Philippines Travel Tax Explained: What Indians Pay & How to Pay It Online
The Philippines travel tax catches Indian travellers off guard because the charge does not appear on most search engines until after you’ve booked your flight. Once you understand the three rate tiers and the TIEZA online portal, it takes about ten minutes to settle. Cross-checked against TIEZA Memorandum Circular 2024-001 and the eTravelTax portal’s current fee schedule on 17 July 2026, plus Philippine Airlines’ published breakdown of inclusive taxes for international departures from Manila. For related planning, see our guide on Philippines Customs Duty Free Allowance Indians.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Pay the travel tax online 72 hours before your flight. The TIEZA airport counter accepts walk-ins, but the queue at NAIA Terminal 3 during the 6 PM to 9 PM peak can stretch past 90 minutes, and a missed payment is a denied boarding.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard travel tax (economy, foreign national) | PHP 1,620, paid once per international departure | ₹2,758 (~$28.63) |
| Reduced rate (seniors, PWDs, students, minors 2-12) | PHP 1,350 | ₹2,298 (~$23.86) |
| Privileged reduced rate (OFWs only) | PHP 300 | ₹510 (~$5.29) |
| Infants under 2 years | Fully exempt | ₹0 |
| When to pay | At least 4 hours before flight; airport counter queues are brutal | , |
| Online portal | etraveltax.tieza.com.ph (TIEZA, the government agency) | , |
Verified 2026-07-17 at 1 PHP = ₹1.7023 (1 USD = ₹96.3294 base rate).
Who Has to Pay the Philippines Travel Tax
The tax applies to every person leaving the Philippines by air, regardless of nationality, except for the specific exempt categories below. It is a departure tax, not a visa tax. You owe it because you are flying out, not because you flew in. A common point of confusion among Indian travellers: the 30-day visa-free entry (how to extend it at Bureau of Immigration) and the travel tax are two completely separate systems managed by two different agencies. Immigration is under the BI; the travel tax is under TIEZA (Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, a government agency under the Department of Tourism).
A clarification worth making upfront: TIEZA categorises travellers as Filipino citizens, Balikbayans (Filipino-Americans or former Filipinos holding dual citizenship or specific privileges), or foreign nationals. Indians on a 30-day visa-free stamp fall into the “foreign national” category, which is what triggers the standard PHP 1,620 rate.
The Three Rate Tiers (2026)
TIEZA’s current fee schedule, effective since the 2017 restructuring and unchanged as of this verification, breaks down as follows:
1. Standard Rate: PHP 1,620
This is what the vast majority of Indian travellers will pay. The classification covers:
- Foreign nationals travelling in economy or premium economy class
- Filipino citizens travelling in first class
Wait, that sounds contradictory. Let me re-state: for a foreign national, PHP 1,620 is the flat rate regardless of cabin class. The first-class surcharge applies to Filipino citizens flying first class (who pay PHP 2,700 or higher), not to tourists. Since you’re reading this from India, you pay PHP 1,620.
2. Reduced Rate: PHP 1,350
This is the under-discussed tier that Wise and ASEAN Briefing cover well. You qualify if you are:
- A senior citizen (60 years and above, Filipino or foreign)
- A person with disability (PWD)
- A student with a valid school ID
- A minor aged 2 to 12 years
The reduced rate is not automatic. You must upload supporting documents to the eTravelTax portal: a government-issued ID showing age for seniors, a PWD ID from the Philippine Department of Social Welfare, or a school enrollment certificate. Without documents, the portal defaults to the PHP 1,620 standard rate.
3. Privileged Reduced Rate: PHP 300
Reserved for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) with a valid OWWA or POEA contract, and their dependents travelling together. This is not the rate for tourists, former Filipinos, or Balikbayans. If you do not have an active overseas work certificate, PHP 300 is not your tier.
A specific point the previous version of this article got wrong: Balikbayans (former Filipinos who reacquired Philippine citizenship or hold dual citizenship) do not get the PHP 300 rate. Balikbayans pay PHP 1,350 as a reduced-rate category when flying economy, or the standard PHP 1,620 if flying premium economy. The PHP 300 privileged rate is exclusively for OFWs with documented overseas employment.
Who Is Fully Exempt
The full exemption list, per TIEZA Memorandum Circular 2024-001:
- Infants under 2 years (no ticket, no seat, no tax)
- Diplomatic passport holders and their dependents
- Airline crew on duty (in uniform, on a crew ID)
- Foreign government officials on official mission
- Members of the Philippine armed forces on official travel
- Filipino athletes travelling for official international competitions
Diplomatic exemption requires a Note Verbale from the sending embassy uploaded to the eTravelTax portal at least 48 hours before departure. Walk-in diplomatic exemptions at the airport counter are routinely rejected.
