5 Hidden Airline Fees You Should be Aware of

Whether you fly often, or this is your first trip in a while, you should be aware of all the extra fees you might incur. Here are the 5 most annoying (and hidden) airline fees that you’ll want to watch out for.

• 1.) A fee for booking over the phone. Airlines want you to book over the internet, because it cuts down on the people they need to employ – which increases their bottom line. If you insist on calling in and speaking with a live agent, expect to pay $20 to $25 dollars more at most airlines. Of course, this fee is easily avoided by booking online, but a lot of people may not realize that they’re setting themselves up to pay more just because they wanted to speak with a human being.

oversize luggage

Source – pwz

• 2.) A fee for oversize luggage or an extra bag. Each airline is different in how much they charge for larger bags, bags that weigh too much, or an extra bag for a passenger. Most people take so much with them when they travel, but they really don’t end up using much of it. Keep that in mind when you’re packing, so you can put less in your suitcase and pay less at the counter when you check your bags. Your suitcase will need to be within the airline’s size guidelines and weigh less than 50 pounds. If your bags are over these limits,you could see an extra $25 or so tacked onto your ticket price.

• 3.) A fee to fly standby. It used to be free to fly that way, but many airlines are now charging $25 or more for it. Not all of them have changed their policies and started charging, though, so be sure to check with the particular airline you’re using in order to see if there is a fee if you need or want to fly standby.

• 4.) A fee for frequent flyer miles. When you have a lot of frequent flyer miles and you want to cash them in, be careful about how far in advance you do that. Some airlines want you to book more than three weeks in advance, or they’ll charge you $25 and up. Fees can be as high as $100 on some airlines, unless you book at least one week in advance. There are still airlines that let you use frequent flyer miles right up until the day of departure without a fee, but their numbers are dwindling. Be sure to read the fine print in your flyer miles agreement or call the airline for clarification.

• 5.) A fee for taking your pet along in the cabin. It’s now around $80 each way to have a pet in the cabin with you. Be sure to check with your airline to find out about the cost and any restrictions or regulations your particular airline has about pets. Some of the advertised prices for airlines sound great and you think you’ll get a really low rate, but once you tack on all the fees you could end up paying a lot more, so do your research.

There’s so many ridiculous expenses out there just for traveling. If you try to remember everything above, you’ll at least avoid spending unessecary cash which could be allotted to your trip. If you look around deal websites, you could also find promos such as Travelocity promotional codes and credit cards that earn air mileage to help buffer the actual cost of flying.

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