You might save some money if you buy your plane tickets after midnight tonight!

[NancyIL]

http://www.farecompare.com/news/refunds-airline-ticket-tax-holiday-starting-tonight/

**Now that it's after midnight, the taxes are indeed lower. However, airlines have been quick to make-up the difference by charging higher pre-tax fares.

 

[jlhay]

Heard on the news though airlines might just raise prices to cover the difference in taxes and fees

 

[NancyIL]

If they do, I won't be buying!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

If the FAA is regranted authority, they could reclaim/recollect and/or you may be required to report the purchase that you did not pay taxes on to the IRS. I wouldn't get too excited about this.

 

[NancyIL]

If the FAA is regranted authority, they could reclaim/recollect and/or you may be required to report the purchase that you did not pay taxes on to the IRS. I wouldn't get too excited about this.

I wouldn't put it past the government to try!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I wouldn't put it past the government to try!

I wouldn't put it past people to look for a deal at the misfortune of others (ie. employees who are caught in the middle of the current fiscal wrangling).

 

[NancyIL]

I wouldn't put it past people to look for a deal at the misfortune of others (ie. employees who are caught in the middle of the current fiscal wrangling).

It is no fault of consumers if the government doesn't have its act together.

 

[joxer1014]

Just priced the same flights I looked up on SW 30 minutes ago and at 12:04 am est, the price was still the same.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

It is no fault of consumers if the government doesn't have its act together.

Ethically, to me, it is. I would feel obligated to ensure the tax dollars were paid. It's kind of like the whole "no sales tax on internet sales", it's ethically wrong and taxes should be collected the same as if you bought it in a brick & mortar store.

 

[dunbarfamily]

I just looked at fares from TVC to MCO and they are they same they've been all week.

 

[NancyIL]

I haven't seen lower fares tonight, but I'll check again in the morning.

**I just checked AirTran, and the fares that were $94 each way from BMI-MCO are now $98 + taxes. However, the taxes are only $7 each way vs. the $34.52 for the roundtrip ticket I bought last month.

 

[Jenndoss]

The prices seem to be the same. We actually got lower fares than they are offering a couple months ago. The taxes are WAY low though. Like $8 a ticket. But no overall change.

 

[dunbarfamily]

I haven't seen lower fares tonight, but I'll check again in the morning.

**I just checked AirTran, and the fares that were $94 each way from BMI-MCO are now $98 + taxes. However, the taxes are only $7 each way vs. the $34.52 for the roundtrip ticket I bought last month.

The prices seem to be the same. We actually got lower fares than they are offering a couple months ago. The taxes are WAY low though. Like $8 a ticket. But no overall change.

On what airlines? I'm checking Delta. As of 1:01 est I'm still showing taxes of $42.80 per ticked from TVC-MCO with a layover in Detroit.

 

[quirty30]

The MKE/DEN fare I checked on Airtran a few hours ago went from $99 to $103 after midnight. I think that's about a wash compared to the taxes I'm saving.

 

[NancyIL]

After looking at my AirTran confirmation from June more closely, part of the $94 one-way fare already included some taxes.

AirTran's breakdown of the roundtrip price was:

Fare price: $174.88*
Taxes/fees: $34.52
_____________________
Total price: $209.40

*$174.88 + 7.5% sales tax = $188, so the $94 one-way fare included the sales tax

The fare is now advertised at $98 each way, which looks like only a $4 increase. However, here is the breakdown:

Departing
Airfare/passenger: $98.00*
Taxes/passenger: $7.00
_________________________
Subtotal/passenger $105.00
x 1 passenger

*There is no sales tax being collected now, so what looks like a $4 price increase each way is really an increase of $10.56 each way.

Returning
Airfare/passenger: $98.00
Taxes/passenger: $7.00
_________________________
Subtotal/passenger $105.00
x 1 passenger

Total cost of flight: $210.00

Here is the breakdown of taxes and fees each way:

$0.00 Departure Tax
$2.50 September 11th Security Fee
$4.50 Passenger Facility Charge
____________________________
$7.00 Total Tax and Fees

As predicted - the airlines have stepped in to get their cut!

 

[dunbarfamily]

After looking at my AirTran confirmation from June more closely, part of the $94 one-way fare already included some taxes.

