The Travel Owls' Tax and Fee Guide

Part one of the cost of a flight is the fare itself, and part two is the sum of all taxes and fees levied by various governments and airports. On behalf of the relevant authorities, these additional fees are automatically added and collected. There is no way to generate, raise, or lower these amounts using the Travel Owls.

Here is an explanation of the most typical fees that customers encounter when purchasing flight tickets.

U.S. Federal Segment Fee

Any part of the flight that happens inside the US mainland will incur this tax.

This policy is applicable to both domestic and foreign flights that include stops in the United States.

• Code: ZP
• Cost: $5.20 per segment

U.S. Vehicle Fuel Levy (U.S. Transportation Excise Tax)

Rather than being charged as a flat rate, this tax is expressed as a percentage of the airfare.

It is relevant for:

• Flights within the continental U.S.
• Trips along the border with neighboring countries like Mexico and Canada

The tax is computed according to the number of miles flown within U.S. airspace for trips that include Alaska or Hawaii.

• Code: US
• Rate: 7.5% of the fare

Facilities Tax for Travel to Alaska and Hawaii

When traveling from the continental United States to either Alaska or Hawaii, this fee is applicable.

• Code: US
• Amount: $11.40

Charge for Passenger Facility

This fee is collected by airports in order to finance airport maintenance and construction initiatives.

• It can reach $4.50 for each airport
• A maximum of four charges per journey
• Code: XF
• Maximum total: $18.00

Security Fee for September 11th

These funds go toward aviation security measures in the United States.

• Each one-way journey costs $5.60
• $11.20 for a round trip

There may be many charges for this fee if your trip involves layovers.

• Code: AY

Transportation Tax for International Travel

When flying into or out of the US, or between US mainland and US territories, this tax is applicable.

• Code: US
• Amount: $22.90

Fee for APHIS Inspection

Flights departing from countries other than the United States (excluding Canada) into:

• The USA
• The island of Ponce
• United States Virgin Islands

• Code: XA
• Amount: $3.84

Assessment Cost for Immigration

This charge is applicable to foreign nationals entering U.S. territory.

• Code: XY
• Amount: $7.00

Import Duty and VAT

Applied to foreign nationals entering the United States from locations outside of authorized customs zones.

• Code: YC
• Amount: $7.39

Government Fees and International Airports

Foreign governments and airports frequently charge additional costs on international trips. Here are several examples:

• Taxes payable upon departure from the airport
• Service fees for security
• Payment for inspection or shipment

These fees could be several hundred dollars, depending on the airport and nation.

Important information to keep in mind

• Authorities, and not The Travel Owls, decide on taxes and fees.
• The onus is on booking platforms and airlines to collect these fees.
• Route, nations, and layovers all play a role in the final price.
• Higher tax totals are nearly always a part of international visits.
• Rates set by the government are subject to change at any time.

Reasons why sums are subject to alter

Your final cost could shift depending on:

• Swap airports or routes
• The inclusion of layovers
• Legislation has been revised
• Airport fees have been updated

This is why the final cost of a reservation could be quite different from the cost of an early search.