Douala airport fees: what you pay at DLA
Passengers leaving Douala pay their airport charges inside the ticket. A 2015 Prime Minister's decree sets three charges on departing international passengers: a security charge of 14,385 FCFA, an airport infrastructure charge of 21,550 FCFA and a passenger charge of 14,385 FCFA for trips outside CEMAC (8,220 FCFA within CEMAC). A state airport stamp duty comes on top, reported in 2023 at 40,000 FCFA in economy outside CEMAC. Airlines collect all of it when they sell the ticket.
Every charge at this airport
| Charge | Amount | Who pays | How it is paid | Set by | Collected by / goes to | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security charge (redevance de sûreté) Decree exempts crew, transit passengers staying on the same flight number, passengers on flights forced back for technical or weather reasons, and children under two. 1 | 14,385 FCFA international, 685 FCFA domestic | Ticketed passengers departing Cameroon | Inside the ticket | Prime Minister of Cameroon, Decree 2015/4192/PM | Airlines (the carrier owes the charge) | In force |
| Airport infrastructure development charge In force since 1 January 2016 according to Business in Cameroon. 1,2 | 21,550 FCFA | Ticketed international passengers departing Cameroon | Inside the ticket | Prime Minister of Cameroon, Decree 2015/4192/PM | Airlines (the carrier owes the charge) | In force |
| Passenger charge (redevance sur les passagers) Connecting passengers who leave within 24 hours can be exempt under the decree. 1 | 14,385 FCFA outside CEMAC, 8,220 FCFA to CEMAC states, 685 FCFA domestic | Ticketed passengers departing Cameroonian airports | Inside the ticket | Prime Minister of Cameroon, Decree 2015/4192/PM | Airlines (the carrier owes the charge) | In force |
| Airport stamp duty (droit de timbre aéroportuaire) Press reports from April 2023. No later text confirming the current rate was found. 3,4 | 40,000 FCFA economy and 120,000 FCFA business outside CEMAC, 25,000 FCFA within CEMAC, 1,000 FCFA domestic | Departing passengers, per journey | Inside the ticket | Government of Cameroon, Finance Law 2023, article 606 | Airlines | Unconfirmed |
| VAT on tickets within CEMAC Press report from 2018 only. 5 | 19.25% | Passengers on tickets for travel within CEMAC | Inside the ticket | Government of Cameroon | Airlines | Unconfirmed |
Evidence summary: 3 linked sources, 3 charges confirmed in force, 2 unconfirmed. Suspended and proposed charges are not treated as payable now.
How to pay
- The charges are added to your fare when you book.
- Look for the XAF tax lines on your ticket receipt.
- No separate payment is needed at the airport according to the sources.
What this page does not cover
This page does not cover visa fees and is not legal advice. Fees change: check the date above and your ticket receipt before you travel.
Common questions
Do I pay a departure tax in cash at Douala airport?
No cash payment is described in the sources. The decree makes the airline liable for the charges, so they sit in the ticket price.
How much are the airport charges on an international ticket from Cameroon?
For a trip outside CEMAC the three decree charges add up to 50,320 FCFA. The 2023 stamp duty of 40,000 FCFA in economy comes on top.
Do babies pay Cameroon airport charges?
No. The 2015 decree exempts children under two.
Other airports in Cameroon
- Yaoundé (NSI): Security, infrastructure and passenger charges plus stamp duty, all inside the ticket.
Sources
- Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA): Decree No. 2015/4192/PM of 16 October 2015 instituting certain aeronautical charges (copy posted April 2026) (no longer online)
- Business in Cameroon: Hike in airfares departing from Cameroon since 1st January 2016
- Cameroon Tribune: Droit de timbre aéroportuaire, les prix des billets s'envolent (26 April 2023)
- EcoMatin: Transport aérien, Air France tarifs vols Cameroun (24 April 2023)
- Financial Afrik: La fiscalité en Afrique, étude de cas sur l'industrie aérienne (4 September 2018) (no longer online)
Change log
- : Page published. Figures checked against the sources listed.