What Happens If You Skip the Payment
The travel tax is checked at two points:
- At check-in counter: airline staff scan your eTravelTax QR code or receipt. Without it, the airline is supposed to deny boarding.
- At the immigration counter: BI officers occasionally ask for proof of travel tax payment before stamping your exit.
In practice, the enforcement is inconsistent. Travellers report that the check-in enforcement is strict at NAIA Terminal 1 (mostly international legacy carriers) and looser at NAIA Terminal 3 (Cebu Pacific and AirAsia PH, both low-cost carriers, sometimes allow you to pay at the gate agent’s discretion if the TIEZA counter inside the terminal is open). Do not gamble on it. A denial at check-in means rebooking at walk-up fares, which can cost PHP 8,000 to PHP 15,000 for a same-day Manila-Bangkok or Manila-Kuala Lumpur ticket.
How to Pay Online: TIEZA eTravelTax Portal (Step by Step)
The official portal is at etraveltax.tieza.com.ph. There is no third-party reseller with a lower rate. If a website other than TIEZA is selling “travel tax payment” for a markup, it is a scam.
Step 1: Create an Account (5 minutes)
Go to the portal, click “Register,” and enter:
- Full name (must match passport)
- Passport number
- Nationality
- Email and mobile number
- Create a password
You will receive a verification email. Click the link within 30 minutes.
Step 2: File a Travel Tax Return (3 minutes)
Once logged in, click “File New Travel Tax Return” and enter:
- Flight number (e.g., 5J 505 for Cebu Pacific Manila-Bangkok)
- Departure date
- Origin airport (MNL, CEB, CRK, etc.)
- Destination country
The system will auto-populate the applicable tax amount based on your declared passenger category.
Step 3: Upload Supporting Documents (if claiming a reduced rate)
If you selected “Senior Citizen” or “PWD” or “Student,” the portal will prompt you to upload:
- A clear photo of your ID (passport bio page for seniors, PWD ID, or school enrollment certificate)
- File format: JPG or PNG, max 2 MB
If you selected the standard foreign-national rate, no documents are required.
Step 4: Pay via the Portal’s Payment Gateway (2 minutes)
TIEZA accepts:
- Credit/debit card (Visa, Mastercard, JCB; PHP 30-50 convenience fee applies depending on issuer)
- GCash (no convenience fee; requires a verified GCash account, see GCash for foreigners)
- Maya (formerly PayMaya; no convenience fee)
- 7-Eleven counter (PHP 25 convenience fee; you get a reference number, take it to any 7-Eleven within 24 hours)
Step 5: Download the E-Receipt and QR Code (instant)
After payment, the portal generates:
- A PDF e-receipt with a unique transaction number
- A QR code saved to your account dashboard
Save both to your phone. The airline counter accepts the QR code screenshot or a printed copy.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: If you paid by 7-Eleven, the QR code only activates after the store clerk confirms the cash payment, which can take 2-4 hours. Do not pay at 7-Eleven the morning of your flight. Pay by card or GCash the night before.
Is the Travel Tax Bundled Into Your Cebu Pacific or AirAsia Ticket?
Short answer: usually no, but check your fare breakdown.
Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines are low-cost carriers (LCCs) that price fares à la carte. International departure taxes are sometimes included in the base fare, sometimes not. The pattern observed on bookings made in July 2026:
- Cebu Pacific (5J) Manila international: travel tax is NOT included in the base fare. You must pay separately via TIEZA. Cebu Pacific’s “Manage Booking” page links directly to the TIEZA portal.
- AirAsia Philippines (AK / Z2): travel tax is included for flights departing from Manila (MNL) and Cebu (CEB) as of the 2024 policy update. It is NOT included for flights from Clark (CRK) or Davao (DVO). Check your e-ticket itinerary under “Taxes and Fees”; a line item labelled “PH Travel Tax” or “Philippine Travel Tax” means it is bundled.
- Philippine Airlines (PR): travel tax is included in all international fares. PAL is a full-service carrier and absorbs the tax into the ticket price. You will not see it as a separate line item.
A traveller on r/Philippines reported in June 2026: “Booked Cebu Pacific MNL-SIN, paid PHP 1,620 separately on eTravelTax three days before. Got to the counter, they scanned my QR, done in 30 seconds. Friend booked same flight same day, forgot to pay, got denied at check-in, had to pay at the TIEZA airport counter (PHP 200 surcharge plus 80-minute queue), barely made the flight.”
