The Norwich airport tax is a £10 development fee charged to every departing passenger aged 16 or over at Norwich International Airport. Since 1 January 2026, airlines and tour operators collect it on the airport’s behalf, so it’s rolled into your booking or added at check-in rather than paid separately at a terminal kiosk.1Norwich Airport. Passenger Information
How Much You Pay and Who Is Exempt
The fee is a flat £10 per departing passenger. It applies to both scheduled commercial flights and seasonal charter services. Children under 16 are exempt, so a family only pays for the adults travelling.1Norwich Airport. Passenger Information
Arriving passengers don’t pay anything. The charge only applies when you leave from Norwich.
How the Fee Is Collected Now
From 1 January 2026, all airlines and tour operators flying out of Norwich collect the development fee directly on the airport’s behalf.1Norwich Airport. Passenger Information In practice, the £10 either sits inside your ticket price or is added when you check in. There is no separate transaction to complete at the airport.
If you’ve flown from Norwich before, this replaces the old routine. Passengers used to pay at self-service kiosks in the terminal, take a barcoded receipt, and scan it at a barrier to reach the departure lounge. That system no longer operates. You check in and go through security as you would at most other airports.
Getting a Refund if Your Flight Is Cancelled
If your departing flight is cancelled, the development fee is refundable. Because airlines now collect the fee as part of your booking, the refund follows whatever cancellation process your airline uses for the rest of the fare. If you paid under the old kiosk system for a flight that was later cancelled, contact the airport directly to arrange the refund.
What the Fee Pays For
The development fee was introduced in 2007 as part of an £18 million, five-year upgrade plan. Money raised has gone toward a terminal extension, a refurbished arrivals area, updated flight information screens, air traffic control equipment, and fire training and rescue facilities, along with runway resurfacing and modernised navigational aids for low-visibility landings.2UK Parliament. Abolish Norwich Airport Development Fee
Norwich Airport is operated by Regional & City Airports, and the fee is managed locally by the operator rather than set by central government.3Norwich Airport. Norwich Airport Operator RCA Forms Strategic Partnership With ICG The revenue stays at Norwich and funds improvements there.
How the Fee Has Changed Over Time
When the fee launched in 2007 it was £3 per passenger, with a reduced rate of £1 for children. It later rose to £5, then doubled to £10 around the start of 2011. At the same point the fee reached £10, the airport dropped the child rate entirely and introduced the full exemption for under-16s.2UK Parliament. Abolish Norwich Airport Development Fee
The charge has been contentious. A parliamentary petition called for its abolition, with signatories arguing it was an unfair extra cost on top of already expensive flights from a regional airport with limited routes. The fee has nevertheless stayed in place for close to two decades.