Taxes & Fees
What you pay, and who sets it.
Your TravelFirst quote shows all cost components. Here is what each one is, who sets it, and what it covers.
Taxes & Fees
Your TravelFirst quote shows all cost components. Here is what each one is, who sets it, and what it covers.
How to read your TravelFirst quote
Your quote shows each cost component separately, including airfare, government taxes and airport fees, carrier surcharges where applicable, and the TravelFirst agency fee. The agency fee is clearly labeled before you decide.
Set by governments and collected with airfare.
Government taxes on airline tickets are levied by national, state, and local governments as part of the cost of air travel. These taxes are mandatory and are not discretionary. Neither TravelFirst nor the airline has the ability to waive or modify them.
Government taxes commonly appearing on US-based itineraries include:
Government authorities set these taxes.
Government taxes are collected as part of the airfare component of your booking, charged by the airline or accredited ticketing partner. TravelFirst passes these through without markup. The amounts shown in your quote are estimates at the time of research.
Set by airports and port authorities.
Airport fees are charges set by airport authorities and port authorities, collected to fund airport infrastructure, facilities, and operations. Like government taxes, these fees are not set or controlled by TravelFirst or by airlines.
Airport fees commonly appearing on itineraries include:
Airport fees are included in the airfare component of your quote.
Airport fees are collected as part of the total airfare component charged by the airline or accredited ticketing partner. These fees are set by the relevant airport or authority.
Set by the airline and included in the airfare component.
Carrier surcharges are fees imposed by the airline itself on top of the base fare. These fees are determined solely by the airline's pricing and commercial policies.
Common carrier surcharges include:
Airlines set carrier surcharges.
Carrier surcharges are part of the airline's fare structure and are included in the airfare component of your quote. They are charged by the airline or accredited ticketing partner as part of the airfare.
The TravelFirst agency fee is separate from airfare and shown as its own line item in your quote. Read the Agency Fee Policy for what it covers and how it is handled.
What is refundable and under what conditions.
Refundability of the components in your quote depends on the type of charge and applicable fare rules.
| Fee Type | Refundable? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Government Taxes | Typically yes | If ticket is refunded per airline rules; some taxes may be non-refundable by law (varies by country). Processed through airline/ticketing partner. |
| Airport Fees | Typically yes | Generally refundable if the ticket is refunded per airline/fare rules. Processed through airline/ticketing partner. |
| Carrier Surcharges | Follows fare rules | Refundability follows the airline's applicable fare conditions. Refundable fares generally include surcharges; non-refundable fares generally do not. |
| TravelFirst Agency Fee | Non-refundable after ticket issuance | The agency fee is non-refundable after ticket issuance. Exception: For eligible bookings (US-originating, made at least 7 days before departure, cancelled within 24 hours of booking confirmation), the agency fee is refunded in full. No discretion applies. See Refund Policy for full details. |
Airfare refundability is determined by the fare rules of your ticket, not by TravelFirst.
Whether the airfare component (base fare, taxes, fees, surcharges) is refundable is determined by the fare rules associated with your specific ticket and the operating carrier's policies. TravelFirst will advise you on fare conditions before you authorize, but final refund decisions for the airfare component rest with the operating carrier.
For full details on refund processes and timelines, see Refund Policy.
Questions about what's in your quote? We explain every line item.
TravelFirst breaks down your quote into every fee, tax, surcharge, and our agency fee, all disclosed in writing before you decide anything.