Understanding (FET) Federal Excise Tax

You may have heard of the federal excise tax, but did you know that it affects air charter travel, too? While the rate changes from time to time, the current tax rate is 7.5 percent. The federal excise tax is the way the United States pays for all the government services that aviation users take advantage of, including air traffic control, weather services and the use of federal airports. Some air charters services included this tax in their hourly or flight rate, while others don't. Given the cost of the flight, this tax can add a fair amount to the total. If there is any question on whether this tax is included, make sure to ask.