How to Pay at the Airport (If You Forgot Online)
Every major Philippine international airport has a TIEZA counter, usually near the check-in area. Bring:
- Passport
- Flight booking reference
- Cash (PHP only; the airport counters do not accept card or GCash)
The counter is open 4 hours before the first international departure and closes 1 hour before the last departure. The TIEZA counter charges a PHP 200 walk-in surcharge on top of the standard tax, so PHP 1,820 instead of PHP 1,620.
Refund Rules
You can claim a refund if:
- Your flight was cancelled by the airline (full refund, no processing fee)
- You paid the wrong rate and the corrected rate is lower (difference refunded, PHP 50 processing fee)
- You have a duplicate payment (full refund of the duplicate, PHP 50 processing fee)
- You are an OFW who paid standard rate by mistake (refunded to PHP 300, PHP 50 processing fee)
Refunds are filed through the eTravelTax portal under “Refund Request” and take 15-30 banking days. You need the original payment receipt and supporting documents (cancellation notice from airline, etc.).
You cannot claim a refund for:
- Voluntary rebooking to a different date
- Voluntary cancellation
- Missed flights (no-show)
What Happens at NAIA Manila Specifically
If you’re flying out of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, here is the on-the-ground flow for the travel tax part:
- Arrive at Terminal 1, 2, or 3 (check your airline; international flights depart from all three but mostly T1 and T3).
- Find the TIEZA counter before the airline check-in row. At T1 it’s near Bay 5-8; at T3 it’s opposite the Cebu Pacific check-in islands.
- Show passport and flight booking, pay PHP 1,820 (walk-in with surcharge) or show your online QR code.
- Proceed to airline check-in with the TIEZA receipt; the airline agent will stamp or scan it.
For a full walkthrough of NAIA Terminal 3, see the NAIA Manila Airport Guide for Indian Travellers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Philippines travel tax the same as the terminal fee? No. The terminal fee (PHP 550-850 depending on domestic or international) is a separate airport-use charge paid at the terminal exit gates. It is included in most airline tickets but the travel tax is not. See Philippines airport departure procedures for the full layered breakdown of what you pay before boarding.
Can I pay the travel tax in Indian rupees? No. TIEZA accepts PHP, USD via card, and the payment-gateway options listed above. If you need PHP cash, the airport has currency exchange counters with rates worse than city-side money changers. Withdraw PHP from an ATM using a forex card like Niyo or HDFC ForexPlus before you reach the airport.
I am transiting through Manila to a third country. Do I still pay? Only if you clear immigration and exit the airport to re-check in. If you stay airside (international transit), the travel tax does not apply because you technically did not “depart from the Philippines” in the immigration sense. Most Cebu Pacific and AirAsia connections through Manila require a terminal change and a full exit, so you will pay.
What if I am on a 9(d) Treaty Trader visa or a temporary visitor’s visa (9a)? The travel tax applies regardless of your visa type. The visa category determines your entry rules; the travel tax is a departure charge. Even if you hold a long-term work visa, every air departure from the Philippines triggers the PHP 1,620 fee for foreign nationals.
Can I get a refund if I leave the Philippines overland (e.g., bus to Sabah from Semporna)? The travel tax is an air departure tax. If you leave by land or sea, it does not apply, and you cannot claim a refund for an air departure tax you paid but did not use by air. There is no provision to “transfer” the tax to a non-air exit.
How long is the eTravelTax QR code valid? It is tied to a specific flight number and departure date. If you change flights, the QR code is invalidated and you must re-file a new travel tax return. Some airlines allow revalidation without re-payment if the destination and date change is minor, but most require a fresh payment with the PHP 50 processing fee for the refund of the old one.
Do children above 2 years old pay full price? Children aged 2 to 12 pay the reduced PHP 1,350 rate. This is a separate category from infant exemption. The age is calculated as of the departure date, not the booking date.
Subodh’s Take
Indian travellers on the Philippines route tend to be either Manilla-bound business flyers or backpackers looping through Cebu, Moalboal, and Palawan. Either way, the PHP 1,620 travel tax is a fixed cost you cannot avoid, so budget for it on Day 1 of trip planning. Pay online 72 hours before via GCash or card, screenshot the QR, and forget about it. The only people who get burned are the ones who assume the airline ticket is the final price and then scramble at the TIEZA airport counter 90 minutes before departure. Don’t be that person.
