An improved burner and a method for combusting fuel in burners used in furnaces such as those found in steam cracking. The burner includes a burner tube having a downstream end and an upstream end for receiving fuel and air, flue gas or mixtures thereof, a fuel orifice located adjacent the upstream end of the burner tube, for introducing fuel into the burner tube, a burner tip mounted on the downstream end of the burner tube and adjacent a first opening in the furnace, the burner tip having a plurality of air flow notches positioned about an outer periphery thereof, a peripheral tile surrounding the outer periphery of the burner tip, forming the first opening in the furnace, and a burner tip seal in contact with at least a portion of the outer periphery of the burner tip and the peripheral tile, wherein a plurality of air gaps is formed between an inner periphery of the burner tip seal and the air flow notches, the plurality of air gaps effective for providing a portion of the air for combustion.