Hidden Fees to Watch Out for When Booking Flights

We all love traveling, but sometimes, traveling may include things that take away the joy of it. One of these things is the hidden fees you must watch out for when booking flights. Unfortunately, when you search for flights to book, the price you see is probably not the final price that you will pay. That’s when hidden fees come in. The add-on fees can increase the price of your ticket. Sometimes, the costs are even higher than the original price for your ticket.

This is why you must watch out for hidden fees when booking flights. Some hidden fees you might encounter include checked bags, seat selection fees, booking fees, change and cancelation fees, and many more. Unfortunately, airlines have been using hidden fees for years. They lure you in with low-price deals, but you pay a lot more because of add-ons. We will share the most essential hidden fees you might encounter when booking flights and how to avoid them.

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Checked Bag Fees

You should watch out for the first hidden fee: checked bag fees. The price of checked bag fees keeps increasing, which can be annoying. Today, the price for the first checked bag might reach $35 or even more than that. Imagine the amount you would have to pay if you traveled with your family. What makes matters worse is that some airlines charge even more for the second checked bag. Not only that, but they charge you once again when your bag is too heavy.

How To Avoid Checked Bag Fees

You don’t have to worry about all the hidden fees you might encounter when booking flights because we will tell you how to avoid them. The first trick is to search for airline credit cards where the first checked bag is free. This will help you save a lot of money. Another method is to reach elite status in the airline industry. This way, you might end up not paying your checked bag fees. Another trick is to see what ticket types include free checked bags. One example would be premium classes.

There are more ways to avoid checked baggage fees when booking flights. One is to search for airlines offering passengers free checked bags. One airline that does this is Southwest Airlines. They give you two free checked bags on every flight. Who wouldn’t like that? Another airline is JetBlue. They offer a free checked bag for their Blue Plus, Mint, and Mosaic classes.

Carry-on Bag Fees

Carry-on bag fees are another hidden fee to look out for when booking flights. With checked bag fees, many travelers have started using carry-on bags to avoid these fees. Other reasons travelers choose carry-on bags are to avoid waiting at baggage claim or to simply avoid the chance of their bags getting lost or delayed.

Unfortunately, some airlines charge certain ticket classes for bringing a bag, no matter what it is. This brings carry-on bag fees into the picture. Not only this, but some airlines might charge you if you want to use the overhead pins. This can annoy many, so here is how to avoid carry-on bag fees.

How To Avoid Carry-on Bag Fees

To avoid carry-on bag fees, you should avoid purchasing the kind of tickets that charge you for these fees. This is the easiest option. Another thing to do is to simply book a ticket class that allows you to bring with you a carry-on bag. You will pay extra; however, sometimes the extra price is less expensive than the carry-on bag fees. However, if you plan on booking a regular ticket that doesn’t include a carry-on bag, try to pay for your bag in advance. This will be less expensive than paying for the carry-on bag on the same day of your flight.

We also recommend that you try to avoid being overweight in your bag. You should remain within your luggage allowance. So make sure to weigh the items in your bag instead of being surprised by their weight at the check-in desk. Trust us, you don’t want to hold up the line. Plus, paying for extra weight at the airport is very expensive. Therefore, try to see if your bag has extra weight beforehand and pay for it in advance. Or you can do the popular hack of wearing several layers of clothes to make your suitcase lighter.

Change and Cancelation Fees

Change and cancelation fees are other hidden fees when booking flights. Unfortunately, if you need to change or cancel your flight, some airlines may charge a fee for your ticket. Sometimes, these fees might even be more than the price of your ticket. To make matters worse, some airlines charge you if you want to change the name on a booking. So, you need to enter the passenger’s name correctly to avoid that. Make sure to enter passport details correctly as well.

How To Avoid Change and Cancelation Fees

Don’t worry, though, because there are ways to avoid the hidden fees of change and cancelation you might face when booking flights. Since the pandemic, some airlines have removed change and cancelation fees when you pay with cash or rewards. So you can still take advantage of those. Another way to avoid these fees is to check airline loyalty programs. Some of them allow you to make changes for free if you are a top-tier elite member.

There is also the fact that with some more expensive tickets that aren’t basic economy tickets, there might be some flexibility regarding change fees. So make sure to book only economics if you are sure that you won’t change your plans later on. Otherwise, you will have to pay the fees. You could try to make any changes during the first 24 hours after your original booking. This might help you avoid paying changing fees since the price and rules differ based on every airline.

