When it comes to booking a flight, the travel cost you see at first isn’t always the final price. The price of a cheap flight ticket looks good at first – but by the time you reach the payment page, the price suddenly doubles.
Luggage
You usually have to pay additional fees for checked luggage and carry-on luggage. Since airlines collect billions of dollars annually from luggage fees alone, this has become a fundamental part of the cost of flying at this time.
Seat Selection
Paying extra fees to choose seats in advance has become a common practice nowadays. When purchasing your ticket, there is usually a step in the process that allows customers to select their seats from a small map – regular seats may be available for $10, while seats in emergency rows or window seats will be more expensive. The fees apply only to one leg of your journey, so if you have multiple stops or connecting flights, these numbers add up quickly.
Booking Fees
You may pay extra fees when booking flights online. This mainly applies to low-cost airlines. Allegiant charges a “convenience fee” of $22 per passenger for each segment, while Spirit charges a “passenger usage fee” of $22.99 per passenger for each segment. Even purchasing tickets over the phone can cost an additional $15 per person.
Change Fees
Companies have become more lenient during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some eliminating change fees altogether. However, you’ll want to check the company’s policy before booking.
Boarding Pass Fees
Paying an additional fee to print a boarding pass at the airport is one of the dumbest fees charged by airlines. Fortunately, there are two easy ways to avoid these fees: 1) print tickets at home, or 2) save tickets on your phone or the airline app. There are no downsides to downloading those apps on your phone anyway, so you might as well go for it.
In-Flight Amenities
Food, drinks, Wi-Fi, and even blankets and pillows are considered additional fees imposed by carriers on travelers when they are onboard.
Many airlines still offer free snacks and non-alcoholic beverages, but you should expect to pay up to $12 for meals or premium snacks. Beer, wine, and spirits range from $5 to $16 per drink. You can always buy food and drinks at the airport after passing through security, but airport prices aren’t much lower. The best way to save money is to prepare snacks at home in advance (just make sure they are allowed by the Transportation Security Administration) and bring a reusable water bottle to fill at the airport.
Wi-Fi is another fee you may have to pay. JetBlue is the only airline in the U.S. that currently offers free Wi-Fi to all passengers, although Delta is already providing free Wi-Fi on some flights and plans to expand its free offerings by 2023. Most airlines offer internet on the plane for one hour or 24 hours; they also provide monthly and annual plans for frequent travelers. Southwest is the cheapest, charging a flat fee of $8 a day. If you just want access to texting, Alaska Airlines offers a texting-only package.
Regarding blankets and pillows, some airlines charge for them, while others do not offer this comfort at all in economy class. Bring your neck pillow and a blanket (or a long scarf if you need to save space in your checked luggage). You won’t want to be the one touching those pillows anyway.
Source:
https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/travel/hidden-costs-of-flying
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