Flying to Australia and the South Pacific on Points: The Taxes

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated July 2026

The short answer: Australia is one of the longest, priciest awards to reach, and the fees split two ways. The government side is the Passenger Movement Charge, a fixed departure tax of around seventy Australian dollars you cannot avoid when leaving the country. The airline side is Qantas, which passes fuel surcharges on its own award bookings, so the fix is to book Qantas metal through American AAdvantage, which adds no surcharge, or to fly a US carrier or United partner. Fiji adds its own departure tax, while New Zealand is comparatively light.

Two fees on the world’s longest hauls

Getting to Australia on points is a genuine bargain in a lie-flat seat, but the cash side has two parts, and they behave differently. One is a government departure tax that is the same no matter how you book. The other is an airline fuel surcharge that depends entirely on the program you redeem through. Knowing which is which is the whole game.

The Passenger Movement Charge

Australia charges a Passenger Movement Charge of around seventy Australian dollars on every international departure, in every cabin, award or paid. It is baked into your ticket and there is no way around it short of not flying out of Australia. Budget for it and move on; it is the one fee you cannot engineer away.

Qantas is the surcharge to watch

The bigger, avoidable cost is the Qantas fuel surcharge, which can add hundreds of dollars if you book the wrong way. The same Qantas seat costs very different amounts depending on the program.

Booking	Fuel surcharge	Best for
Qantas via Qantas Frequent Flyer	High	Avoid for the surcharge
Qantas metal via American AAdvantage	None	The Qantas surcharge dodge
United and Air New Zealand (Star Alliance)	None	Nonstop and Star routings
Fiji Airways	Moderate	A scenic stopover option

American AAdvantage does not add fuel surcharges on Qantas awards, so booking the identical Qantas seat through AAdvantage instead of Qantas can save several hundred dollars. See the full list of programs that avoid fuel surcharges.

New Zealand and the islands

New Zealand is lighter on ticket taxes than Australia, though visitors pay a separate tourism and conservation levy on arrival. Fiji adds its own departure tax, and the smaller Pacific nations vary, so price the exact route. In general the government taxes across the South Pacific are moderate, and the airline surcharge remains the swing factor.

How to fly there cheaply

Book Qantas through American AAdvantage, not Qantas Frequent Flyer, to erase the fuel surcharge.
Or fly a US carrier or Star partner like United or Air New Zealand, which add no surcharge.
Accept the Passenger Movement Charge. It is fixed and unavoidable, so factor it in rather than chasing it.
Compare the full total. An award that costs more miles but carries no surcharge is usually the cheaper trip. See how taxes and surcharges stack up by country.

See exactly what an award costs

Stop guessing at point values. Look up the real award price and live availability for a specific trip before you transfer.

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Frequently asked questions

Why are award flights to Australia so expensive in fees?

Two reasons: Australia’s fixed Passenger Movement Charge of around seventy Australian dollars on departure, and Qantas fuel surcharges if you book through the wrong program.

How do I avoid Qantas fuel surcharges?

Book Qantas metal through American AAdvantage, which does not pass the surcharge, or fly a US carrier or Star Alliance partner like United instead.

Can you avoid the Australian Passenger Movement Charge?

No. It is charged on every international departure from Australia, in every cabin, and cannot be waived.

Is it cheaper to fly to Australia via Qantas or United?

In cash, usually United or Qantas booked through American, because those routes carry no fuel surcharge. Qantas booked through its own program adds a large surcharge.

Does New Zealand charge high award taxes?

New Zealand’s ticket taxes are moderate, though visitors pay a separate tourism and conservation levy on arrival.