Flying significantly more expensive due to new tax: 'The Netherlands is pricing itself out of the market'

The new air passenger tax, announced on Budget Day, makes the Netherlands the most expensive country in the European Union across all distances. Marjan Rintel, CEO of KLM, warns of this. "This will encourage even more Dutch people to drive and fly from airports across the border. That's not good for the climate," Rintel says.

The air passenger tax will increase starting next year . According to the KLM CEO, the air passenger tax – also known as the "flight tax" – also limits opportunities to continue investing in cleaner and quieter air travel. "The Netherlands is pricing itself completely out of the market. It puts pressure on our network and thus strikes at the heart of the Netherlands' connection with the rest of the world."

The air passenger tax is a surcharge passengers pay when departing from a Dutch airport. The government plans to significantly increase it starting in 2027, generating approximately €1.1 billion in additional revenue annually.

For travelers, this means a significantly higher bill: KLM estimates that a family with two children already pays €120 in air passenger tax per flight, and that this amount could soon rise to €200 for a return trip to destinations like Greece or Turkey. The tax increase is expected to generate €1.1 billion annually starting in 2027.

The Netherlands leads the way in Europe when it comes to air travel taxes. Belgium has a maximum air travel tax of 10 euros per passenger, depending on the distance. Sweden has since abolished the levy.

Germany has had a distance-based tax since 2024: passengers pay approximately €15 for short flights, almost €40 for medium-distance flights, and over €70 for intercontinental trips. There are also calls in Germany to lower these amounts again. Compared to these rates, the Netherlands is already much higher, and that difference will increase further in the coming years.

Besides the air passenger tax, other costs in the Netherlands drive up ticket prices. Schiphol Airport charges relatively high airport fees and charges to airlines, which then pass these costs on to passengers. On top of that, there are additional security charges, environmental surcharges, and now the sharply rising air passenger tax. Together, these factors make flying from the Netherlands structurally more expensive than in neighboring countries. Critics point out that the revenues are rarely used for making aviation more sustainable, but mainly flow into the general treasury.

The higher fares are causing more and more Dutch people to switch to airports just across the border. Figures from KLM show that the share of Dutch travelers flying from Düsseldorf has increased by 41 percent since 2019, and that Brussels attracted 20 percent more Dutch passengers.

Rintel concludes with a clear warning: "We shouldn't impose additional taxes and pile up costs here in the Netherlands. Currently, not a cent of the proceeds goes towards making aviation more sustainable."

In addition to the aircraft tax, there is also a global levy in the making, which will also make your plane ticket a lot more expensive in one fell swoop.