Refund up to £200 for missed flights available in little-known rule
The air passenger duty (APD) is a tax added to flight tickets which goes straight to HMRC.
However, the Treasury only collects the tax after your flight, so if you don't board you shouldn't have to pay.
The tax starts from £7 for domestic flights but rises all the way to £202 - and this top fee increases to £224 from April 1 2025.
Can you claim for a missed flight on travel insurance?
Most good travel insurance will cover delays that are beyond your control—for example, if your train to the airport was delayed or there was an accident on the motorway which meant you missed your flight.
But you won’t be covered if you miss your flight because you overslept or left it too late to get to the airport on time.
Read more: What can invalidate your travel insurance
There is no legal obligation for airlines to refund the APD, although most do, as set out in their terms and conditions.
However, in a set back for travellers, many airlines charge an administration fee that can be above the amount claimed, meaning it is not worth claiming.
Ryanair, for example, charges a £20 administration fee and only operates short haul routes with economy class, which have a £13 charge. However, easyJet and Jet2 don't have fees.
British Airways charges a £15 administration fee for flights cancelled before the departure time, or £30 afterwards.
The amount of APD charged is dependent on the distance travelled and the class of seat purchased.
For those on an economy ticket, they must pay up to £92 for long haul - rising to £94 on April 1.
Short haul flights - up to 2,000 miles - have a £13 charge.
Those flying from Northern Ireland or the Scottish Highlands are not charged APD.
| Distance from London | Reduced rate (economy class) | Reduced rate from April 2025 | Standard rate (business/first class) | Standard rate from April 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic band | £7 | £7 | £15 | £14 |
| Band A (0-2,000 miles) | £13 | £13 | £26 | £28 |
| Band B (2,001-5,500 miles) | £88 | £90 | £194 | £216 |
| Band C (over 5,500 miles) | £92 | £94 | £202 | £224 |
The Treasury is estimated to make £2.4 billion in 2024/25.
Campaigners and critics, such as Ryanair's Michael O'Leary, have urged the Government to scrap a rise in the duty, as it will lead to higher ticket prices and reduce passenger numbers.
Mr O'Leary said "dopey" ministers in the Treasury were "out of touch with reality" after being told the increase of £2 for short haul flights was the equivalent of 1% of the average air fare. The average Ryanair flight is £44, he said.
Hitting out at Chancellor Rachel Reeves, he told a press conference in January: "Can you please abolish APD and allow us to get on with delivering real growth?
"The UK continues to lose out on enormous growth opportunities because you have a Chancellor who hasn't a clue about how to deliver growth.
"[She] has had five years to get ready for it, and yet has managed to screw it up in her first budget. Nothing is designed to damage growth faster than increasing taxes on air travel."
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