Credit Card Fees

There are more hidden fees to watch out for when booking, and the following concerns credit cards. Some airlines will charge you fees when you use certain credit cards to pay for your flights. This can be unpleasant, mainly if you depend on credit cards for travel purchases. Instead of ignoring credit cards altogether, you can do certain things to avoid paying these credit card fees.

How To Avoid Credit Card Fees

Sometimes, when you use certain credit cards, you will be charged fees for foreign exchange or transaction fees. This can happen when you are booking international flights. You can use a credit card that offers travel rewards to avoid this fee. Some credit cards don’t have foreign transaction fees, so they could also be helpful.

Seat Selection Fees

Seat selection fees are hidden costs to watch out for when booking flights. Unfortunately, some airlines charge a premium if you want to choose the seat you will sit in before your flight. This isn’t the best since sitting beside your family makes it very expensive. You might even pay some fees if you wanted a coveted bulkhead, exit row seat, or another seat that gives you some legroom.

Usually, these fees only appear when you are checking out. While they may appear to be mandatory, they aren’t. Since airlines want to benefit passengers by making them pay these seat selection fees, they might write some warnings about the dangers of not picking a seat. However, these warnings shouldn’t scare you. You can avoid selecting a seat without facing a problem. Some people travel in groups and choose to book tickets together. If you are lucky, your group will sit beside each other without paying for seat selection.

How To Avoid Seat Selection Fees

You could choose not to pay for seat selection to avoid seat selection fees. This might mean you will get a middle seat on the plane or sit in the back. However, you will save a lot of money when you let the airline assign you a seat later. You don’t have to choose a seat if you don’t want to, and that’s okay. You can avoid seat selection fees by earning elite status or booking high class. With some loyalty programs, your high status might give you the option to have the first choice regarding seats.

Another way to avoid seat selection fees is to book a premium cabin since you can choose from available seats. You could also choose Southwest Airlines as your airline. This is because they select seats based on the order in which they check-in. Therefore, they don’t charge for seat selection. However, you can avoid this by choosing not to pay for seat selection. This is one of the ways to avoid paying for all these add-on fees: ignore them and avoid as many optional fees as possible.

In-Flight Amenities Fees

More hidden fees to watch out for when booking flights are in-flight amenities fees. Airlines use these fees to charge you even more money while you are on the airplane. So they would charge a lot of money for in-flight amenities. Some of the in-flight amenities you might pay fees for are food and drinks, WiFi, blankets, and even pillows. While many airlines offer complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages, several airlines will charge you a lot for a simple meal. The prices of everything differ based on the airline.

How To Avoid In-Flight Amenities Fees

One way to avoid in-flight amenities fees is to buy food and drinks at the airport after you pass security. Some people prefer this option. However, not everyone likes it since airport food is also expensive. You can also check TSA-approved snacks, make some, and bring them. Another thing you can do is to get a reusable water bottle with you and then fill it up at the airport.

Unfortunately, airlines also charge for using WiFi. This is why you should check the prices charged by each airline before booking. If you choose JetBlue to fly with, you will enjoy complimentary WiFi since they provide it for all passengers. If you are a frequent flier, you can check out the available WiFi plans, whether monthly plans or annual ones. Finally, to avoid paying fees for pillows and blankets, bring your neck pillow and blanket or scarf.

Booking Fees

Almost every one of us is used to booking flights online. However, some budget airlines charge you booking fees because you booked online. Allegiant Air charges around $22 per passenger. Spirit Airlines is another airline that charges booking fees. It’s not just online bookings; even booking a flight over the phone might make you pay an additional cost. Some airlines might even charge you fees for using third-party websites.

How to Avoid Booking Fees

The way to avoid the hidden fees when booking flights might be unconventional. To avoid booking fees, you could purchase tour tickets in person. Yes, this would mean going to the airport and then heading to the airlines’ ticket counters to book your ticket. While this hassle might be annoying for many, it will help you save some money. Another option is to book through the airline’s official website or app. Sometimes, airlines will offer you exclusive discounts when you use their platforms. You might even find loyalty programs to join.

