Help Understanding Flight Booking

[mmoon]

Just my two cents, since this back and forth is driving me crazy.
I'm currently outside of Argentina, and I just went onto both Kayak and British Airways and put in random travel dates for a round trip ticket both originating in Argentina traveling to Europe and originating in Europe with a destination of BA. Both fares were similar, and neither had a 35% charge. If you're having trouble with getting a fare originating in the US to BA, even as a foreigner using a foreign credit card, maybe the problem is that the travel website is tracking your computer's location and showing that you are searching/buying from Argentina? Since it's expensive to buy miles, maybe a better option is to use a VPN or have a family member/friend outside of Argentina buy the ticket for you.

 

[nlaruccia]

I just bought a ticket to Australia originating in Argentina on Travelocity, but changed the "location" to the U.S. and used a foreign CC, not an Argentine one, and wasn't charged the 35% surcharge.

 

[Matiasba]

I did not get something? The tax is only for residents, not tourism?

I want to travel to Mexico at the end of April, and I have both ciudadanias Argentinean and Uruguayan. It doesnt matter from where I travel but where I reside? Cause taking the buquebus to Uruguay and making a passport in Uruguay (I have cedula but not the passport) is way cheaper than traveling here with the 35%, but when they ask country of residence I must say Argentina...

 

[allcraz]

Just my two cents, since this back and forth is driving me crazy.
I'm currently outside of Argentina, and I just went onto both Kayak and British Airways and put in random travel dates for a round trip ticket both originating in Argentina traveling to Europe and originating in Europe with a destination of BA. Both fares were similar, and neither had a 35% charge. If you're having trouble with getting a fare originating in the US to BA, even as a foreigner using a foreign credit card, maybe the problem is that the travel website is tracking your computer's location and showing that you are searching/buying from Argentina? Since it's expensive to buy miles, maybe a better option is to use a VPN or have a family member/friend outside of Argentina buy the ticket for you.

I just called my parents in the US to ask them to put in the exact same flight dates on Kayak. The same prices came up for them. My opinion is that these prices already include the 35% (I'm NOT talking about the CC charge here - I'm talking about the travel tax) because the price in pesos is equivalent if I search on Despegar which definitely includes the 35%. But I can't find a fare breakdown on Kayak to prove it.

[font=Helvetica Neue'][background=rgb(247, 247, 247)] [/background][/font]
[font=Helvetica Neue'][background=rgb(247, 247, 247)]May 30 to June 8th EZE to DFW to EZE[/background][/font]

[font=Helvetica Neue'][background=rgb(247, 247, 247)]nonstop 1396[/background][/font]
[font=Helvetica Neue'][background=rgb(247, 247, 247)]1 stop 1240[/background][/font]
[font=Helvetica Neue'][background=rgb(247, 247, 247)]2+ stops 1243
[/background][/font]

 

[allcraz]

I just bought a ticket to Australia originating in Argentina on Travelocity, but changed the "location" to the U.S. and used a foreign CC, not an Argentine one, and wasn't charged the 35% surcharge.

Ok, no, of course you weren't charged for "international purchase" if you used a non-Argentine CC, but I would venture to guess that there is a 35% travel tax included in the total cost of your ticket since it's originating in Argentina. Do you have any way to access the fare breakdown? Because I believe if you could, the "Argentina Retention Income Tax (ZK)" would show up in the list.

 

[thorsten]

Ok, no, of course you weren't charged for "international purchase" if you used a non-Argentine CC, but I would venture to guess that there is a 35% travel tax included in the total cost of your ticket since it's originating in Argentina. Do you have any way to access the fare breakdown? Because I believe if you could, the "Argentina Retention Income Tax (ZK)" would show up in the list.

If the "Sales city" is in Argentina, there will be a "Argentina Retention Income Tax (ZK)", if its outside of Argentina, there won't. You can check it for example using matrix.itasoftware.com, change the sales city and compare the cost breakdown.

 

[allcraz]

If the "Sales city" is in Argentina, there will be a "Argentina Retention Income Tax (ZK)", if its outside of Argentina, there won't. You can check it for example using matrix.itasoftware.com, change the sales city and compare the cost breakdown.

Agreed! I checked on Matrix too.

 

[allcraz]

So here's the point. ANY ticketed trip leaving Argentina (flight, boat, bus, whatever) is charged the 35%. Doesn't matter if you are a resident, citizen, tourist, Santa Claus...it's there whether or not it shows up in the fare details and no matter where you are when you purchase it. From what I'm reading, it seems as though a lot of you don't realize this and dennisr did not get screwed over by Delta - he got screwed over by the Argentine gov't just like we all are every time we buy any ticket originating in and leaving Argentina.

Still, I knew this all along and it was not my original question. But I went ahead and booked on Asatej anyway, so thank you again RichOne.

 

[internationalguy]

In the law there is no 35% just for travelling. Not at all. If Delta is doing that because they're afraid they'll screw up then use American or United. I've done 2 colonia runs with the new regulations for foreigners and I have not paid 35% since I paid with an American card. I'm also saying this because I understand the real concept of the law and I don't stop to ponder indivual examples before I understand the thing as a whole. THERE IS NO 35% TAX, FEE, CUOTA, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT just for travelling. It's a compensatory fee for those Argentine nationals and residents who are exhanging pesos into dollars (by buying any international travel or any other foreign purchase) at the official rate.

 

[allcraz]

internationalguy, please go onto Matrix software http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ and put it ANY international flight originating in Argentina, search, and then click on the fare (in dollars or whatever currency you choose). You will see "Argentina Retention Income Tax (ZK)" as discussed above. This is not an Argentine site. You can't even buy tickets on this site. It simply shows fare breakdowns. So you say this is not a tax, but it is there right before your eyes.