The next time you are shopping airline tickets for business or family travel, you will be booking airfare travel in the same way you compare menu prices when deciding what restaurant or bar to visit. A quick drink in a neighborhood pub might cost you $6.00, but in an upscale tony setting, that same drink tab increases to $7 to 8.00, $10.00 or more in some big cities.
Just as the price differs by watering holes, so does it on airlines, with the price of alcoholic drinks ranging from $2-$7 on Allegiant Airlines to a high of $8-$10 for an alcoholic beverage on Virgin America and Hawaiian. While some airline passengers are deciding which carrier to choose, based on the price of the drinks, many more savvy travelers will purchase airfare tickets based on the price of the endless fees carriers are now charging, with the exception of Southwest, which has stated, "no fees ever for services that have heretofore been free."
The list of fees is endless and some are questionable.
- Fees for soft drinks, water, and snacks.
- Fees for bags.
- Fees for legroom and exit door seating.
- Fees to board first.
- Increased change fees.
- Reservations by phone with higher priced fees than online booking fees. Expedia.com is the only online travel site with no booking fees.
- No stand-bys, but there's a fee, $50 to book an earlier flight. If you are stuck in an airport, delayed through no fault of your own, try to book on an earlier flight, Delta will charge you $50 to book a seat on that more convenient flight. "AirTran, JetBlue and Virgin America still offer free standby travel, or you can pay to switch to an earlier flight."
And the worst: A "Boarding and Flexibility" package @$75, a fee to reduce fees on American Airlines.
Ready to pay the lower airfare cost of budget airlines Spirit, disregarding their fees for baggage? Beware there's a hidden $12.00 travel insurance fee, hard-to-find when booking online with Spirit.
And the list of airline fees goes on and on.
It's difficult for the average traveler to stay ahead of the airlines and get the cheapest airfare when planning family travel, but one online site gives airline travelers at least a leg up. SmarterTravel has composed a downloadable list of airline and baggage fees: The Ultimate Guide. European, Latin American and Caribbean editions are available, too. Guides for Frequent Flyer fees, carry-on bags, and tipping can be found at Smarter Travel as well.
"The increase in airfare will seem especially steep because it's following the recession low period." Higher ticket prices combined with the endless add-on fees for formerly normal airline services demand that travelers must be wary of hidden travel booking and service fees when shopping airline tickets.
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Comments
Thank you for your intelligent travel tips.
I am glad that I don't fly much. It was certainly uncomfortable shopping for tickets this summer. I know that the real 'peak' season is more unsettling. Thanks for getting the word out.
Thank you for informing the public of airline woes.
Back in the 60's when I flew Sharon, I could call up and find out whether they had steak or Lobster on their dinner flight before I booked. All airlines pumped in real oxygen not other peoples stale breath. My girlfriend went on a flight to Ireland, and got real sik, she sued and won the case. Breathing other peoples air no thanks!
Yes "We are mad as hell." Darn tooting!
Things have changed way too much. Thanks for all the travel tips. Flying is not what it used to be.
Winona Cooking Examiner / Winona Home and Living Examiner
And fees for pillows and blankets, too, and for paper receipts or in-person booking in some cases.
As if the economy and just LIVING aren't hard enough these days, traveling has become next to impossible because of booking fees, late fees, luggage fees, and so much more. As the economy continues to sink deeper and deeper, so does all our money. It's hard to find affordable vacations, hard to find airlines and travel agencies with no booking fees. I went to Spain this year and spent more than $2,000 more than I initially budgeted because of travel costs (flights to and from Washington, trains to get around, etc.) Luckily I had the money to pay for it, but budgeting for trips can be really difficult.
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