Cheaper flights via Europe

Travel advice: UK flight departures will be more expensive, when hit by changes in Air Passenger Duty. Costing tips: Long-haul passengers, will book cheaper flights via European hubs to save upto £300 on APD tax alone. Which is a considerable saving…

Under the chancellor’s new ADP regime, anyone choosing to fly long-haul will really feel the pinch on direct UK departures.

“As a result, there will be cheaper flights via Europe and the hubs of Paris Amsterdam Berlin for eg, will be much more attractive – for example a family of four will be able to save up to £292 from November 2010.”

To demonstrate the flight savings, Cheaperholidays.com have issued the following examples as a comparison:

London to Cancun, Mexico (4954 miles) will be in new APD Band C, costing £50 per person in 2009, £75 in 2010.

Fly via European hub for example (London Stansted-Dusseldorf-Cancun) and passengers will pay only APD on the London-Dusseldorf leg (Band A under 2,000 miles) of £11 per person in 2009, £12 in 2010.

This will save passengers £39 per person in 2009 and £63 per person in 2010.

London to Phuket, Thailand (6,150 miles) will be in the new APD Band D, costing £55 per person in 2009, £85 in 2010.

Fly via European hub (London Stansted-Dusseldorf-Phuket) and only pay APD on London-Dusseldorf leg (Band A under 2,000 miles) for £11 per person in 2009, £12 in 2010.

This will save passengers £44 per person in 2009 and £73 per person in 2010.