Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§9046 Suspension of certain aviation excise taxes

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 116— - CORONAVIRUS ECONOMIC STABILIZATION (CARES ACT) › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - ECONOMIC STABILIZATION AND ASSISTANCE TO SEVERELY DISTRESSED SECTORS OF THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY › Part Part A— - Coronavirus Economic Stabilization › § 9046

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Federal excise taxes on air travel are stopped for the time after March 27, 2020 and before January 1, 2021. Payments made on or before March 27, 2020 are not covered. Kerosene used in commercial aviation is also tax-free during that same period under the listed fuel-tax rules, though one specific rate still applies. The refund/credit rule (section 6427(l)) must treat that use as nontaxable and ignore paragraph (4)(A)(ii).

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §9046

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In the case of any amount paid for transportation by air (including any amount treated as paid for transportation by air by reason of section 4261(e)(3) of title 26) during the excise tax holiday period, no tax shall be imposed under section 4261 or 4271 of title 26. The preceding sentence shall not apply to amounts paid on or before March 27, 2020.

(b)In the case of kerosene used in commercial aviation (as defined in section 4083 of title 26) during the excise tax holiday period—

(1)no tax shall be imposed on such kerosene under—

(A)section 4041(c) of title 26, or

(B)section 4081 of title 26 (other than at the rate provided in subsection (a)(2)(B) thereof), and

(2)section 6427(l) of title 26 shall be applied—

(A)by treating such use as a nontaxable use, and

(B)without regard to paragraph (4)(A)(ii) thereof.

(c)For purposes of this section, the term “excise tax holiday period” means the period beginning after March 27, 2020, and ending before January 1, 2021.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 9046

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73