TSA plane ticket fees are increasing Monday, and those using non-stop flights or connecting flights with long layovers will be hit the hardest.
The current security fee is $2.50 for a non-stop flight or $5 for a connecting flight. The new fee will charge $5.60 for all flights — but if your connection is longer than four hours, that counts as a separate flight. Congress has approved the TSA's increased fees to reduce the deficit, USA Today reports.
"In accordance with federal law, the revenue generated from the security fee will be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury," David Castelveter, a TSA spokesperson, told USA Today. "The revenue is to be used to offset TSA costs for providing civil aviation security services, after stipulated amounts are applied to reduction of the federal deficit."
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In December, Congress agreed to raise $12.6 billion to lower the deficit. The TSA hopes the security fee increase will bring in $16.9 billion more than the current security fees.
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