Here's how much your plane ticket actually costs
How much does your plane ticket actually cost?
Like almost anything you buy in stores, plane tickets come with a base cost plus taxes and fees. These airline taxes and fees can get extremely pricey.
Here's a breakdown of a sample $300 round-trip from Peoria, IL to Raleigh, NC sold on Jan. 1, 2017.
Taxes and fees account for 21.1% of the total cost. That equates to $63.35 you pay on top of the baseline price. Breaking that $63.35 down further, there's a standard 7.5% tax on the baseline ticket price.
Then, there's a $4.50 facility charge for each airport you land in. This flight had a layover in Chicago which means, you pay that $4.50 charge four different times for the round-trip.
Next, you have a "segment tax" for takeoff and landing. You'll pay this $4.10 tax four times round-trip: Twice out and twice back.
Last but not least, is the federal security surcharge or better known as the Sept. 11 Security Fee. Standing in those security lines costs you $5.60 per flight.
Before taxes and fees, the baseline ticket price is $236.65. Most of that money goes toward fuel and airline salaries.
Turns out that ticket isn't as pricey as you might think. It's all those extra costs that can drive up the price.
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