The UK has just launched its new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) permit for non-EU travellers.

The new system means tourists are required to gain permission to enter the country, as part of plans to fully digitise its borders.

The permit is required for travellers from countries like the US, Canada and Australia starting 8 January 2025.

The scheme has been in place for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates since last November.

Europeans will also need an ETA from later this year. Read on for the cost, validity and how to get it.

When will EU travellers need to apply for an ETA to visit the UK?

The ETA replaces the single-use Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) scheme, offering a lower cost option with multi-entry validity.

The ETA is required for all nationalities, except European citizens. You can find the full list of countries here.

Europeans, meanwhile, will be required to have an ETA for travel from 2 April 2025, with applications opening on 5 March.

How do I apply for an ETA to enter the UK?

Most visitors will be able to apply using a mobile app and can expect a decision within three days. You will get an email with the decision.

Everyone travelling needs to apply including babies and children, but you can apply for other people. Download the ETA app from the UK government website.

The government says the app is the quickest and easiest way to apply for an ETA but if you cannot download it for some reason, you can also apply online here.

To complete the application, make sure you have on hand the passport you’ll be travelling on, an email address and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You will have to answer a set of suitability questions. You don’t need to enter your travel details.

You can delete the app when you’ve finished applying. Your ETA will be linked to your passport digitally, and you will not need to show anything else when you enter the UK.

When to apply for your ETA

The government says: “You must apply for an ETA before you travel to the UK. You can travel to the UK while waiting for a decision.”

Considering most applicants will get a decision within three days, it can be assumed you should apply at least three ahead of travelling to the UK, though you can do it much further in advance of course.

How much does the UK ETA cost?

Like the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) in the US, a fee is attached to the application process. The ETA costs £10, approximately €12 at the time of writing.

How long is the ETA valid for?

An ETA lasts for two years. You do not need to apply again during this time.

You can travel to the UK as many times as you want during the period of validity but you not stay for longer than six months on one trip. Check the UK government website for more details on what you can and can not do on an ETA.

Note that because your ETA is linked to your passport if you get a new passport you will need to apply for a new ETA.

Will I need a visa to enter the UK?

The ETA isn’t a visa but it does grant permission to enter the country.

All visitors who currently don’t have to apply for a visa will need to get an ETA before they travel. This includes those who do not currently need to submit any form of application to visit the UK. US, Canadian, Australian and European citizens for example need an ETA even for short stays or transiting through the UK.

Travellers from countries that don’t have visa-free entry agreements with the UK will still have to apply for the correct visa and an ETA.

If you don’t apply before your trip, the government say you could be fined, though no further details have been given on this.

You still need to apply if you are transiting through the UK even if you aren’t going through border control.

The ETA allows you to come to the UK for six months for tourism, visits to family and friends, business or short term study.

You can also get an ETA instead of a visa if you are coming to the UK for up to three months on the Creative Worker visa concession or coming to the UK for a permitted paid engagement. Outside of these conditions you can’t use an ETA to do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person.

Who does not need an ETA?

British and Irish citizens, people who already have a visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK, those travelling with a British overseas territories citizen passport and people who live in Ireland and are travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man don’t need to apply for an ETA.

Why is the UK introducing the ETA scheme?

The ETA is part of the UK’s plan to digitise its borders at UK airports by the end of 2025.

The scheme is intended to reduce queues at the border, “helping to speed up legitimate journeys to the UK”.

Facial recognition technology could be used to make these “contactless corridors” possible, British newspaper The Times reports. It would require international travellers to submit biographic and biometric details, like photos of their faces through the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme before they fly.

London has the most congested roads in Europe for the fourth year in a row, according to a new analysis.

Traffic analytics company Inrix found that it had the fifth most clogged roads in the world overall.

Inrix says in its 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard that the capital city accounted for around half of all UK traffic delays, costing around £3.85 billion (€4.64 billion) in lost time or £942 (€1,135) per driver.

The analytics firm says the city has some of the worst corridors for traffic delays due to its “concentration of population, employment and economic activity”.

“While the UK did see a slight increase in congestion again this year, overall congestion has remained steady,” says Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst and author of the report.

“Roadworks in key corridors such as M25 Wisely Interchange caused considerable traffic on a main artery into the capital.”

Pishue adds that, though London accounted for half of all congestion, it was cities outside of the capital that saw the UK’s biggest increases in traffic issues. Across the UK, drivers spent an average of 62 hours stuck in traffic last year.

Some of the busiest roads in the UK are in London

Transport For London is responsible for a network of red routes – major roads where vehicles are not allowed to stop, park, or load and unload – that carry around a third of the UK capital’s traffic.

A spokesperson for the local government body says that it is “committed to making sure Londoners can move around the capital as safely, sustainably and efficiently as possible”.

