At the moment four airports (Queenstown, Hamilton, Rotorua and Wellington) still have departure taxes you need to pay in airport “to receive a cheerful  little sticker on their boarding pass”(*). Here is table with current departure tax at airports in New Zealand (in yellow color are marked changes from previous year):

As you can see from this table your total payable tax can go up to $NZ37.78 if you are arriving to Dunedin ($NZ12.78 passenger services charge) and departing from Wellington ($NZ25.00 departure fee). But if you are doing opposite your total taxes would be only $NZ12.50, i.e. arriving to Wellington ($NZ0.00 passenger services charge) and departing from Christchurch($NZ12.50 passenger services charge). For one person may be it is not big saving, but for families or frequent fliers it can make difference.

Also you should know that at Hamilton and Rotorua airports there are domestic departure tax too, not only international departure fees.  You need to pay a $5 departure fee on domestic services out of these airports.

* quotation  from Wellington airport website http://www.wellington-airport.co.nz/html/airportinfo/charges.php

New Zealand departure tax [2012 update] is a post from: Travel Tips

And usually the weight of my carry-on bag was my biggest concern.  But during my latest trip I noticed that budget airlines are become stricter about size of carry-on luggage and people are forced to pay for additional bag to be checked-in. As you know these fees are quite big, especially if you are paying it at counter in airport before your flight.  Most confusing part is that different airlines have different requirement for luggage size. So if you flew with one airline a month ago and everything was fine it doesn’t mean your luggage measurements will comply with other company’s rules. So check these rules before you start packing as you bag may to big for your carrier.

Picture taken from www.bestraveltips.com

What is size of your bag is a post from: Travel Tips

Here is good example why you shouldn’t ignore signs:

and why you must wear seat belt during landing. May be it is the best landings, but for passengers who were sitting on the plane it wasn’t the best experience.

Like in the car seat belt is for your safety and most people even without thinking wear seat belts in the car. The same you should do on the plane. It is not a toy and you shouldn’t ignore the signs.

Why you always should wear seat belt on the plane is a post from: Travel Tips

A year ago I was writing how is annoying to pay annoying departure fee in New Zealand at last minute at airport.  During this year in Christchurch airport (CHC)  were done some changes. Since 1 July 2010 travellers have no longer been required to pay an international departure fee at Christchurch Airport before boarding their flight.  This departure fee has been replaced by a Passenger Services Charge, consisting of $12.50 for both departing and arriving passengers, which is included in the airfare costs and collected by the airlines.

At the moment in two airports (Auckland and Christchurch) there are  no surprise fees, but in other international airports in New Zealand you still need to pay departure fees “to receive a cheerful  little sticker on their boarding pass”(*). Here is table with current fees at airports in New Zealand:

As you can see from this table your total payable tax can go up to $NZ37.50 if you are arriving to Auckland ($NZ12.50 passenger services charge) and departing from Wellington ($NZ25.00 departure fee). But if you are doing opposite your total taxes would be only $NZ12.50, i.e. arriving to Wellington ($NZ0.00 passenger services charge) and departing from Auckland($NZ12.50 passenger services charge). For one person may be it is not big saving, but for families or frequent fliers it can make difference.

* quotation  from Wellington airport website http://www.wellington-airport.co.nz/html/airportinfo/charges.php

Departure fee in New Zealand [update 2011] is a post from: Travel Tips

Don’t keep all your warm clothes inside checked luggage is a post from: Travel Tips

Departure tax in Kathmandu (KTM) airport is a post from: Travel Tips

I am not surprised when officer in airport asks me for random(?) bag check. Usually I have big backpack, wearing not the cleanest clothes on after a long trip, so I can go directly to custom officer after collected my checked luggage. But last I was on short trip and had only small bag. Landed on Monday morning and was rushing to the office as had some urgent job to do. Again I was stopped by custom officer. It didn’t took much time to check my small bag, but I asked him, why I was stopped and the answer was: “I saw you was moving very fast towards exist”. Lesson learned: don’t run in customs area, it won’t help you leave airport faster.

Don’t run in customs zone in airport is a post from: Travel Tips

In last 3 years I been on and off New Zealand for may be 10 times. I always have great time there, but one thing really annoys every time I am coming to airport to catch my out bound flight. For all international departures you need to pay departure tax (currently it is 25$NZ).
It looks small charge comparing with amount of money you already spent in the country. That is the thing I can’t understand – they collect so much taxes from all tourist industry, as it is expensive country to travel, and it still not enough and just want to ruin all your final memories about New Zealand. Small thing, but I am sure will be remembered by most of tourists. Especially the waiting in whose long lines to pay that fee.

Gladly at least in Auckland airport you don’t need to pay this fee, but keep 25$NZ in you pocket if you are flying out from any other airport in New Zealand.

Departure fee – most annoying thing in New Zealand is a post from: Travel Tips

Don’t put all your warm clothes inside checked luggage is a post from: Travel Tips

Extra leg room for short (long) haul flights is a post from: Travel Tips