Flights to many overseas destinations will become more expensive from today, following a rise in tax on air passengers.

The change has provoked criticism from airlines, travel agents and business bodies, who claim it will hit hard-working families where it hurts.

The increase in air passenger duty (APD) applies on flights of more than 2000 miles only. It is unchanged on shorter flights, where it remains at £13 for economy class.

On flights of between 2001 and 4000 miles – which includes trips to North America and the Middle East – the tax goes from £65 to £67 for economy-class passengers.

On flights of 4001 to 6000 miles – which takes in India, Thailand and Brazil – the rise will be from £81 to £83, while on flights of more than 6000 miles, the rate increases from £92 to £94.

This means a family of four travelling to Florida will pay £268 in APD, £8 more than previously, and a couple flying to Delhi will pay £168, £4 more than before.

Those in first- or business-class seats will pay exactly double the amount economy-class passengers pay.

The rises were condemned by the group A Fair Tax On Flying, made up of 30 travel organisations including British Airways, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Scottish Passenger Agents' Association.

Simon Buck, chief executive of the British Air Transport Association, said: "The Government has hit hard-working families where it hurts, with many families having to pay hundreds of pounds in air passenger taxes on their annual getaway.

"It's not good enough to continue increase air passenger duty when the clear economic evidence shows it both damages the UK economy and adds hundreds of pounds to the annual tax bill of many families who fly overseas every year."

More than 100 MPs signed an Early Day Motion tabled last year in the House of Commons declaring APD is a deterrent to inward investment and inbound tourism, and calling on the Treasury to commission a comprehensive study into the full economic effects of aviation tax in the UK.

Malcolm Bruce, Liberal Democrat MP for Gordon, who supported the motion, said he believed there was a case for exempting people in the north of Scotland from air passenger duty, or reducing it.

He said: "There should be a recognition that in the north of Scotland flying is not a luxury, but a necessity, and a reduction would be legitimate."

He added that Aberdeen as a business centre was disadvantaged by the UK's comparatively high rates of APD and that the tax gave people an incentive to travel through Continental airports instead of UK gateways.

However, Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and a member of the Scottish Parliament's Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, said: "The aviation industry is grossly undertaxed, paying none of the normal charges on fuel other forms of transport face.

"Those predicting disaster from adding a couple of pounds to the most polluting flights need a reality check.

"These vested interests are trying to divert attention from the real transport squeeze – that being inflicted on bus and rail passengers, whose fares continue to rocket. We must also consider the economic deficit caused by cheap air travel – visitors here spend billions less than we spend abroad."