The Costa Rica airport exit taxes will now be included in the price of your ticket.
Leaving Costa Rica will have one less line at the airport! According to recent reports, there will be one less step in the “checking-in process” for travelers departing the country by air. Officials will attach the $29 airport exit tax fee to the airline tickets starting this December 3rd, 2015.
This is now made possible due to a recent agreement reached between airport administrators, Immigration Administration, the National Tourism Board, the bank and the Finance Ministry.
Airport departure taxes are very common in many countries and are usually allowed to be included in the cost of the airline ticket, but Costa Rica remained one of the few countries that required travelers to pay it in person.
Since 2003, the Costa Rica airport exit taxes have been paid at a special counter located inside the airport but now you also have the option of paying it at travel agencies or at a Bancredito bank.
This exit tax fee does have to be paid before you check in with your airlines on your travel day. You may even be able to pay it at your hotel, but there may be an extra charge for that, as well, on behalf of the hotel.
You can pay this either in cash, whether it be colones or dollars and/or a credit or debit card. Just check with your charge card institution or bank, to see about purchases made abroad for any additional international charges.
There are two international airports in Costa Rica at the moment and the largest is Juan Santamaria Airport. This one is located in Alajuela, slightly north of San Jose. Then there’s Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia, which is in the northwestern region of Guanacaste. Both of which were responsible to collect the Costa Rica airport exit taxes.
Recently, more airlines are offering additional flights to and from Costa Rica providing greater access to the country, mainly from the United States. By adding the airport exit tax in with the airline fare, traveling for you may be a bit easier and thus helping Costa Rica’s reputation as a favored tropical destination.
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