• The tax for private jets remains frozen at £78, while helicopters are exempt

Rishi Sunak is facing questions over why domestic private jets are to buck a hike in air passenger duty, but commercial passengers will be hit.

Details buried in a policy paper show the Government is planning to hike the tax on all domestic flights later this year – except for the higher rate that covers private jets.

Helicopters will also remain entirely exempt from the tax.

The Prime Minister’s penchant for flying around the country on relatively short journeys that can be made by road and rail has been criticised.

Mr Sunak has faced questions for flying by helicopter to Southampton – just over an hour away by train – last year, and for using a chopper to get from London to Essex.

No10 has repeatedly insisted the PM’s travel plans are decided with consideration to the most efficient and best use of his time, and in the interests of the taxpayer.

Last week, Mr Sunak was probed in Parliament about his declaration of private jet travel expenses, and his relationship with the businessman who provided the donation.

Labour MP Alex Norris pressed the PM about a £38,500 donation from British-Indian businessman Akhil Tripathi, declared in the register of members’ interests last May.

Mr Sunak said all his declarations ‘are made in the usual way according to the usual processes’.

Air Passenger Duty (APD) on all domestic flights, except private jets, will be raised from April.

Passengers travelling in economy will see the tax raised from £6.50 to £7, and for those travelling in premium economy or business, the tax will go up from £13 to £14.

But the tax for private jets remains frozen at £78, and helicopters are exempt.

Labour, which uncovered the increase, said it ‘beggars belief’ that taxes on working people are going up while private jet taxes are frozen.

The party’s shadow financial secretary to the Treasury James Murray said: ‘At a time when Rishi Sunak is raising taxes on working people that are set to leave the average family £1,200 worse off, it beggars belief that he is freezing taxes on his private jet trips around the UK.

‘It shows just how out of touch the Conservatives are that, at the same time, they’re pushing up taxes on everyone else’s domestic flights. Yet again, it is one rule for them, another for everyone else.’

An HM Treasury spokesman said: ‘We are absolutely committed to delivering on our net-zero commitments.

‘That’s why private jets will be excluded from the domestic Air Passenger duty (APD) cut and a new ultra-long haul band is being introduced to ensure that those who fly furthest contribute the most.

‘Charging APD on helicopters runs the risk of incentivising the use of lighter aircraft that wouldn’t be as safe in harsh environments and some use aviation gasoline, which already incurs fuel duty.’

According to ONS data, the price of domestic air fares has increased by £63 between 2010 and 2022.