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Costa Rica will include airport tax in ticket prices

Costa Rica will include airport tax in ticket prices

Old Nov 20, 2015, 6:44 pm
  #61  
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Panama, El Salvador, and Ecuador use the US dollar as their currencies. There's been talk of totally "dollarizing" the economy here too. I doubt Costa Rica would go that route completely.
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Old Nov 21, 2015, 10:29 am
  #62  
 
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Originally Posted by drvannostren
The cash advance sign was the big sign at the base of the desks with all the rules/explanations on it. So you just plum missed that bud, sorry, but in fairness the sign was pretty big and it wasn't fine print or anything.
I'm sure I should've seen it but keeping track of my kiddos and then holding one I just didn't pay close enough attention. With BarclayCard I had to request a supervisor and then she said she will have it waived for me. I instantly poad off my last statement balance and the recent just so they can't say it applied to a different charge.

Originally Posted by drvannostren
This is what bothered me that I still can't really explain. As a Canadian there's a BIG problem with this. Because when someone says "$5" it's really $6.50 to me. So I feel like the arbitrary amounts quoted by people just get worse and worse. I paid for everything in Colones, I don't know what currency my CC got charged in, I can only see the final price in CAD.
For me it was a gripe, but I'm not gonna try and find all the receipts because it's not a large enough cost at the end of the day. I was wondering if the many Europeans/Canadians ended up having a double conversion and now I know the likes answer. I can see the currency charged online and in statements. If charged in colones then the bank exchange rate should be listed and also a CC foreign exchange fee if it wasn't a no fee card.
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Old Nov 21, 2015, 10:32 am
  #63  
 
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Yea I know that about Panama and El Salvador, I didn't know that about Ecuador.

The difference is...from what I'm told, Panama is cheap. Obviously not everything, but going out, buying clothes, small things are cheap. I base my price metrics on small items. For instance, I went to Subway near Estadio Nacional, a 6 inch turkey combo was nearly $12 CAD. Even in the US that won't cost me anywhere near $9 USD. So not only am I paying an exchange, I'm also paying an inflated price.

I haven't actually explored Panama/ES outside of their airports, so I can't speak to the pricing other than ads I've seen and things I'm told. I've been told about prices so low in Panama for clothing that I'm skeptical. The PTY airport food is SUPER expensive, but I chalk that up mostly to airport pricing.

I'd prefer everyone to either have their own currency, OR have prices that reflect the economy...if that makes sense. I hope it's not rude either. I'm fine with places being dollarized, but then a beer in San Salvador should cost far less than a beer in Seattle.
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Old Dec 15, 2015, 12:23 pm
  #64  
 
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Any tips on where to pay the departure tax / collect form if flying in and out of LIR? Flying Southwest so the departure tax doesn't seem to be included.
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Old Dec 15, 2015, 2:17 pm
  #65  
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1) You just pay it when you get to the airport that day to fly home.

2) Some of the resort hotels will collect the tax for you and issue you the form. It depends on where you're staying.

3) You can pay the tax in advance at branches of Bancredito, but who wants to stand in a bank line when you're on vacation? Lines at the state banks are pretty awful. I needed to do something in person at Banco de Costa Rica this morning. I took a number <134>. They were on <82>. I'll go back another day.

If (2) isn't an option, go with (1).
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Old Jan 12, 2016, 6:54 am
  #66  
 
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Looks like Southwest is now with the program.
Just purchased a ticket for April travel.

U.S. Security Fee $ 5.60
U.S. Customs User Fee $ 5.50
U.S. APHIS User Fee $ 3.96
U.S. Immigration User Fee $ 7.00
Costa Rica Security Fee $ 1.50
Costa Rica Common Area User Charge $ 5.69
Costa Rica Transportation Sales Tax $ 8.90
Costa Rica Baggage Inspection Fee $ 2.00
Costa Rica Boarding Tax $ 27.00
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Old Jan 15, 2016, 4:43 am
  #67  
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Little by little this will be implemented. Thanks for the heads-up.
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Old Mar 9, 2016, 4:10 pm
  #68  
 
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Purchased AA tix in June 2015. In CR now (Mar 2016) and there is no break down on my receipt (at least as far as I can get on aa.com with invoice there...purchase tix via amextravel.com and the fees are also not listed there). I believe it was included based on roll out dates last year, but I'd like confirmation.

Also, what do you have to do to NOT pay it twice. Most folks aren't going to have their invoice with them as they walk through airport, only boarding pass.
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Old Mar 9, 2016, 8:45 pm
  #69  
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AA started including the tax on June 15, 2015. Do you know the exact date of ticket purchase? Can you call the travel agency and ask them for the tax breakdown?

At check-in, they'll know if you've paid the tax. I guess you risk standing in line, getting up to the counter, and being told you have to go back to the tax counter to pay if they see you haven't yet.

They will not know at the tax counter if you've paid or not.
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Old Apr 1, 2016, 12:46 pm
  #70  
 
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does copa include the departure tax? I looked at the breakdown of taxes in my receipt and none of them are itemized as 29$. i'm wondering if it's included in the fare.
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Old Apr 1, 2016, 6:30 pm
  #71  
 
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Originally Posted by jetsetter777
does copa include the departure tax? I looked at the breakdown of taxes in my receipt and none of them are itemized as 29$. i'm wondering if it's included in the fare.
I can't answer this but on AA it was two fees $27 and $2. Neither seemed to be for departure tax but AA confirmed that essentially they were.
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Old Apr 1, 2016, 10:23 pm
  #72  
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Copa began collecting the tax last August.
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Old Apr 23, 2016, 9:24 pm
  #73  
 
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AS at the moment is not collecting at SJO. Empirical update from the other day. Line was not awful.

Last edited by mikesinla; Apr 23, 2016 at 9:31 pm
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Old May 11, 2016, 8:46 pm
  #74  
 
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Nature air not collecting
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Old Jun 13, 2016, 6:12 pm
  #75  
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The tax will go up to $31 in July.
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