Dutch air passenger tax more than tripled from 1 January: from €7.95 to €26.43

The Dutch government wants to increase the air passenger tax by € 18.48 as of 1 January 2023. The flight tax will then increase from approximately € 8 to more than € 26 per flight ticket. In this way, the cabinet wants to reduce CO2 emissions from flying.

Goal: Reduce CO2 emissions from flying

The air passenger tax rate will be increased by € 18.48 from 1 January 2023. The rate will then more than triple, from € 7.95 to € 26.43 per passenger departing from any airport in The Netherlands.

Increasing the air passenger tax will reduce the difference between the price of an airline ticket and a train ticket. For example, the cabinet wants to encourage people to opt for the train instead of the plane more often. The air passenger tax of over € 26 applies to both short-haul and long-haul tickets.

The flight tax has existed since 2021 to reduce CO2 emissions from flying. CO2 is a greenhouse gas that is harmful to the climate. The increase in the air passenger tax will yield € 400 million for the national government.

This measure is part of the 2023 Tax Plan. It might entice some Dutch travellers to fly from Belgian airports, where the tax is much lower.