Effective December 1, 2024, travellers departing from the Maldives will face higher exit fees, with some categories experiencing up to a fourfold increase. The changes come as part of the second amendment to the Airport Taxes and Fees (ATF) Act, revising the Departure Tax (DPT) across different travel classes.
Revised Departure Taxes by Travel Class
Economy Class: the departure tax remains unchanged at $12 for Maldivians, while it increases from $30 to $50 for foreigners.
Business Class: the departure tax increases from $60 to $120 for both Maldivians and foreigners.
First Class: the departure tax increases from $90 to $240 for both Maldivians and foreigners.
Private Jet Passengers: the departure tax increases from $120 to $480 for both Maldivians and foreigners.
Despite the increase, many tourists may remain unaware of the new charges, as these fees are typically incorporated into the price of airline tickets.
Exemptions
- Certain passengers are exempt from the departure tax, including:
- Persons with diplomatic immunity, such as foreign diplomats residing in the Maldives under the Vienna Convention or those on flights with “diplomatic clearance.”
- Transit passengers, defined as those staying in the Maldives for less than 24 hours for the purpose of connecting flights.
- Children under two years old, unless they have reached their second birthday at the start of their journey.
Determination of Travel Class
Passenger’s class of travel should be determined conforming to the travel class declared in the submission made by the airline to the IATA for fare approval.
The travel class of a passenger travelling on a charter flight should be determined by the airport operator based on the documentation provided by the charterer to the airport operator to that effect.
However, the travel class of a passenger travelling on a private jet shall be “private jet”. An aircraft departing from Maldives via an airport in the Maldives under the relevant permit issued by the MCAA for operation of a private jet shall be deemed to be a private jet, irrespective of the type of aircraft used and the cabins available on that aircraft.
According to the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA), the funds generated from these revised fees will contribute to the maintenance and development of Velana International Airport (MLE), the country’s main transit hub.
