Departure tax explained

A departure tax is a fee charged (under various names) by a country when a person is leaving the country.

Background

Some countries charge a departure tax only when a person is leaving by air. In these cases, the departure tax can be de facto the same as the air passenger tax, although the latter can also apply to domestic flights that are therefore not departure taxes, as no international borders are crossed.

Various rules apply to the purchase and payment of the tax, including payment at the airport to those about to catch a flight (sometimes only in the local currency and sometimes by credit card), or by some prepayment method, or it may be charged to the airlines and included in the airline ticket price.

Departure taxes of various countries

CountryLocal currencyUS dollarNotes
AustraliaA$60$45The Passenger Movement Charge is included in the ticket price.[1]
Austria€12$14Domestic flights like short distance, but including value added tax.
Tax levied through carrier of flight. Since 1 September 2020 tax depending on distance system is abolished and a flat rate is applied.
Information based on Flugabgabegesetz (FlugAbgG).[2]
Bangladesh500 taka$6.03Charges at land border exits. Must be paid in cash (taka) at any branch of Sonali Bank; a bank booth is available at all land exits.
BruneiBN$5$4.84If the final destination is not Indonesia, Malaysia or the Philippines, then the tax is BN$12. If transiting through one of these countries, the higher tax rate still applies, even if the initial flight destination is located in Indonesia, Malaysia or the Philippines. Paid in cash at check-in.
Bermuda$35.00Although the passenger departure tax in Bermuda is levied to the owner of Airline for every departing passenger, this is squarely passed on to the passenger as part of the overall ticket fare. There are exceptions in case of children under 2 years, transit passengers and in some other cases. A tax of $35 is charged for every departing passenger. Also a Yacht arrival Tax in Bermuda is charged to the owner of the arriving yacht. Presently $35 is charged for each passenger arriving by the yacht.
BelizeLand BordersTourist - Non Belizean NationalBZD 40.00 Belizean National:NoneAirportsTourist - Non Belizean National75.00 BZDBelizean National:35.00 BZDLand BordersTourist - Non Belizean NationalUSD 20.00 Belizean National:NoneAirportsTourist - Non Belizean NationalUSD 37.50Belizean National:17.50 BZDBelize - USD exchange rate is always 2:1.
CanadaC$(0 to $40)$30.00Departure tax is in the form of an Airport Improvement Fee [AIF] and is added to the cost of the ticket. Ranges from $0–40 depending on the Canadian airport that you depart from.[3]
Cambodia$25Included in airline tickets as of 2011
China¥90 RMB$16Charged to all visitors leaving by air. Fees are included in airline tickets.[4]
Costa Rica14,500 (approx)$29Charged to all visitors leaving by air. Must be paid in cash (US dollars or colones), or is charged as a cash advance on a credit card. Departure taxes are included in most air ticket prices, depending on which airline.[5]
Cuba25 CUC[6] $25Included in air ticket price since April 2015
Dominican Republic884.595 DOP$20Paid in cash upon departure. Departure taxes are included in most air ticket prices, depending on which airline.
Ecuador$27.15 ($40.80 from Quito airport)[7] Included in air ticket price.
Egypt (approx)$25Charged to all visitors leaving by air starting from November 2019.[8]
FijiF$100$48 (Approx)Included in air ticket price [9]
Germany[10] €12.88 (band A countries) / €32.62 (band B countries) / €58.73 all other countries$13.64 / $34.54 / $62.19
Guyana$4,000 (G) $19.20 (approx)Payable at the airport on departure.
Honduras700 Lempiras$37.50Only applies to air. Small land departure tax.
Hong KongHK$120 (air) / HK$18 (ferry)Included in tickets. Refundable in some cases.[11]
Iran5,200,000 Rials$8.5 (approx)Only applies to Iranian citizens and should be paid at the airports or Melli bank branches. The amount is incremental and depends on the number of departures in a solar year.[12]
Ireland€0The Irish Air Travel Tax (Cáin Aerthaistil) was abolished in the 2014 Budget.[13]
Jamaica$35Effective June 1, 2016
Japan¥1,000$9Effective Jan 7, 2019. Departure tax is charged to each passenger leaving the country by aircraft or ferry regardless of nationality [14]
LebanonEconomy Class: £L50,000
Business Class: £L110,000
First Class: £L150,000[15]
$33.17 Economy Class$73 Business Class

