Las Vegas and Washington, D.C., Lead Nation in Ground Transportation Surcharges

Three airports collect nearly $1 for ground transportation at top airports.

Three of the nation’s most popular destination airports are collecting high fees not from airlines or taxes, but from ground transportation surcharges instead. In a study published by the Associated Press, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. were noted for charged flyers the most to catch a taxi or shuttle bus from the airport to their next destination.

The highest ground transportation fees came at Las Vegas McCarren International Airport (LAS), which charged an average of 81 cents per originating passenger in surcharges. Both major airports serving Washington, D.C. – Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) – charged 80 and 79 cents respectively in ground transportation fees in 2015. Rounding out the top five were Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) with 67 cents of surcharges per originating passenger, while Seattle/Tacoma International Airport (SEA) along with Denver International Airport (DEN), both charged 54 cents per originating passenger.

The Second City came at the bottom of the list for passenger transportation surcharges, with Chicago being the cheapest city when it comes to extra fares. Both Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) charged two cents in ground transportation surcharges, one penny above the airport with the third lowest ground transportation surcharges, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) in Ohio. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport (MKE), along with several airports in Florida, rounded out the lowest end of the table. Each airport charged less than a dime in passenger surcharge fees.

Passenger surcharge fees are paid by flyers who use taxi or shuttle bus services at airports for ground transportation. In 2015, the AP reported American airports collected over $183 million in surcharges.

[Photo: iStock]