Smokers can fly to Bulgaria – and still save on cigarettes

Smokers can save almost £100 next month if they stop buying cigarettes at their local corner shop and instead take a flight to Bulgaria.

Such is the tax burden on smokers, it is now cheaper to fly to the Continent and back, taking advantage of cheaper prices and lower duties, than buying cigarettes in Britain.

A return flight to the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, departing from Luton Airport on the morning of April 26 and flying back later the same day costs only £26 with Wizz Air, according to flight comparison site Skyscanner.

And with the average cost of a pack of 20 cigarettes being six times cheaper than in Britain, at £2.38, you can fly to the country and bring back 200 cigarettes for under £50 (£49.76).

The analysis, which was compiled by Tax Foundation, an American think tank, using data from July last year, shows purchasing cigarettes abroad is cheaper in 23 European countries even after the cost of a return flight. At the same time, a pack of 20 cigarettes cost £14.54 in Britain.

The Chancellor announced the 43rd increase in tobacco duty in some 46 years in the spring Budget. It is the latest in a string of tax rises and price increases that have meant the cost of a packet of 20 cigarettes has almost doubled in the past decade, from £8.06 in 2014 to £15.26 now, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The stark contrast in the price of cigarettes abroad has drawn criticism from campaigners who have warned the Government, treating smokers like “cash cows”, will ultimately lead to lower tax revenues for the Treasury as smokers look to get around the “excessive” levy. The Treasury collected £ 10bn in tobacco duty for the last complete financial year, but this was £274m lower than the previous year.

Since January 2021, travellers are allowed to bring up to 200 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco into the UK without paying tax or duty. If you choose to go over this, you have to declare the amount and pay any excise duty due.

The analysis also showed a short two-hour hop to Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain could save you £ 70. Flying on Monday April 22 departing from Stansted Airport with Ryanair at 11.30am before a return flight in the evening with Vueling arriving back into Gatwick for 7.55pm is currently priced at £36. Buying 200 cigarettes will cost slightly under £40 (£39.48), meaning your day trip will set you back £75.48.

In fact, there are only four European countries in which you can’t make a saving next month. These are Ireland, Belgium, Finland and Slovenia. In the case of Ireland, they have similarly high prices for tobacco as in the UK. Whereas the price of flights to Brussels, Helsinki or Ljubljana means a day trip is not cost effective.

Benjamin Elks, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “With further hikes to tobacco duty pencilled in, smokers are understandably looking at ways to get around the excessive levy.

“Having been used as cash cows for years, cheaper continental cigarettes will sap revenue from the Treasury.”