Air Passenger Duty (APD) adds £8 to £32 to the price of most flights from Bristol Airport, depending on your destination and class of travel, and it's already built into the ticket price you pay. For a UK domestic flight in economy, APD is £8.00 (2026 rate); for a European or North African short-haul flight, the band most Bristol departures fall into, it's £15.00 in economy. You don't pay it separately at the airport. Rates and bands confirmed against HM Revenue & Customs' own published tables, checked 15 November 2026.
What is Air Passenger Duty?
APD is a UK excise duty that airlines pay for every passenger flying from a UK airport, and it's passed on to you inside the ticket price rather than charged at check-in or security. It applies to every airline flying out of Bristol, UK and foreign carriers alike, and it is separate from VAT, since flights themselves aren't subject to VAT in the UK.
How much is APD on a Bristol Airport flight?
The amount depends on two things: how far your final destination is from London, and what class of travel you book. HMRC groups destinations into four bands:
| Band | Destination | Example from Bristol |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | Bristol to Glasgow, Belfast |
| Band A | 0 to 2,000 miles from London | Bristol to Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Morocco |
| Band B | 2,001 to 5,500 miles from London | Bristol to much of the Middle East, parts of Asia |
| Band C | Over 5,500 miles from London | Long-haul destinations beyond Band B |
Current 2026 rates (in force since 1 April 2026), per passenger:
| Band | Reduced rate (economy) | Standard rate (premium economy, business, first) | Higher rate (private jets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | £8.00 | £16.00 | £142.00 |
| Band A | £15.00 | £32.00 | £142.00 |
Most Bristol Airport departures are short-haul European routes, which fall into Band A, so the typical APD on an economy ticket out of Bristol is £15.00, rising to £32.00 if you've booked a premium economy or business fare on an airline that offers one. Domestic flights from Bristol, such as to Glasgow or Belfast, carry the lower £8.00 rate in economy. Bristol has very limited Band B or C long-haul departures, so most travellers from Bristol will only ever see the Domestic or Band A rate.
Why does the rate depend on cabin class, not just distance?
HMRC charges a higher "standard rate" for any cabin other than the lowest class of travel the airline offers on that flight, regardless of what the airline calls it. If the lowest class available has fewer than 94cm of seat pitch, or includes extras like fully flat seating, it can be reclassified as premium, which pushes the duty into the standard rate band even if you think of your ticket as "economy".
Who is exempt from APD?
- Children under 16 are generally exempt in the lowest class of travel, following rules introduced in 2015 and 2016.
- Transit passengers connecting through a UK airport within a set time window, rather than starting or ending their journey there, don't pay APD on that leg.
- The Scottish Highlands and Islands region and long-haul flights departing Northern Ireland have separate exemptions or reduced treatment, though these don't apply to flights departing Bristol.
Can I get an APD refund if I don't fly?
Yes. If you cancel and don't take your flight, you can ask your airline for a refund of the APD portion of your fare, though the airline may charge an administration fee to process it. Contact your airline directly rather than HMRC, since airlines collect and remit the duty on your behalf.
Is APD rising?
APD rates are reviewed and typically increased each April. The 2026 rates in the tables above took effect on 1 April 2026; the UK government has already confirmed further increases from 1 April 2027, in line with a pattern of annual rises since the duty was introduced in 1994. If you're booking a flight from Bristol for travel after April 2027, check HMRC's current rates before assuming the 2026 figures above still apply, since this is one of the few UK taxes that moves on a fixed annual schedule.
How is this different from duty-free shopping?
APD is a tax on your ticket, charged by HMRC through the airline, and has nothing to do with the duty-free allowance for goods you buy or bring back into the UK. If you're looking for what you can buy or bring home duty-free, see our Bristol duty-free guide and duty-free allowance guide instead.