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- Higher charges to fund NT$600 billion in airport expansion projects over 20 years
TAIPEI, (Taiwan News) — The ministry of transportation and communications announced Tuesday that airport service fees for outbound passengers will increase in two phases, with the first adjustment taking effect September 1, 2026.
The fee will rise from the current NT$500 (USD15.50) to NT$750 on September 1. The fee will increase again to NT$1,000 starting September 1, 2028, per a press release.
The ministry said the increases are needed to fund major airport infrastructure projects, including Terminal 3 and a third runway at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, a new terminal at Kaohsiung International Airport, expansion projects at Taichung International Airport, and upgrades at airports on outlying islands.
The projects are expected to require about NT$600 billion in investment over the next 20 years. The ministry said the additional revenue will support airport construction, improve flight safety and service quality, and promote tourism.
The ministry said the airport service fee has remained unchanged since it was raised to NT$500 in 2015. During that period, construction and operating costs have continued to rise, leaving current revenue insufficient to meet airport development.
Compared with neighboring airports, Taiwan’s fees remain lower. The ministry cited fees of NT$1,597 at Singapore Changi Airport, NT$1,434 at Hong Kong International Airport, NT$1,239 at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and NT$1,187 at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Departure fees at other major Southeast Asian airports are also higher than those in Taiwan, per the press release.
Under the current system, airport service fee revenue from outbound passengers is divided equally between airport construction and tourism development. After the first-phase increase, the allocation ratio will change to 60 percent for airports and 40 percent for tourism. In the second phase, the ratio will shift to 65 percent for airports and 35 percent for tourism.
The ministry said transit passengers also use airport facilities, so such fees will also be adjusted to NT$1,000 in two phases alongside the outbound passenger fee increases. Taiwan’s airports currently connect to 104 international destinations, with 3,018 weekly flights.
Taoyuan International Airport handled approximately 25.8 million passengers in the first half of 2026, up 10 percent from the same period last year. Annual passenger traffic is expected to exceed 50 million, setting a new record and highlighting the need for further airport expansion and service upgrades, the ministry said.
- Sean Scanlan, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