Boarding Passes Fees

You should watch out for more hidden fees when booking flights or boarding pass fees. These fees are almost silly, but unfortunately, they do exist. Many airlines will charge extra fees to have your boarding pass printed at the airport. The price for these fees can go anywhere from $5 to $25 or even more. Just imagine how much you will have to pay to print your boarding passes at the airport while traveling with family.

How To Avoid Boarding Passes Fees

While boarding pass fees can be annoying, you can still avoid them. There are two simple ways to prevent these pass fees. The first one is to print your boarding pass at home. It doesn’t get easier than this. The second way is to save the tickets on your phone or airline app to avoid these boarding pass fees easily.

How Does Travel Companies Hide Fees

Travel companies are professional when it comes to adding hidden fees that you pay for when booking flights. One of the ways they do this is through what is called drip pricing. Drip pricing is when airlines only show you the basic fee upfront without telling you the additional costs they will charge you later. So you get lured in by the low price of a plane ticket only to find yourself paying a lot more when it’s time to check out.

There is also what is called micro-charging. This means airlines are charging you for add-on services that used to be free. For example, some airlines might charge you a few if you want to keep using the same email address. This is, of course, outrageous, but it is the reality of the travel industry today.

How To Check Your Flight Fees

With all these hidden fees you should watch out for when booking flights, you might wonder how to check your flight fees. Many airlines have a “Fees” section on their websites. You can check out all the fees you might encounter in this section. In addition, you can check previous receipts you received from the airline to see what you were charged for.

Does Comparison Sites Help You Avoid Hidden Fees?

You might wonder if comparison sites will help you avoid hidden fees. The answer is no. Many of us depend on comparison websites to find the best deal. However, even when using these sites, you will be shown the introductory price and hidden fees will be added later. We can’t tell you the hidden fees you will pay because every airline has its pricing and fee rules. You should check each airline’s hidden costs before booking any flights.

How Does Airlines Disclose Hidden Fees To Passengers

Hidden fees are named that way because they are hidden initially and then revealed later. However, airlines should disclose these hidden fees. The way they do this differs from one airline to another. This makes it difficult for passengers to identify all hidden fees at first glance. The price you see at first, or the base price, will increase as you proceed in the booking process. This is, of course, frustrating.

While airlines should disclose their additional fees, they do some tricks. Some airlines might show you all the details about any extra costs before choosing your ticket. Other airlines will hide their fees in terms and conditions since many people avoid reading them. This is why you should read the fine print carefully.

How Do Hidden Fees While Booking Flights Affect Travel Plans

The hidden fees that appear while booking flights can affect your plans significantly. Not only would these hidden fees cause disappointment, but they might catch you off guard. These hidden fees might differ, but all lead to the same result. Because of them, you might have to compromise and cancel some of your plans that you were looking forward to. Many travelers end up doing that to save money and manage to pay for their flights. This is why transparency is essential: it helps travelers know what they will encounter. They can then plan accordingly.

Read the Terms and Conditions

One tip for hidden fees you encounter when booking is always to read the terms and conditions section. Reading the terms and conditions lets you learn much about the hidden costs and how airlines charge them. Reading them makes you more aware and can help you avoid unnecessary fees. Several travelers pay a lot because they don’t know their rights or what to expect. You can save a lot of money just by reading the terms and conditions.

Some Tips To Follow

These tips can help you avoid the hidden fees you might encounter when booking.

Select The Right Bag

For starters, you should select the right bag to take with you. Check out the size restrictions at the airline you travel with and choose the right carry-on bag. This small action will also help you save a lot of money and effort. As mentioned, try to layer your clothes to empty your bag even more.

Pack The Right Way

Another thing to remember when packing is to pack the right way. For example, if you choose clothing items that can be mixed to create several outfits, you will save some space. Compression bags are also available; you probably guessed right: they help reduce the space you use. Finally, instead of folding your clothes, try to roll them. This could help you save some space.

Don’t Forget About The Weight

You should consider the weight of your bag. One thing to do is bring a scale to weigh your bag before heading to the airport. You should also try to use lightweight bags since this will reduce the size. The final advice regarding weight is to pack only what you need and what is essential. Packing stuff you don’t need will cost you some precious space.

By now, you know everything you need to know about hidden fees. When booking, you must look out for hidden costs; we have told you everything about them here. You know what these fees are and how to avoid them. We also told you about essential tips to keep in mind. Now, you are ready to avoid these hidden fees to enjoy your trip.