U.S. Government-Imposed Taxes on Air Transportation

Along with traditional income and payroll taxes, airlines and their customers (passengers and shippers) pay many special taxes and fees to a variety of authorities, both at home and abroad. Among the stated purposes of these taxes and fees are homeland (national) security, environmental protection, agriculture inspection, infrastructure enhancement, airport and airway operations and maintenance, and agency financing. U.S. and foreign taxes have grown in number, amount, and scope since the advent of air transport. The amount a passenger pays in taxes and fees on a ticket varies according to his itinerary, including the number of times he or she boards a new flight and at what airports. In addition to the special taxes and fees captured in the table below, the Federal Aviation Administration also charges overflight fees to operators of aircraft that fly in U.S.-controlled airspace, but neither take off nor land in the United States.

1. Both (a) and (b) apply to domestic transport or to journeys to Canada or Mexico within 225 miles of the U.S. border; (a) is prorated on journeys between the mainland United States and Alaska/Hawaii
2. Applies to the sale (to third parties) of the right to award frequent flyer miles
3. Does not apply to those transiting the United States between two foreign points; $11.10 on flights between the mainland United States and Alaska/Hawaii
4. Applies only to flights within the 50 states but is prorated on transportation of cargo between the mainland United States and Alaska/Hawaii
5. Congress created the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund in 1986 to 1) provide money for overseeing and enforcing corrective action taken by a responsible party, who is the owner or operator of the leaking UST and 2) provide money for cleanups at UST sites where the owner or operator is unknown, unwilling, or unable to respond, or which require emergency action
6. Funds TSA at $5.60 per one-way up to $11.20 per round trip (was $2.50 per enplanement up to $5.00 per one-way trip from 2/1/02 through 7/20/14); suspended 6/1/03-9/30/03
7. Since 5/13/91 (passenger fee) and 2/9/92 (aircraft fee), funds agricultural quarantine and inspection services conducted by CBP per 7 CFR 354; APHIS continues to perform certain Agricultural Quarantine Inspection-related functions that are funded by user fee collections
8. Since 7/7/86, funds inspections by U.S. Customs and Border Protection; passengers arriving from U.S. territories and possessions are exempt
9. Since 12/1/86, funds inspections by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

The following table illustrates the application of government-imposed taxes/fees on a hypothetical domestic itinerary. Taxes/fees shown do not include those levied directly on the airline (e.g., income, property, franchise, sales/use, payroll, fuel).