These days it often seems like the only way to know that you really purchased cheap airplane tickets, cheap discount hotel rooms, or cheap vacation packages is by waiting until you return from your trip and adding up all the additional fees you paid while you were traveling.
By being proactive and doing your best to not pay the following travel fees, you can keep better control of your cost of traveling:
Avoid paying a carry-on bag fee by not flying on Spirit Airlines or at least compare Spirits ticket price, including the fee to carry-on bags vs. other airlines ticket prices who do not charge carry-on bag fees.
Avoid checked baggage fees by doing one of the following:
1. Pack light enough so that you do not need to check any bags.
2. Try traveling with one airline as often as possible, if feel you travel enough to earn elite travel status and thus not be charged for checked bags.
3. If you are traveling with Continental or Delta, consider signing up for their branded credit cards in order to avoid paying for the first bag checked for every person in your party.
Make your travel plans via the Internet vs. at the airport or over the phone. This includes saving money when you arrange to check your bag online. Airlines now typically charge customers $25 and up to make a reservation over the phone vs. online.
Avoid paying coach seat selection fees either by not choosing your seat in advance when flying with AirTran and Spirit or by just not flying on these airlines.
If you want to make a reservation using award mileage, do so online. Be aware US Airways charges you to redeem your frequent flier miles regardless of how you book your free tickets.
Determine if you need collision damage and/or loss damage waiver insurance on rental cars prior to paying for it at the rental counter. In most instances your existing car insurance and/or credit card companies already cover you for this type of auto insurance for cars rented in the U.S.
If you want to access the Internet while traveling, stay at hotels that provide this service free to guests, or in cases where a hotel does not offer free room access to the Internet, ask if they off free Internet service in any public areas.
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