I was pricing out tickets on Iberia’s website for a round trip from JFK to Madrid in March of this year. While the price of the tickets are in my budget, Iberia adds a tax of $171.42. Almost half the ticket price.

Now that price for the tickets to fly to Spain does not look so good for an off season flight.

I go to Air France website look for a flight from JFK to Madrid for the same days. The ticket cost more, $65 more and here is were it gets strange. The tax on Air France is $92.81. This makes the price of the ticket $20 cheaper than Iberia’s. The down side is, a longer flight and I have to transfer to my connecting flight in Paris. Maybe I should visit Paris?

Anyway, what gives with the taxes, high taxes for Iberia? Also is it me, but I do not recall the tickets I purchased last year having this large amount of taxes added on?

Bill

Got home and check the old emails I recieved from Iberia when I bought my tickets online.

For the same trip in Oct 2005 and this was the tax:

TASA : USD 5.00YC 14.10US 47.88XT

I took at trip in February the mail did not have the tax list but it cost me around $400 for a round trip ticket.

Bill

Bill, I have noticed the same thing. I bought a ticket in December to go to Madrid in March and the tax was $61. I checked back in early January, and although the price of the ticket had gone down by nearly $100, the taxes were now $171, which made it more expensive than the price I had paid. I have noticed that Iberia's prices have gone up and no longer find them very competetive.

In addition to rediculous taxes, I've also noticed that on Lan Chile, for example, a 79 euro flight came with a 62 euro "sobrecargo" charge. Anyone know what that is all about?

Today I went to Orbitz website to search for flights from JFK to Lisbon. It does get me close to Spain.

The cheapest flight was the same flight, Iberia flight from JFK to Madrid only I had to transer for a flight to Lisbon. But this flight is the cheaper than flying to Madrid.

So I did a search from JFK to Madrid and this is what the cost is, $408 + $71 taxes & fees = $479 per person

Because of the taxes the Iberia is adding on Orbitz is offering the cheaper flight. It is the same flight!

Bill