Buzz
For those in the travel blogging community seeking the most affordable flights, there are a few proven tricks to keep costs down. For instance, flying with one-way tickets and steering clear of high-cost airports, such as Heathrow in London, can save you a significant amount.
Why should you avoid departing from London? It’s all about the additional taxes and fees imposed at certain airports, particularly the Air Passenger Duty (APD), a passenger tax levied on travelers flying out of the U.K. This tax is the highest of its kind worldwide. As Condé Nast Traveler highlights:
As of April 1, 2018, the tax for long-haul flights increased from £75 ($105) to £78 ($110) for economy class, and from £150 ($211) to £156 ($220) for premium classes. Shorter flights aren’t exempt either; passengers on these routes face an additional £13 ($18) APD, a rate unchanged on April 1. Even award tickets, purchased with accumulated frequent flyer miles, are still subject to this APD.
When reviewing your ticket receipt, you’ll notice similar taxes being applied in cities like Frankfurt, Paris, and Nice.
Travelers flying out of France's busiest airports, including
Paris
Charles de Gaulle and
Nice
, are required to pay a €35 ($42)
Taxe sur les Nuisances Sonores Aériennes
(TNSA)
to offset aircraft noise. In Australia, there is a 60 AUD ($46) 'Passenger Movement Charge' (PMC), while Germany imposes the complex
Luftverkehrsabgabe
air transport tax of 40 EUR ($49) per passenger on long-haul flights.
You can view a detailed breakdown of these taxes globally here.
If possible, a cost-effective way to travel through Europe is to 'fly into one European country, then take a short train ride to a neighboring country [without a passenger tax], spend a few days exploring, and then fly out at a lower cost,' as I mentioned earlier, taking advantage of lower one-way ticket prices. For the most affordable destinations, check out Google Flights, which allows you to add nearby airports in your search.
