Good news for travelers in the Philippines! The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) is looking at replacing the travel tax with a standard P500 fee for all travelers, including foreign nationals.
The Philippine travel tax is a tariff charged to all airline passengers leaving the country. It costs P1,620 for passengers with an economy class ticket and P2,700 for first class. As mandated by Presidential Decree 1183, any Filipino national leaving the Philippines has to pay the appropriate travel tax, regardless of the payment method or the place where the airline ticket was issued.
According to TIEZA chief operating officer Pocholo Paragas, “What we want to do right now is revisit that (travel tax) and make a tourist development fund specifically for departure.”
Paragas discussed the proposal to replace the P1,620 Philippine travel tax with a P500 fee that will go to the Tourist Development Fund (TDF). The TDF will be used to improve and develop tourism-related infrastructure. Paragas said that he had already submitted a draft bill for the creation of the fund to President Duterte back in December. (Source: The Philippine Star).
About the Philippine Travel Tax
How much is it?
Taxable individuals may be charged the full travel tax, the standard reduced travel tax, and the privileged reduced travel tax:
| Travel Tax Rates | First Class Passage | Economy Class Passage |
| Full Travel Tax | PHP 2,700.00 | PHP 1,620 |
| Standard Reduced Travel Tax | PHP 1,350.00 | PHP 810.00 |
| Privileged Reduced Travel Tax for a Dependent of an OFW |
PHP 400.00 | PHP 300.00 |
How to Pay
For airline tickets purchased or issued outside the Philippines, you may pay directly at any TIEZA travel tax counter at the airport. For tickets issued or purchased in the Philippines, you may pay through ticketing offices, travel agencies, or travel tax counters. Some airlines offer to include the travel tax in your online bookings, so make sure to check that when you’re purchasing your ticket.
To pay online using your credit or debit card, you may create an account on the TIEZA website.
Tax Exemptions
Currently, all Philippine passport holders are required to pay the travel tax, with the exception of the following:
- Bona fide students with approved scholarships by any government agency
- Consular and foreign diplomatic officials as well as members of their staff
- Crew members of airlines that ply international routes
- Filipino permanent residents whose stay in the Philippines is less than a year
- Government employees or officials on official business trips
- Grantees of government-funded foreign trips
- Infants (24 months and below on the date of travel)
- Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
- Philippine Foreign Service personnel with official assignment abroad (including dependents)
As for foreign nationals, the following are exempted from paying the travel tax:
- Employees, experts, and consultants or officials of the United Nations and its various agencies
- US military personnel, including dependents and US nationals with fares by the US government
- Holders of special investor resident visa and non-immigrant visa
- Refugees
- Personnel of multinational companies with regional HQs along with their dependents
- Foreign students
- Foreign seamen
- Foreign government officials
- Transit passengers whose flight itinerary includes a stopover in a Philippine airport with a waiting time less than 24 hours
For more information on the exemptions, visit the official TIEZA Website.
This is so informative and timely. Great post. Keep it up!
I didn’t know they now have that tax thanks for the useful info!
Such good information! I’d never heard of this before.
hi.. i will be travel to philipines from korea before going back to malaysia my origin.. my flight from korea estimated arrive at midnight around 3 am. while my next flight from philipines to malaysia around 4’oclock p.m. i book different flight do i have to pay the travel tax?
hi! I would just like to ask regarding OFW’s. Am I still exempted if I go to other countries for a vacation? I worked in Qatar but I want to visit Thailand for vacation. Departure from the Philippines.
thank you.