Travel Tax Payment, Refunds and the Online System
Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority · travel
Quick answer
TIEZA runs an Online Travel Tax Services System for payment and for reduced-rate and exemption applications. Online reduced-rate applications are processed within 1 day, and your flight must be at least 1 day later or you must go on-site. Refunds are claimed within 2 years of payment.
Last verified
Where these figures come from
About these figures: the numbers below come from TIEZA's official published sources: TIEZA | Travel Tax Refund (https://tieza.gov.ph/travel-tax-refund/, retrieved 2026-09-01); TIEZA | Reduced Travel Tax (https://tieza.gov.ph/reduced-travel-tax/, retrieved 2026-09-01); TIEZA | Online Travel Tax Services System (https://tieza.gov.ph/online-travel-tax-services-system/, retrieved 2026-09-01). Agencies change fees and rates without notice, so confirm with TIEZA before you rely on them. Last verified: 2026-09-01.
TIEZA splits travel tax into three transactions: paying it, reducing it, and getting it back, and each has its own timing rule.
The rates you are paying against
| Category | First class | Economy |
|---|---|---|
| Full | ₱2,700.00 | ₱1,620.00 |
| Standard reduced | ₱1,350.00 | ₱810.00 |
| Privileged reduced | ₱400.00 | ₱300.00 |
| Exempt | ₱0.00 | ₱0.00 |
The travel tax guide covers who falls into which, and the calculator computes the difference and any refund.
Where to pay
| Channel | Notes |
|---|---|
| Online Travel Tax Services System | TIEZA’s own portal, used for payment and for reduced-rate and exemption applications |
| TIEZA Travel Tax Offices | On-site, and the only route once you are inside the one-day window |
| Airport counters | On-site, including on the day of the flight |
| Airlines and their agents | Commonly collected with the fare |
The one-day rule
This is the rule that decides whether you are on a website or in a queue.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Online processing time | Within 1 day of submission of complete documentary requirements |
| Legal basis | RA 11032, the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 |
| Flight timing requirement | Your flight date must be at least 1 day after the online application date |
| If you are inside that window | The application must be processed on-site |
TIEZA also advises scanning every documentary requirement before starting, in PDF or JPG, with the 2x2 ID picture as JPG only and taken within the last 6 months.
Claiming a refund
| Rule | What TIEZA publishes |
|---|---|
| Deadline | Within 2 years from the date of payment |
| Who may claim | A passenger who paid the full rate but was eligible for a reduced rate, for the excess |
| Where | On-site at any TIEZA Travel Tax Office or airport counter |
| Form of payment | A check for deposit to the payee’s account only |
| Uncrossing | Possible on the request of the payee, who must be properly identified |
| If the claimant is not the passenger | A Special Power of Attorney must be submitted for release of the check |
| For a minor payee | The parent presents the minor’s original birth certificate, unless the parent signed the passport for the minor. A non-parent claimant needs the birth certificate plus an SPA executed by the parents |
| Airline refunds | Airlines or their agents may grant the refund directly, provided the tax has not yet been remitted to TIEZA and requirements are met |
That last row is the fastest route when it applies, because it avoids TIEZA’s check process entirely, but it closes as soon as the airline remits.
What a refund is actually worth
| You paid | You qualified for | Refund |
|---|---|---|
| Full economy, ₱1,620.00 | Exempt | ₱1,620.00 |
| Full economy, ₱1,620.00 | Privileged reduced, ₱300.00 | ₱1,320.00 |
| Full economy, ₱1,620.00 | Standard reduced, ₱810.00 | ₱810.00 |
| Full first class, ₱2,700.00 | Exempt | ₱2,700.00 |
| Full first class, ₱2,700.00 | Privileged reduced, ₱400.00 | ₱2,300.00 |
| Full first class, ₱2,700.00 | Standard reduced, ₱1,350.00 | ₱1,350.00 |
An OFW who was exempt but paid economy full rate is owed ₱1,620.00, and has 2 years to ask for it.
The documents a claim rests on
| Document | Published fee | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| PSA birth certificate, viewable online | ₱130.00 | Required for a minor payee’s refund |
| PSA marriage certificate, viewable online | ₱130.00 | For a spouse’s privileged rate claim |
| DMW Balik-Manggagawa OEC | None | Named by TIEZA for dependent claims |
| OEC | Valid 60 days, single exit | The OFW’s own proof |
| NBI clearance | ₱130.00 plus ₱30.00, ₱160.00 total | Commonly assembled in the same trip |
What this page does not cover
TIEZA does not publish, on the pages read for this guide, the payment channels inside the online system, a processing time for refund claims, a list of Travel Tax Office and airport counter locations and hours, a fee for the exemption certificate, or whether refunds can be released to a bank account rather than by check. None of those are stated here.
Related
The travel tax guide covers the four rate categories. The exemption guide covers exempt travellers and the certificate. The calculator does the arithmetic.
Frequently asked questions
- Where do I pay travel tax?
- TIEZA operates an Online Travel Tax Services System, and on-site counters at TIEZA Travel Tax Offices and airport counters. Airlines and their agents also collect it with the fare in many cases.
- How long does an online reduced-rate application take?
- TIEZA states all reduced travel tax applications submitted online are processed within 1 day from the date of submission of complete documentary requirements, in accordance with Republic Act 11032.
- Can I apply online the day I fly?
- No. TIEZA states the date of your flight must be at least 1 day after the date of your online application. Otherwise the application must be processed on-site through a TIEZA Travel Tax Office or airport counter.
- How do I claim a travel tax refund?
- Claims must be made within 2 years from the date of payment. Someone who paid the full rate but was eligible for a reduced rate applies on-site at any TIEZA Travel Tax Office or airport counter for the excess.
- How is the refund paid out?
- By check, for deposit to the payee's account only. TIEZA states it may be uncrossed on the request of the payee, who must be properly identified.
- Can someone else claim my refund?
- Yes, with a Special Power of Attorney. TIEZA states an SPA shall be submitted for the release of the check if the claimant is not the passenger.
- What about a refund for a child?
- For a minor payee, the parent presents the minor's original birth certificate, unless the parent signed the passport on the minor's behalf. A claimant who is not the parent presents the birth certificate and an SPA executed by the parents.
- Can the airline refund me directly?
- TIEZA states airline companies or their agents may grant the refund to the passenger if the travel tax has not yet been remitted to TIEZA, provided the requirements are met.
More TIEZA guides
Sources
- TIEZA | Travel Tax Refund, retrieved
- TIEZA | Reduced Travel Tax, retrieved
- TIEZA | Online Travel Tax Services System, retrieved