Departure Tax and Airport Development Fee price-hikes mean airlines will have to make tickets to the Maldives more expensive
Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has announced a large increase in the amount of taxes passengers will have to pay to visit the Maldives from December 1 onwards. The increases in not only the Maldives’ Departure Tax but also the Airport Development Fee (ADF) will mean that airline tickets to the Maldives will soon cost more. That is because under MIRA’s terms, all airlines are responsible for collecting Departure Tax and ADF on all scheduled flights. Therefore, it is expected that airlines will increase prices to help swallow up these fees.
Those travelling on chartered flights or private jets are not exempt from the increased taxes either. However, the operators of the respective airports are responsible for collecting ADF and departure tax from the charter and private jet passengers.
The Departure Tax and ADF price increases will apply to all international airports in the Maldives, regardless of whether visitors arrive via the Maldives’ busiest hub, Velana International Airport in Male’ Atoll, at Gan International Airport in the far south, or the yet-to-open northerly Hanimadhoo International Airport.
How much is the Maldives Departure Tax increase?
The cost will depend upon whether you are Maldivian or not and which cabin class you are travelling in when you depart the Maldives. For foreigners travelling from the Maldives in economy class, Departure Tax is increasing from $30 USD to $50 USD.
The cost will double for those in business class, from $60 to $120. First class passengers will see one of the biggest increases, with Departure Tax being more than tripled for them, from $90 USD to $240 USD.
Meanwhile, anyone departing the Maldives in a private jet will see a fourfold increase meaning they will have to pay $480 USD from December 1. The previous private jet Departure Tax rate was £120 USD.
How much will Maldivians pay compared to foreigners?
Contrary to some reports, the cost of the Departure Fee for passengers travelling in business class, first class and via private jet will be the same whether you are a visitor or have Maldivian citizenship, according to the information published by MIRA.
However, any Maldivians travelling in economy will not see an increase, as their Departure Tax rate will be frozen at the same rate as it was prior to December 1. MIRA states that Maldivians will have to pay £12 USD, $120 USD and $240 USD to depart via economy, business and first class respectively, while any Maldivians using a private jet will have to pay $480 USD Departure Tax.
It is unclear how international airlines will be able to enforce different rates depending upon the nationality of the passengers.
How much is the Maldives’ Airport Development Fee going up by?
The Airport Development Fee (ADF) is put toward funding the desperately needed new terminal at Velana International Airport in order to bring it up to contemporary international standards. ADF is going up from December for all visitors, although it will remain the same price for Maldivian nationals provided they are travelling in economy class.
Visitors travelling economy will have to pay $30 USD instead of $25 USD as ADF from December 1, while Maldivians will still have to pay £12, as before.
However, there will be a new rate structure for ADF based on cabin class for anyone who isn’t travelling in economy. This means any Maldivians or foreigners travelling business class will be required to pay AD of $60, or $90 for those with first-class seats.
ADF for private jets goes up from $120 USD to $480 USD.
How much more could my ticket to the Maldives be increased by overall?
Assuming that airlines will simply add on the new rates for Departure Tax and ADF and not make any discounts from other associated costs of your flight to the Maldives, tickets could see an increase of:
Economy class (foreigners): $80 USD
Economy class (Maldivians): $24 USD
Business class (foreigners): $180 USD
Business class (Maldivians): $180 USD
First class (foreigners): $330 USD
First class (Maldivians): $330 USD
Private jet (foreigners): $1,440 USD
Private jet (Maldivians): $1,440 USD
