Starting Dec. 3, Costa Rica will begin including the $29 airport tax in ticket prices, just like many countries do. That will eliminate that extra step at the airport of standing in line to pay the tax. I take it if you bought your ticket before Dec. 3, you will still have to pay the tax at the airport, but the end is in sight for having to perform this tedious task and for having to make sure you had $29 on you when you got to the airport.

Good news - thanks for telling us. That will certainly make things easier.

I remember when they actually pasted 20-something dollars worth of stamps in your passport to show you had paid the tax. The amount was less back in the day. If they ran out of high-denomination stamps, they'd use a bunch of lower ones. Just exiting Costa Rica could eat up an entire page in your passport.

That is funny - the good old days!

I should have known.

Today's La Nacion newspaper says that implementation of the new system will be "gradual." United, for example, won't even begin including the tax in the price of the ticket until April or May. Bottom line is the tax counters aren't going away anytime soon.

Of course, because we take United!

Isn't that the way it always is, volcangirl?

A spokesman for Bancredito, the state bank the that collects the tax, told La Nacion that they hope the new system will be up and running for all airlines in six months.

Sigh.

An update: A few airlines are now using the new system.

June 15 - American, US Airways
June 22 - JetBlue
June 30 - Avianca
August 1 - Copa

If you purchased tickets on these airlines AFTER these dates, your $29 airport tax should be included in your ticket price. The airline check-in agent will verify that you've paid the tax. Don't automatically head to the tax counter to pay, because they won't know and they'll happily take your $29.

You still have to fill out the exit immigration form, but they'll give that to you in the check-in line at the airline counter.