“We support the movement of everyone across London and our investment in walking, cycling and public transport is making it easier to choose sustainable ways of travelling, helping to cut congestion.

“Our network includes some of the busiest roads in the country and we continue to invest in world-leading programmes to make sure roads are used as efficiently as possible.”

Where are Europe’s other most congested cities?

The ranking is based on the length of delays drivers face, weighted by the number of people who live in each city. Unsurprisingly, a number of Europe’s capital cities came out on top of the list.

London drivers spent on average 101 hours sitting in traffic last year, according to Inrix’s analysis.

Paris, France had Europe’s second most congested roads and the sixth globally with drivers facing 97 hours of delay. Dublin, Ireland is the third most congested city in Europe with 81 hours of delays.

Next is Rome where drivers spend an average of 71 hours sitting in traffic, then Brussels where the delays tally up to 74 hours a year.

“For the fourth year in a row, London takes top spot for the most congested city in Europe,” climate charity Possible said in a post on social media site X.

“This is a nightmare for the climate, Londoners’ health, and the economy. We need to be bolder in getting people walking, cycling & using public transport.”

Iberia and SAS are the only European winners ranked for on-time performance among the top ten airlines globally, according to a new report.

Airlines were ranked globally and by region, with a separate category for low-cost carriers. Performance was evaluated on airlines’ on-time arrival and percentage of flights completed.

The survey from aviation analytics consultancy Cirium evaluated more than three million flights every month in 2024, with data from more than 600 sources of real-time flight information worldwide.

For the global category, Cirium analysed the top ten per cent of all passenger airlines by capacity and volume criteria. These airlines under review also had to serve at least three regions. In the low-cost carrier category, the top 50 per cent of airlines were considered, and the top 30 per cent in the regional category (15 per cent for North America).

This report comes amid ongoing issues in the aviation industry, including cybersecurity disruptions such as the Crowdstrike outage and extreme weather events impacting aviation in 2024, according to Cirium.

Which airline achieved the best on-time performance in 2024?

Aeromexico, Mexico’s largest airline, was named the most on-time global airline in 2024, with an on-time performance rate of 86.7 per cent.

It is followed by the national airline of Saudi Arabia, Saudia, with a score of  86.35 per cent, and the major US airline Delta Air Lines, which scored 83.46 per cent across 1,712,529 flights.

The Spanish budget airlineIberia Express won in both the Europe and Low-Cost Airline categories for the second year running, with 84.69 per cent of its 44,140 flights arriving on time.

Iberia Express is a ‘leader in Europe for reliability’

The short and medium-haul Spanish airline has recently expanded its destinations list, with growth in seasonal routes to Marrakech (+460 per cent), Menorca (+52 per cent), Edinburgh (+250 per cent), and Cairo (+885 per cent).

“Spain’s Iberia Express has firmly established itself as a leader in Europe’s competitive low-cost market”, said Isaac Pato, a senior data analyst at Cirium, who explained that the airline “continues to prove that affordability can coexist with punctuality.”

“This Iberia subsidiary not only delivers consistent reliability for intra-European routes but also reinforces Spain’s reputation for cutting-edge aviation services,” Pato added.

“Whether traveling for business or leisure, passengers can count on Iberia Express.”

As well as Iberia Express, a further two European airlines ranked in the top ten for low-cost carriers, with Vueling in the fifth spot at 81.20 per cent, while Norwegian ranked in seventh place.

Which are the best airlines in Europe?

Spain and Scandinavia dominated the European airlines category.

Following Iberia Express, parent company Iberia took second place with 81.58 per cent on-time arrival for its 183,268 flights. Based in Madrid, Iberia is part of the International Airlines Group alongside Iberia Express.

Scandinavia’s SAS came third, with an on-time performance rate of 81.40 per cent. The national airline of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, SAS serves 135 international destinations and is headquartered in Solna, Sweden.

Spain’s Vueling took fourth place with 81.20 per cent, while Norwegian Airlines also reached the top five with an on-time score of 79.23 per cent.

Air Europa (78.99 per cent), Austrian Airlines (78.72 per cent), Brussels Airlines (77.77 per cent), LOT Polish Airlines (77.72 per cent) and Norwegian Air Sweden (76.04 per cent) made up the last five places in the top ten for Europe.

Which were the most on-time airports?

Airports were also in the running for Cirium’s Platinum Operational Excellence awards, which recognised individual achievement in quick turnaround times, efficient baggage handling, modern infrastructure, and cost-effectiveness.

Saudia Arabia’s Riyadh King Khalid International Airport was found to be the most on-time airport globally, with 86.65 per cent of flights departing on time. The Middle Eastern travel hub also won in the ‘Large Airport’ category.

No European airports were placed in the top-performing airports.