How France's new eco tax will affect the cost of plane tickets

Local France

11-02-2025

As part of France's new 2025 budget - which was pushed through parliament at the start of February - the 'eco tax' on plane tickets will be increased.
This is called the taxe sur les billets d'avion (TSBA), but it is commonly referred to as the taxe Chirac, as it was developed under the former president's tenure as a fund to offer aid to disadvantaged countries. In 2020, a special 'eco-contribution' was factored into it and the overall tax levels raised.
It has now been raised again in France's recently-passed 2025 Budget.
The new rates will come into effect on March 1st 2025, and will apply to any ticket bought after that date.
How much is the tax?
It depends on the type of ticket you are purchasing and how far you are flying. For short-haul economy class tickets, the tax will more than double from its previous amount of €2.63.
Here is the breakdown;
Economy class short-haul flight (to a French or European city) - €7.40 (increase from €2.63)
Economy class flight for an medium haul flight (not to French or European destination, less than 5,500km away) - €15
Economy class flight for long-distance (more than 5,500km, excluding French territories) - €40
Business or first class short-haul flight - €30 (increase from €20.27)
Business or first class medium haul - €80
Business or first class long-distance - €120
Private jets have a significantly higher rate - for a flight within France or Europe with a turboprop plane, it would be €220. For the same flight with a turbojet aircraft, it would be €420. These two aircraft types are typically used for private jets.
For medium-haul flights with a turboprop plane, the tax would be €675. For turbojet planes, it would be €1,015. For long-haul flights with a turboprop plane, the tax would be €1,025, and it would be €2,100 for turbojet planes.
The tax is applied only to flights departing from France - so if you have a round-trip flight within France then you would pay the tax twice.
In contrast, if you have a round-trip international, you would only pay the tax once (for the flight from France, not for the return flight).
France's overseas territories (for example the French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe) are exempted from the tax rise. Instead the tax will remain at its previous level for flights to and from Corsica and all French overseas territories. As such, it will be €2.63 for economy and €20.27 for first or business class.
How much will my ticket actually increase by?
Ultimately, it depends how much the airline chooses to absorb the increased tax. They could choose to have customers absorb the entirety of the cost, or they might take on some of it themselves.
Le Parisien estimated that - based on Air France data from spring 2024 and how the company decides to attribute the TSBA to customers - an average one-way flight between Paris and Nice would increase to €135 from €130.
Meanwhile, they estimate that a Paris-New York one-way ticket would on average increase to €773, from €740.
By contrast budget airlines would be more likely to pass the costs on the passengers.
How do I pay it?
The tax will be paid the same way it is currently - it is simply included in the total price when you book your tickets. You can see it applied if you look at a breakdown of the payment, which also includes things like admin fees. You cannot opt out.
Why is the French government doing this?
As the French government seeks to decrease its deficit, the French minister for public accounts, Amélie de Montchalin, told the French press that the 'solidarity tax' increases are "a measure of fiscal and ecological justice".
She added: "The 20 percent of the population with the highest incomes are responsible for more than half the expenditure on air travel."
How have airlines responded?
Speaking at a press conference in Portugal last week, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary repeated previous threats made in relation to the tax.
He said: "France is already a high-tax country and, therefore, if it further increases already high taxes, we will probably reduce our capacity" to and from French airports.
As for other airlines, Air France's CEO, Anne Rigail, told the French press that she was worried about "adverse effects" from the tax.
She noted that: "Air France is still in the process of recovering from the Covid period" and estimated that the measure would cost them €100 million.