$100 First class

From 22 August 2017 (Economy class tax was planned to be increased to 60,000 LBP but it was decided to keep it at 50,000 LBP)
Malaysia[16] Within ASEAN
Economy Class – MYR 8
Other Classes – MYR 50
Outside ASEAN
Economy Class – MYR 20
Other Classes – MYR 150
Within ASEAN
Economy Class – $2
Other Classes – $12.50
Outside ASEAN
Economy Class – $5
Other Classes – $37.5
Applies to international departures by air. Exemptions on Effective 1 September 2019.[17] Exemptions:
  • Babies or toddlers under the age of 24-months
  • Passengers on transits not exceeding 12 hours
MexicoMex$1160[18] $65All non-Mexican nationals must pay this fee, except those who have permanent resident status or who are connecting flights [19]
Netherlands€29.05[20] $31.56The air passenger tax rate for 2024, per passenger per flight.
Palau$50Departure tax and green fee to non Palau passport holders charged to all visitors in cash or travellers cheques only at airport
Panama$40 [21] $40Charged to all visitors leaving by air. Included in airfare.
Peru$30.75This is for travel to the United States. There are different fees for travel to other places.
PhilippinesFull travel tax[22] Economy class – ₱1,620

First class – ₱2,700

Standard Reduced travel tax[23]

Economy class – ₱810

First class – ₱1350

Privileged Reduced travel tax

Economy class– ₱300

First class – ₱400

Full travel taxEconomy class – $33 (approx)

First class – $54 (approx)

Standard Reduced travel tax

Economy class – $16 (approx)

First class – $27 (approx)

Privileged Reduced travel tax

Economy class – $6 (approx)

First class – $8 (approx)

To be paid in cash (peso or dollars) before departure. Travel tax can be paid through partner airlines, travel tax centers at airports, travel tax offices and satellite offices.[24]

Full travel tax

Filipino citizens

Non-immigrant foreign passport holders who have stayed in the Philippines for more than one year)

Standard Reduced travel tax

Minors (from 2 years and one day to 12th birthday on date of travel)

Accredited Filipino journalist whose travel is in pursuit of journalistic assignment

Those authorized by the President of the Republic of the Philippines for reasons of national interest

Privileged Reduced travel tax

Legitimate spouse of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW)

Legitimate and unmarried children of an OFW below 21 years of age

Samoa65 tālā$30 (approx)Departure tax is included in airfare.[25]
Saudi ArabiaSAR 87[26] $23.20Departure tax is included in airfare
Sri LankaLKR19,3080 (approx)$60Departure tax is applicable to all departures from Sri Lanka. An additional $60 is charged for trips starting in Sri Lanka if the ticket is issued overseas. Taxes are included in the air fare.
SwedenEuropean destinations – 61 SEKMedium range destinations – 255 SEK

