Traveling in Costa Rica Now Made Easier with Exit Tax Rolled into Cost of Airline Tickets

According to recent reports, officials in Costa Rica are finally making the move to eliminate a step for travelers departing the country by air. Starting on December 3, the $29 airport exit tax will be combined with the price of airline tickets. First implemented in 2003, the tax is currently paid at a special counter located in the airport. It may also be paid at travel agencies or at Bancrédito bank branches. Several hotels also offer the opportunity to pay the tax at the hotel rather than at the airport, however, there is often an extra charge for paying at the hotel. Prior to checking in for a flight, passengers are required to pay the tax at one of the venues.

Travelers are able to pay the departure tax in US dollars or opt to pay the equivalent amount in colones. Credit cards are also accepted to pay the tax, but payments using a credit card were often treated as a cash advance, resulting in an additional charge. While airport departure taxes are common in many nations, most other countries allowed airlines to include the cost of the departure tax with ticket prices. Costa Rica remained one of the few countries that required travelers to pay the tax in person.

Recently, an agreement was reached between airport administrators, the Immigration Administration, the bank, the National Tourism Board, and the Finance Ministry that would make it possible to include the tax in the price of tickets. Previously, there had been problems in applying an exemption for diplomat officials, which made it difficult to implement the new system.

Due to the fact that the Immigration Administration and Foreign Ministry are now sharing a database of all individuals who are tax exempt, that hurdle has been removed. Revenue from the exit tax is applied exclusively the Civil Aviation Authority for the modernization and expansion of Costa Rica's airports.

Currently, there are two international airports in Costa Rica. The largest airport is Juan Santamaria Airport, located in Alajuela, slightly north of San Jose. Daniel Oduber Airport is located in Liberia and provides access to destinations in the northwestern Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. There are also several domestic airlines operating in Costa Rica, making in-country travel even easier. Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia benefitted from improvements two years ago following a $68 million expansion that became necessary as a result of near constant growth of tourism experienced in Guanacaste. The new airport terminal is now able to accommodate approximately 1500 passengers and is considered the best secondary airport facility in Central America.

In recent months, the number of airlines offering additional flights to and from Costa Rica has expanded in an effort to provide greater access to the country, particularly from destinations in the United States. By rolling the airport exit tax in with the price of airline tickets, travel will be greatly facilitated for travelers, further solidifying Costa Rica's reputation as a favored tropical destination.