icedancer

Just wondering if anyone had a list of United's international destinations with the highest and lowest ticket taxes? I was searching for tickets to Europe last night departing 12/11 and returning 12/23, and LAX-FCO had only $60 of taxes, while LAX-LHR had $151 (FWIW, the ticket to Rome was ~$1100 for a W fare, while the ticket to LHR was ~$850 for a W).

usa18dca

Generally any airport in the UK has higher taxes due to the Pound and their foolishness...

ak99

I think Germany is still pretty inexpensive to get into.

ozstamps

Flew out of Buenos Aires yesterday and the airport tax is about $30 and the new entry tax of $US100 for ozzies, and $US131 for Americans is a REAL killer.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/argen...135-enter.html

THAT takes some beating I think!

Guess what - we cancelled our day in BA yesterday, and the Govt missed our $US200 entry fee, and the money they make on hotel room, taxis and souveniers etc.

I've been to Argy 10 times in 10 years and no more, if they gouge me like that. We all have choices.

Glen

icedancer

What a bummer. I'm aware of the pain of reciprocity -- I have been to Chile 6 times in the last 13 years, and due to the timing of the trips, I've had to pay reciprocity 3 different times. It was US$100 in 1997, and is now US$131.

Maybe if they were smart, they'd charge an *exit* fee! :-P

CkCrunch

As ozstamps pointed out, countries that play this childish tit-for-tat on entry visa fees is quite short-sighted.

Everybody knows the better way to seek revenge is to make ridiculous margins hawking pointless made-in-china souvenirs to tourists.

starlanet

Be happy and cool about it, because you know argentinians have been paying $$$ at the US and Australian Gvts for years. For example the fee to get a visa to the US is not just $131, the embassy also charges $$$ ($15) for getting the appointment and another $15 to mail the passport back to you which ends up costing $160 or more, not to mention the time waste. If you enter Argentina on a -for example- French, German, Italian or most countries passport that don't charge fees to the Argentinians then you won't have to pay said fee. Brazil and Chile both have implemented the fee thing long time ago.

Firewind

Great Britain's t&f are an abomination. I will avoid them if flying to anywhere on the continent for which there is an optional route. Particularly on an award ticket. It galls me to pay what would be more than a reasonable full fare (in the olden days) all in t&f. Sadly, all those miles I have accumulated in bmi's generous program will lie fallow forever, as a result. And I regret all the time I spent chasing them. And it's not even their fault.

Same with car hires there. Actually car hires in many parts of Europe, where the t&f are now multiples of the base rate, have attained the "abomination" tag IMO, as well. But Britain still takes the cake.

All, sadly, probably a harbinger, as there is no stopping them, no constituency that will coalesce to oppose them... Was it the mythical Cassandra who could see the future, but couldn't do anything about it?

jasonbrockman

Just booked UA flights into AMS and return CDG. Only having to pay the taxes on award travel. Into AMS total was $5 for the 911 security fee. SO nothing for AMS, CDG was $87 one way back return. So there definitely is a difference into and out of Europe airports.

sbm12

You'll pay plenty to depart AMS.

Tax: The Netherlands Passenger Service Charge €14.52
Tax: The Netherlands Noise Isolation Charge €2.00
Tax: The Netherlands Security Service Charge €12.94

This compares to the following for departing CDG:
Tax: French Aviation Civile Tax €7.38
Tax: French International Passenger Service Charge €23.42
Tax: French Airport Tax €11.25
Tax: French Air Passenger Solidarity Tax €4.00

A few Euro more to depart CDG, but not to the extent you've suggested above. Either one will also include a bunch of arrivals taxes levied by the USA:
Tax: USDA APHIS Fee $5.00
Tax: US Immigration Fee $7.00
Tax: US Customs Fee $5.50
Tax: US International Arrival Tax $16.10

icedancer

Ah, this reminds me...when I booked MIA-UIO/GYE-MIA on an award ticket last month, it was only $5 in taxes to enter Ecuador, and about $27 in taxes to leave.