Long range destinations – 408 SEK

European destinations – $6.50Medium range destinations – $27

Long range destinations – $43.10

As of 1 April 2018 the Departure tax aka the Swedish Aviation Tax is levied on commercial flights carrying passengers and departing from a Swedish airport.[27] European destinations means inside Europe including domestic journeys. Medium range includes for example Saudiarabia, Iran and United States, while Long range are more distant destinations.
Thailand฿700 Departure300 Arrival$33Included in airline tickets as of 2007. Arrival tax will be introduced 2021.[28]
TunisiaDT60 [29] 21$Some people are exempted from paying this tax.
Turkey500 [30] $15 (approximately as of August 2024)Only applies to Turkish citizens. May be paid at airports or via online tax payment systems of the Turkish Revenue Administration[31] and/or of the contracted banks.[32] Children younger than 7, citizens with resident permits in other countries (RU work permit accepted too), and crew members of any commercial road transport, rail transport, ship transport, and aviation vehicles are exempt from payment.
United KingdomBetween £13 stg (band A, lowest class) and £194 stg (band D, any other class)Between $16 (band A, lowest class) and $240 (band D, any other class)Varies according to the distance traveled and passenger class. See Air Passenger Duty.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Passenger movement charge (PMC) . border.gov.au . 2017-12-10 . 2017-12-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171210175731/https://www.border.gov.au/Busi/traveller-industry/passenger-movement-charge . dead .
  2. https://www.bmf.gv.at/steuern/a-z/flugabgabegesetz/flugabgabe.html Flugabgabe
  3. Web site: 2019-12-03. List Of Airport Fees For Each Airport In Canada (Also Called Airport Taxes). 2021-01-15. Flytrippers. en-CA.
  4. Web site: Things to Know – Travel Tips . Tourismchina.org . 2011-04-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120322092312/http://www.tourismchina.org/File79.php?id=79&category=Things_to_Know&type=Travel_Tips&page=&listid=17 . 2012-03-22 . dead .
  5. Web site: Fast Facts in Costa Rica at Frommer's . Frommers.com . 2011-04-05.
  6. Web site: Archived copy . 2019-06-24 . 2019-05-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190501055003/http://www.iacc.gob.cu/ais/AIP-CUBA.pdf#page=216 . dead .
  7. Web site: Ecuador Flights – getting to Ecuador & domestic flights . 2013-10-02 . 2013-10-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131004235225/http://www.ecuadortravelsite.org/ecuador_flights.html . dead .
  8. Web site: Minister of Civil Aviation Announces Fees for Passengers Departing from Egyptian Airports | Egyptian Streets. 31 July 2019.
  9. Web site: Airport Departure Tax 1986 . Fiji Revenue and Customs Service . 13 September 2021.
  10. Web site: LuftVStAbsenkV 2021 Luftverkehrsteuer-Absenkungsverordnung 2021 .
  11. https://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/passenger/departure/all/check-in-departure/passenger-departure-tax.html http://www.cad.gov.hk/english/for_travellers.html http://www.cad.gov.hk/english/faq.html https://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/transport/transport-connection-with-mainland-china/ferry-transfer/refund-of-advance-payment-of-airport-passenger-departure-tax.html http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr02-03/english/bills/brief/b55_brf.pdf
  12. Web site: Khabaronline. fa.
  13. Web site: Budget 2023. September 27, 2022. www.gov.ie.
  14. Web site: Japan to begin collecting ¥1,000 departure tax from next Monday. 2019-01-04.
  15. Rima Jamaleddine, Exit tax launched at Beirut Airport, Annahar, 23 August 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  16. Web site: Archived copy . 2019-08-04 . 2019-08-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190804113226/http://www.federalgazette.agc.gov.my/outputp/pua_20190731_PUA213.pdf . dead .
  17. Web site: Flying from Malaysia? RM8-RM150 departure tax imposed from Sept 1 Malay Mail. Lim. Ida. www.malaymail.com. 2 August 2019 . en. 2019-08-04.
  18. Web site: Instituto Nacional de Migración | Gobierno | gob.mx .
  19. Web site: Archived copy . 2014-07-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130626235442/http://www.sectur.gob.mx/work/models/secturing/Resource/14119/ingles.pdf . 2013-06-26 . dead .
  20. Web site: Dutch air passenger tax . 2024-04-10 . www.belastingdienst.nl . en.
  21. Web site: Departure Tax at Tocumen climbs to $60 . 10 January 2016 .
  22. Web site: Full Travel Tax Tieza. tieza.gov.ph. en. 2017-12-06.
  23. Web site: Reduced Travel Tax Tieza. tieza.gov.ph. en. 2017-12-06.
  24. Web site: Announcement Tieza. tieza.gov.ph. en. 2017-12-06.
  25. Web site: Practical Information. samoa.travel. Samoa Tourism Authority. 27 November 2016. 24 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924093854/http://www.samoa.travel/page/practical-information. dead.
  26. https://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-arabia-set-introduce-new-23-air-passenger-tax-615772.html Saudi Arabia set to introduce new $23 air passenger tax
  27. Web site: Skattesatser för flygskatt per land . skatteverket.se . 2019-03-24.
  28. Web site: Okay given for Bt300 foreign tourist entry fee . 2021-01-15 . en-US . www.nationthailand.com . 14 January 2021.
  29. Web site: Taxe sur les Voyages – Tunisie.
  30. Web site: 02 Ağustos 2024.
  31. Web site: Yurt Dışı Çıkış Harcı Ödemeleri Artık Cebinizde .
  32. Web site: Yurtdışı Çıkış Harcı Ne Kadar ve Nereye Ödenir? .