

Here’s what’s now being charged, per passenger, depending on cabin and distance:

• Domestic Flights (UK only)

  • Economy: £7

  • Premium cabin: £14

• Short Haul (0–2,000 miles)

  • Economy: £13

  • Premium cabin: £28

• Medium Haul (2,001–5,500 miles)

  • Economy: £90

  • Premium cabin: £216

• Long Haul (5,501+ miles)

  • Economy: £94

  • Premium cabin: £224

These are per leg taxes and are charged by the UK government. Whether or not it’s collected at listing depends on your airline, your pass agreement, and whether you’re traveling in economy or a higher cabin.

What This Means for Airline Staff

If you're nonrevving out of London, Manchester, or any major UK hub, you'll want to be strategic—especially if you’re chasing premium seats.

A few key takeaways:

• Premium cabin perks come with premium taxes. Flying long-haul in business or first will now cost over £200 in APD alone. Ouch.

• Economy is much cheaper. If you can live without lie-flat, you’ll save more than £100+ by sticking to coach.

• UK layovers under 24 hours? Good news—APD typically doesn't apply to connecting passengers with short stopovers.

• Flying from Inverness (INV)? That airport is exempt from APD entirely. Scotland for the win.

• Consider alternate departure points. If you’re already in Europe, starting your trip or connecting back home through an alternative airport like DUB, BRU or AMS could save you serious cash.

The Bottom Line

The UK’s APD increase isn’t exactly surprising—it’s adjusted nearly every year—but this latest hike especially affects nonrev travelers scoring premium seats. And since we already play airfare roulette, there's no reason to add a £200 tax bill to the game.

When in doubt? Check with your airline’s travel desk or ZED fare portal to see if APD will be collected. And maybe—just maybe—sit this one out in coach.