London Airports: Navigating Tax-Free Strategies For Travelers

London is a great city and a wonderful destination for all ages. However, flying in and out of London means paying high airport taxes and airline-imposed surcharges. The UK's Air Passenger Duty (APD) is levied on any flights that originate in the UK, and it's one of the most expensive departure taxes in the world. This, coupled with the fact that British Airways is one of the worst offenders when it comes to passing surcharges, can make flying to and from London extremely expensive.

So, how can you avoid these taxes and fees? Unfortunately, there's no way to avoid all fees when departing from London, but there are strategies to minimise the damage to your wallet.

One way is to reposition to another city outside the UK. For example, you could fly from Inverness or Jersey, which are exempt from the APD, or from Belfast, where the APD is lower for European travel. Alternatively, you could take a train to an airport that doesn't charge fees, such as Paris or Brussels, and fly from there.

Another strategy is to avoid British Airways altogether, as they add hefty fuel surcharges to any award tickets. Instead, consider flying with a US airline, as they don't pass on any surcharges.

With a bit of creativity and flexibility, you can significantly reduce the taxes and fees associated with flying to and from London.

Fly with a US airline

Flying with a US airline

Flying with a US airline is a great way to save money when travelling to London. While you still have to pay the U.K. Air Passenger Duty when departing London, you can save a lot of money by choosing a U.S. carrier because, unlike British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, U.S. airlines don't pass on any surcharges.

For example, if you fly from the U.S. to London on United Airlines, you'll pay just $5.60. American Airlines also operates non-stop flights between the U.S. and London, and you'll pay the same $5.60, even if you fly in first class.

So, if you book a flight operated by American Airlines, you'll pay the Air Passenger Duty, airport taxes and fees. In comparison, a flight operated by British Airways will add hundreds of dollars of its own surcharges.

Other ways to save money

As well as flying with a U.S. airline, there are other ways to save money on taxes and fees when flying to and from London:

• Depart from another airport: Flying home from Dublin or another location in the U.K. will be easier on the wallet because surcharges are a fraction of what you'll pay for London departures.
• Use a program that allows stopovers: United’s Excursionist Perk is available on round-trip awards, but other programs like Aeroplan allow stopovers on one-way bookings for just 5,000 extra points.

Depart from another airport

Departing from Another Airport

Departing from an airport outside of the UK is one of the most effective ways to avoid London's high airport taxes. Here are some alternative airports to consider:

Dublin, Ireland (DUB)

Flying home from Dublin Airport can save you a lot of money, as surcharges are significantly lower than those at London airports. For example, if you have a round-trip flight to London booked with United Airlines, you can take advantage of their Excursionist Perk, which allows you to fly between London and Dublin for zero miles, paying only the modest taxes. Even if you're not using United miles or booking a round-trip, Dublin is still a cost-effective option due to the availability of cheap flights between London and Ireland. Additionally, Dublin Airport has a U.S. preclearance facility, allowing you to go through customs and immigration in Dublin, so your flight from Dublin will be treated as a domestic arrival when you land in the U.S.

Manchester, England (MAN)

Consider flying from Manchester Airport with Singapore Airlines' fifth freedom route. You'll need fewer miles for an economy seat (25,000 KrisFlyer miles per direction) and will pay lower surcharges of around £116. While business class surcharges are higher, they are still much more affordable than flying from London's Heathrow or Gatwick airports.

Inverness, Scotland (INV)

Airports in the Scottish Highlands region, such as Inverness Airport, are exempt from the Air Passenger Duty. From Inverness, you can find nonstop flights to Amsterdam (AMS) operated by KLM, where you can easily connect to flights to the U.S. The surcharges for a one-way award flight in economy are approximately $120, and around $270 for business class.

Belfast, Northern Ireland (BFS)

Belfast is another option for avoiding high departure taxes. The Air Passenger Duty (APD) for flights departing from Belfast to another European city is significantly lower, reducing the total tax you pay. However, you may need to book a hotel if you can't make a tight connection on Ryanair or easyJet from London to your European destination. Keep in mind that there are no nonstop flights to the U.S. from Belfast, so you'll need to be creative with your connections.

When considering these alternative airports, it's important to factor in the additional time and expenses associated with travelling to a different airport and booking additional flights.

Avoid British Airways

British Airways is one of the worst airlines when it comes to passing on surcharges. When booking an award ticket to and from London with British Airways Avios, you'll have to pay hundreds of dollars in surcharges, for both economy and business class awards.

One way to avoid these fees is to fly with a US airline. US airlines don't pass on any surcharges, unlike British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. For example, you'll pay just $5.60 flying from the US to London on United Airlines, and the same amount on American Airlines, even if you fly first class.

If you want to avoid the UK's Air Passenger Duty (APD) altogether, you could depart from an airport outside of the UK. For example, you could fly from Dublin, where surcharges are a fraction of what you'll pay for London departures. Alternatively, you could fly from an airport in the Scottish Highlands, which are exempt from the APD. Inverness Airport, for example, has non-stop flights to Amsterdam, where you can connect onwards to the US.

If you want to stick with British Airways, you can use Avios points to book flights on partner airlines, such as American Airlines. This will allow you to avoid some of the taxes and fees associated with flying directly with British Airways.

Use a program that allows stopovers

Using a program that allows a free or inexpensive stopover is a good option to avoid London airport taxes. This option also allows you to explore a different destination.

United’s Excursionist Perk is available on round-trip awards only, but other programs allow stopovers on one-way bookings. For example, Aeroplan allows stopovers on one-way awards for just 5,000 extra points, so you can fly from London to Frankfurt (stopover) and then to the U.S. Because the Air Passenger Duty is much lower on short-haul flights, you’ll shave off a couple of hundred dollars and get to visit another country.

When you’re departing from a different airport, you might save on taxes and fees, but it’s important to do the math and see if you’re indeed saving enough money to come out ahead.

• You’ll need to allow for extra time, so if your trip is a short one, that might not work. Consider the time you’ll need to fly or take a train to a different city, time to get to and from the airport, time spent on trains, etc.
• Do the math carefully and see if you’re still saving money. If you were planning to add Dublin to your London trip anyway, flying home from Dublin will be cheaper than flying from London. But if you’re doing it just to save on the U.K. departure taxes, take into account the costs associated with transportation to and from the airports, hotels, and other expenses.
• If you’re planning to do everything in one day, you’ll need to make sure there’s enough time between the flight from London to another airport and your flight back to the U.S. If you’re traveling on a separate ticket and the first flight gets delayed, you might miss your flight home and the airline doesn’t have to accommodate you because you’re flying on two separate reservations.

Fly from Inverness or Jersey

If you're looking to avoid London airport taxes, flying from Inverness or Jersey is a great option. Airports in the Scottish Highlands region, like Inverness, are exempt from the Air Passenger Duty (APD) tax. Inverness Airport has nonstop flights to Amsterdam (AMS) operated by KLM, where you can connect to the US. You'll pay about $120 in surcharges for a one-way award in economy and about $270 for a one-way award in business class.

Jersey, on the other hand, is not subject to British APD. However, it's important to note that flying from Jersey may only be a feasible option if you're already in the south of England.

By choosing to fly from Inverness or Jersey, you can take advantage of lower taxes and surcharges compared to departing from London. This strategy can help you save a significant amount of money on your travel expenses.

Additionally, consider using a US airline for your return trip to the US, as they typically don't pass on any surcharges, unlike British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

Frequently asked questions