How can the tax and fees exceed the air fare?
Mar 16, 2024, 2:28 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 34
How can the tax and fees exceed the air fare?
I found a business airfare from the US to London. While the price was great, I am blown away that the taxes and fees exceeded the actual airline portion of the trip cost. In fact, the tax and fees were almost twice the airline cost.
$3,632.70
Round trip, 1 Adult1 Adult
$1,310.00
Taxes & Fees$2,322.70
Cost Details
Total Trip Cost$3,632.70
Round trip, 1 Adult1 Adult
$1,310.00
Taxes & Fees$2,322.70
Mar 16, 2024, 2:40 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: AF/KL Gold, DL Diamond, Hertz PC, Bonvoy Gold Elite; Hilton Gold
Posts: 997
I found a business airfare from the US to London. While the price was great, I am blown away that the taxes and fees exceeded the actual airline portion of the trip cost. In fact, the tax and fees were almost twice the airline cost.
$3,632.70
Round trip, 1 Adult1 Adult
$1,310.00
Taxes & Fees$2,322.70
Cost Details
Total Trip Cost$3,632.70
Round trip, 1 Adult1 Adult
$1,310.00
Taxes & Fees$2,322.70
But to answer your question, this is extremely normal. Your airfare actually consists of three parts. A base fare, a carrier surcharge also known as a fuel surcharge, and the government taxes. For many fares, especially premium fares, the carrier surcharge is often as much as the base fare, but they lump it into the carrier fees and taxes category. It’s been this way for many years now.
All that really matters is what the end price is with everything added together.
Mar 16, 2024, 2:48 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,481
And the reason it's this way is that many individual fares are files per route, but all will include the carrier surcharge. If the airline wants to change one fare, it just changes that filing - if it wants to change all fares, then it's much easier to change the carrier surcharge. From your point of view, both of these are "fare" paid to the airline.
Mar 16, 2024, 2:51 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Northeast
Posts: 242
First, wrong forum.
Second, it's totally normal and just how it works. YQ/YR take a very high proportion of transatlantic fares from US. If you look at the breakdown, it will show you that YQ/YR costs around $1900 for your fare.
YQ/YR are part of airline's revenues. Just a few weeks ago, there were BOS/JFK - AMS on DL/KL Biz for $2059 with a total of $7 base fare and $1910 in YQ/YR.
Second, it's totally normal and just how it works. YQ/YR take a very high proportion of transatlantic fares from US. If you look at the breakdown, it will show you that YQ/YR costs around $1900 for your fare.
YQ/YR are part of airline's revenues. Just a few weeks ago, there were BOS/JFK - AMS on DL/KL Biz for $2059 with a total of $7 base fare and $1910 in YQ/YR.