Attention for Second-Half Travelers! National Airlines Announce Fuel Surcharge Hike – Both Short and Long Haul Affected – Effective Dates and Fares Revealed

Travelers planning to book outbound flights recently should take note! Due to the continued surge in international aviation fuel prices, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) announced today (3rd) that national airlines will officially raise passenger fuel surcharges on international routes starting August 9.

From August 9, the fuel surcharge for short-haul routes will increase to USD 30 (approximately TWD 969) per person per one-way trip, while long-haul routes will rise to USD 78 (approximately TWD 2,519).

Fuel Surcharge Adjustment Table Effective from August 9

The CAA stated that this adjustment is based on the latest international aviation fuel prices announced by CPC Corporation, Taiwan. Prices have risen from USD 133.29 (approximately TWD 4,303) per barrel to USD 147.57 (approximately TWD 4,764) per barrel, triggering the predefined surcharge adjustment mechanism.

Short-haul routes: Increased from USD 27.5 (approximately TWD 888) to USD 30 (approximately TWD 969), an increase of about USD 2.5 (approximately TWD 81) per one-way trip.

Long-haul routes: Increased from USD 71.5 (approximately TWD 2,308) to USD 78 (approximately TWD 2,519), an increase of about USD 6.5 (approximately TWD 211) per one-way trip.

Is Your Destination Short-Haul or Long-Haul? Route Coverage Breakdown

Many travelers are confused about how flight routes are categorized. The CAA has clarified the definitions for short-haul and long-haul routes as follows:

Short-haul routes: Asian regions (note: excluding India and the Middle East). Examples include Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.

Long-haul routes: Europe, the Americas, Africa, Oceania (such as Australia and New Zealand), Antarctica, as well as India and the Middle East.

How Is the Fuel Surcharge Calculated? CAA Reveals Pricing Criteria

Since 2005, the CAA has established a standardized fuel surcharge adjustment mechanism with national airlines, using the per-barrel price of international aviation fuel announced by CPC Corporation, Taiwan, as the benchmark:

Exemption threshold: No surcharge is levied when the per-barrel oil price is "below USD 40 (approximately TWD 1,291)"—this is Tier 1.

Initial charge tier: When oil prices fall between "USD 40 and below USD 50 (approximately TWD 1,614)", Tier 2 is triggered. Short-haul routes incur a USD 5 (approximately TWD 161) surcharge, and long-haul routes a USD 13 (approximately TWD 420) surcharge.

Progressive calculation: For every subsequent USD 10 (approximately TWD 323) increase in oil prices, the fuel surcharge for short-haul routes increases by USD 2.5 (approximately TWD 81), and for long-haul routes by USD 6.5 (approximately TWD 210).