How much is Travel Tax in the Philippines and where to pay it (2025 guide)

You are travelling abroad and wondering how much to pay for travel tax in the Philippines? Depending on various factors - including age, purpose, and more, the amount of travel tax to pay differs.

We will touch on what travel tax is, where to pay travel tax in the Philippines, how much it is and a step-by-step guide on how to pay it. This includes additional information for children, senior citizens, foreigners, and if there are any discounts or exemptions. We'll also introduce the Wise card, a handy travel companion to make seamless card payments when you're overseas.

How much is Travel Tax in the Philippines?

Travel tax¹ in the Philippines is a fee imposed by the Philippine government on individuals leaving the country. It does not matter where the air ticket was issued and how payment will be made.

Most Filipino adults pay the full travel tax of PHP 2,700 for first class passage, and PHP 1,620 for economy class passage. Discounts such as the half-priced Standard Reduced Travel Tax and exemptions do apply for certain professions, types of residents, and for children.

For the latter group, application for a TIEZA Travel Tax Exemption Certificate² must be done before purchase of their airline ticket, and before they paid the full Philippine travel tax rate. Otherwise, this must be done on-site.

This is not just for locals. Taxable foreign passport holders³ in the Philippines, as well as non-immigrant foreign passport holders⁴ who have resided in the Philippines for more than one year must also pay the Philippines travel tax.

When paying for your travel tax in the Philippines, online applications must be done at least three working days before your flight. For urgent cases, you will need to visit Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA)’s Travel Tax Offices⁵ or Airport Counters to have it processed onsite.

Travel Tax in the Philippines for kids and children

Children aged two years to below 12 years old as of their travel date still need to pay the Philippine travel tax, but at a reduced rate. The Standard Reduced Rate is half of the Full Travel Tax, at PHP 1,350 for first class travellers, and PHP 850 for those travelling in economy class.

There is also the Privileged Reduced Rate of PHP 400 for first-class travel, and PHP 300 for economy class. This is for unmarried children of Filipinos working overseas (OFW or Overseas Filipino Workers) who are below 21 years of age. This also applies to children of OFWs with disabilities, even if they are above 21 years old.

Those who are exempted from travel tax in the Philippines include infants not older than two years old, as well as students with approved scholarships by the appropriate Philippine government agency.

Travel Tax in the Philippines for senior citizens

Just like most Filipinos, senior citizens also pay the same Philippine travel tax. They are not entitled to any exemptions or discounts due to their age alone. However, if the senior citizen qualifies under any of the other reduced travel tax or exemptions categories, they can pay a lower travel tax or be exempted.

Travel Tax in the Philippines for OFWs

OFW refers to overseas Filipino workers, fellow citizens who are working abroad outside of the Philippines. They are exempted from travel tax in the Philippines, and their family members, too, can enjoy travel tax privileges.

The legal spouse of an OFW is granted the Privileged Reduced Travel Tax if she or he is travelling to the country their partner is working in. This is the same for the OFW’s unmarried children who are below 21 years of age. For children of OFWs with disabilities, they can enjoy this privilege even if they are above 21 years old.

How to pay for Travel Tax online?

Where to pay the travel tax in the Philippines? Here is a quick guide on how to pay your travel tax online, via the TIEZA’s Online Travel Tax Payment System portal⁶. You can use a variety of payment options as well.

Step-by-step guide⁷:

1. First, check if the travel tax is already included in your plane ticket
2. If not, go to the TIEZA’s Online Travel Tax Payment System portal
3. Select the type of travel tax you wish to pay: First Class or Economy/Business Class
4. Create a one-time account by providing your email address and Passport Number
5. Enter your Ticket Number, Mobile Number, Departure Date and Country of Destination. The Ticket Number or Electronic Ticket Number may appear as a Booking Reference, or Number or Record Locator, or Confirmation Number in your ticket or boarding pass.
6. A generated Reference Number will be sent to your email or mobile number. Please note that the Reference Number expires after 24 hours upon being generated.
7. Using the Reference Number, pay online via your Visa/Master/JCB Credit or Debit Card (through Maybank Payment Gateway) or Bayad Center Mobile App (Credit/Debit Cards, E-Wallet, Paypal), or over the counter through Bayad Center Branches nationwide.
8. An email containing an Acknowledgment Receipt (AR) will be sent to you confirming you have successfully paid the travel tax. Print two (2) copies of the AR and present them to the airline check-in counter prior to boarding.

How to pay for Travel Tax in person?

For those who prefer to pay their travel tax in the Philippines in-person, they can do so over the counter, at a Bayad Center Branch⁸. Do remember to bring along all the travel information and documents.

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Frequently asked questions

If you still have some questions about travel tax in the Philippines, here are some commonly-asked questions we will address.

How to know if Travel Tax is included in the ticket?

To know if the Philippine Travel Tax is included in your plane ticket, look for the fare breakdown on the airline ticket, booking confirmation or itinerary receipt. This may be denoted in foreign currency. Alongside the amount is the code “PH”. Some airlines may also state this as "Philippine Travel Tax", "Travel Tax" or "PH Tax-Manual" under the taxes and fees.

Who is exempted from travel tax in the Philippines?

The following groups of people are exempted from travel tax in the Philippines. They are Filipino citizens who are permanent residents abroad, Balikbayan visitors who have stayed in the Philippines for less than a year, and Overseas Filipino Contract Workers or OFWs.

What are the Travel Tax Philippines senior citizen requirements?

Senior citizens pay the full travel tax in the Philippines unless they are eligible for other reduced travel tax or exemptions.

1. Travel Tax: TIEZA
2. Travel Tax Exemption: TIEZA
3. Taxable Foreign Passport Holders: TIEZA
4. Non-immigrant Foreign Passport Holders: TIEZA
5. Directory of Travel Tax Offices: TIEZA
6. TIEZA’s Online Travel Tax Payment System portal
7. TIEZA’s FAQs
8. Bayad Center Branch Directory List