AirTran's breakdown of the roundtrip price was:

Fare price: $174.88 (and not $94 x 2 = $188)
Taxes/fees: $34.52
_____________________
Total price: $209.40

The fare is now advertised at $98 each way, which looks like only a $4 increase. However, here is the breakdown:

Departing
Airfare/passenger: $98.00
Taxes/passenger: $7.00
_________________________
Subtotal/passenger $105.00
x 1 passenger

Returning
Airfare/passenger: $98.00
Taxes/passenger: $7.00
_________________________
Subtotal/passenger $105.00
x 1 passenger

Total cost of flight: $210.00

Here is the breakdown of taxes and fees each way:

$0.00 Departure Tax
$2.50 September 11th Security Fee
$4.50 Passenger Facility Charge
____________________________
$7.00 Total Tax and Fees

As predicted - the airlines have stepped in to get their cut!

Thanks Nancy for all of this great info. It sure doesn't take them long to figure it out. I'm still not seeing any difference in taxes, but I AM finding our tickets cheaper on travelocity at 591.80, with $56 of that being taxes. At Delta, it is 661.60, of which 85.60 is taxes. So are taxes lower on travelocity because their system is up to date, or because the base ticket price is less? This is so confusing. Maybe I'm just tired and belong in bed!

 

[quirty30]

I just priced some other tickets on Expedia....when I got my final price, I got the "we're sorry, the price of this flight has increased from $205.58 to $242.20"

And that was just from clicking on the price to getting the total - the airlines are definitely raising the base fares to offset the taxes.

 

[NancyIL]

Thanks Nancy for all of this great info. It sure doesn't take them long to figure it out. I'm still not seeing any difference in taxes, but I AM finding our tickets cheaper on travelocity at 591.80, with $56 of that being taxes. At Delta, it is 661.60, of which 85.60 is taxes. So are taxes lower on travelocity because their system is up to date, or because the base ticket price is less? This is so confusing. Maybe I'm just tired and belong in bed!

I think it's because Travelocity's system is up to date. This is post #6 on FlyerTalk (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...ecting-taxes-midnight-07-23-news-article.html) about Travelocity:

Seems like taxes - at least when booking through some sources - will definitely come off for bookings after midnight.

Sabre has apparently stated that US1/US1/ZP taxes will not be collected.

As with Travelocity (which makes sense given their relationship with Sabre): Joel Frey, Travelocity spokesperson, “No, we will not display or include the government fees and taxes in the price of airfares if the bill expires at 12:01.”

This would also lead me to think 12:01 EST will be the time (at least through Sabre/Travelocity) when it rolls out.

I checked airfares at American's web site, and they also charged just $7 in taxes per domestic flight. However, the international taxes on American's award tickets haven't budged since I checked earlier, and that's what I considered ticketing now rather than later.

 

[dunbarfamily]

I think it's because Travelocity's system is up to date. This is post #6 on FlyerTalk (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...ecting-taxes-midnight-07-23-news-article.html) about Travelocity:



I checked airfares at American's web site, and they also charged just $7 in taxes per domestic flight. However, the international taxes on American's award tickets haven't budged since I checked earlier, and that's what I considered ticketing now rather than later.

Hmmm, I just booked at Travelocity at the price and taxes I stated above. As of 0216est, Delta was still charging the same taxes as I mentioned. Very strange, but I am not complaining. I wanted airfare below $600, and now I have it.

I'd just like to say, "WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD AND I'M TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP!!!!"

 

[aubriee]

Just priced the same flights I looked up on SW 30 minutes ago and at 12:04 am est, the price was still the same.

I bought air fare for my Nov/Dec trip yesterday through American Airlines for $277.40. I just checked and it went up $10.00 at midnight to $288.40. Still cheaper than it was a few days ago though. It was over $300.00 then.

This past May I paid $158.00 r/t with Air Tran. Then for this upcoming Sept trip I paid $219.00 r/t, also with Air Tran (had to get one last trip to take advantage of Air Tran's great fares, before Southwest pulls them out of Dallas Nov 22nd). I just checked the fares for my Sept trip and those same exact fares are now $310.00, so they went up $81.00 since I bought them not quite two months ago.