Australia Raises Passenger Charge to $80 in 2027

The Australian government has raised the Passenger Movement Charge to $80 per person for all departures from the country, effective January 1, 2027, as announced in the 2026-27 federal budget.

The flat fee, up $10 from the current $70, applies to every passenger leaving Australia by air or sea, including both citizens and tourists, regardless of when tickets are booked. Exemptions cover children under 11, foreign military personnel, airline staff and certain involuntary arrivals. The charge, typically bundled into ticket prices, is projected to generate an extra $755 million in revenue over five years from 2025-26. A six-month transition applies for some pre-purchased tickets.

Introduced in 1995 as an update to the 1978 departure tax, the PMC recovers costs for passenger processing, customs, immigration and biosecurity at ports. It has risen steadily since, reaching $27 initially and now one of the world's highest flat exit fees, though varying systems exist elsewhere, such as the UK's tiered model based on distance and class.

Tourism and aviation groups expressed strong opposition, warning the hike compounds pressures from a 60 percent rise in oil prices over the past year and a...