Beginning March 1st, all travelers above 12 years leaving Samoa will pay more in departure tax and a new fee called the Aerodrome Facility Charge. The departure tax is raised from $65 tala to $80 and a new fee called the Aerodrome Facility Charge will be $100 tala. All travelers leaving Samoa, except children under 12, will pay the fees.
Usually the airlines include the departure tax and other fees in airline tickets.
Samoa Airways announced over the weekend that the Samoa Airport Authority is implementing the new fees from March 1st and these costs will be added to all bookings made or modified after that date.
The new fees would add about $US60 to the price of a roundtrip ticket to Samoa, which is close to $300.
Samoa Airways said the increases come under the Samoa Airport Authority Amendment Regulations 2026 and was signed into the legislation by Samoa’s Head Of State this month.
Talofa Airways has voiced concern over the increases warning the changes will impact travelers and place airlines at risk of public criticism for costs they do not set.
Owner Maria Westerlund Hunter told Mermada Pacific the increase in Passenger Facility Charges would raise travel costs and argued that the Samoa Airport Authority should be responsible for directly collecting the fees. She noted that while airlines are required to incorporate the charges into ticket prices, the policy decision and fee structure originate from the airport authority.
The increase comes at a time when there’s been a drop in visitor numbers from American Samoa to Samoa.
Figures released by the Samoa Tourism Authority show that total visitor arrivals from American Samoa declined from 9,814 in 2024 to 6,964 in 2025.
At a meeting of the Samoa Tourism Marketing Taskforce in January Chief Executive Officer Niumata Kitionha Pogi said the 29 percent decrease in visitor arrivals from American Samoa is possibly attributed to the high cost of air travel between the two Samoa. He noted that concerns have been raised by members of the public with some complaining about increased airfare prices.
