Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), a company that processes airline transactions for travel agents and consumers, has analyzed 144 million transactions for domestic flights in 2011 to better understand airlines’ pricing schemes. The study found the lowest fares were available six weeks in advance of the departure date.

I’ve always been under the impression that the earlier you can purchase tickets for a flight, the better, but buying far in advance does not seem to be the best option when looking at the data. The study makes the case for planning ahead, but not too far in advance. The data also show that waiting until your departure date is just three weeks away can be financially damaging. Prices incline steeply once your departure date is three weeks away. The fare paid according to the study features another, steeper increase seven days before travel date.

Customers who purchased their airline tickets six weeks in advance received an average discount of about 6 percent off the average fare paid for that flight.

Not everyone has the luxury of planning six weeks in advance for a trip. Businesses often need to respond to changing travel needs, and are more likely to pay higher prices for a flight than a family planning a vacation.

I purchased tickets to my most recent round-trip flight, traveling from the east coast to the west coast for Thanksgiving, only seven days in advance. The flight cost $419 including all taxes and fees. It wasn’t the most expensive fare I’ve paid for this type of trip, and there was at least one slightly less expensive option available if I were willing to fly at an inconvenient time.

I haven’t done a great job of planning in advance. It could pay off to know where I will want to go six weeks in the future. I’ll try to keep that in mind if I intend to travel this spring. How far in advance to you plan your travel?

ARC [pdf]

The original version of this article, Buy Airfare Six Weeks in Advance, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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One of the two major airlines that had not yet filed for bankruptcy or restructuring, American Airlines, gave in and filed for Chapter 11 protection today. The airline will continue to operate its business as usual; if you planned to fly American Airlines, you’ll still be able to do so without any problem. In fact, you may even see lower fares and bonus miles offers while the airline looks to maintain customers through the restructuring.

Chapter 11 allows a company to borrow money on more favorable terms and to cancel contracts, and in a market where almost every other airline has benefited from Chapter 11, American Airlines was finding it difficult to compete without the same benefits. That’s not to say the airline isn’t in trouble. As of yesterday, the stock price was down 79.2% for the year, and as of the time I’m writing this, the price has plummeted to a point where it is down more than 97%. The New York Stock Exchange has suspended trading of AMR shares.

Filing for bankruptcy is a reversal of policy from American Airlines, whose spokespeople have long said the company is healthy despite financial losses and the expectation for that lack of performance to continue.

Now might be a great time to purchase American Airlines flights for after the holidays. Since bankruptcy protection is normal for airlines, with Southwest being the only major carrier left never to have filed, there’s no reason to believe American Airlines’ services will be going away anytime soon.

Photo: lrargerich
CNN Money

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I’ve noticed over the past few years that the fees and surcharges that appear on my hotel bills are creeping steadily upward. I’m apparently not alone with this observation. According to a new study by Dr. Bjorn Hanson from the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies, hotel fees and surcharges will account for $1.8 billion revenue in 2011, up from $1.7 billion in 2010. The increase comes from higher fees as well as more travelers (or escapists) spending time in hotels.

This doesn’t take into account the various taxes that appear on hotel bills. On a recent trip to California, my itemized hotel bill includes an Occupancy Sales Tax (12 percent) and a Convention and Tourism Tax (0.02 percent). In addition to the taxes, if I had done anything in the hotel other than sleep, I might have seen my bill peppered with fees such as telephone calls, internet fees, early check-in fees, late departure fees, business center fees, and if the hotel had been a little nicer, a resort fee.

Here are a few suggestions for avoiding hotel fees and saving money while traveling.

1. Know your fees before you travel. Unfortunately, many hotels make it difficult to have full knowledge of fees during comparison shopping. If you book your hotel room by using a website that compares rates at a variety of hotel brands, you’re only seeing the full story. Airlines have found this to be an advantage, and hotels are following suit. The least expensive hotel when comparing nightly rates may enforce additional surcharges.

One solution is to look at the individual hotels’ websites, but not every hotel is gracious enough to list all the fees that they may charge. You might have better luck calling the hotel directly and asking for the details.

2. Negotiate your rates. When I’ve put in an effort, I’ve had some success reducing the overall nightly rates and negotiating removal of some fees, particularly internet access fees. You may not have much room for negotiation if you book your travel using a third-party website or even the hotel’s own online booking system, but taking the small step of calling the hotel — and you just called to ask about fees, anyway — and asking for the best rates and fee considerations can work well. If you can pit one hotel’s offer against a local, comparable hotel’s offer, you could have even more success.

3. Bring your own internet service. If your business involves the internet, as mine does, you may find you need to be connected more often than not. Earlier this year, I decided to bring the internet with me by getting a mobile WiFi hotspot from my wireless provider, Verizon Wireless. It has helped me in a number of situations where I needed to have internet access while I was away from home. The service can be worthwhile for anyone who travels while needing to be online.

Mobile WiFi may be more expensive than a few nights each month with hotel-provided internet access, but if you need to be online on the road, the service is better than hotel room internet.

4. Avoid resort hotels. You would think that more expensive hotels would include more services. I’ve seen charges at fancier hotels for services that less expensive hotels offer for free. In a resort hotel, you may find it hard to resist the temptation to take advantage of some of the more unique services, like spa access.

5. Don’t call room service. If you’re planning for a longer stay, look for kitchen availability in the room and prepare your own meals. With a local grocery store, you could avoid dining out as well as relying on the hotel’s own expensive kitchen.

6. Stay with friends or family rather than the hotel. If you know your stay won’t be a burden, and you need to travel while spending as little money as possible, you might be successful crashing on a couch as a guest.

7. Couchsurf. Couchsurfing is one of the newest travel trends. Like the above tip, the comfort of a home often beats a hotel, and you never have to worry about hidden fees. With couchsurfing, you’ll need to trust a stranger as a host, but you can review a potential host’s references on couchsurfing.com.

8. Carry your own baggage. If you are staying in a hotel, one of the great conveniences is the presence of porters who help move your bags from the lobby to your room, for a nomial fee encouraged by an outstretched palm. In most cases, this service is unnecessary. This is one of the smaller fees you may be expected to pay, but if your goal is to take the most frugal approach, it’s easily avoidable.

9. Park elsewhere. If you’re staying at a hotel where space is at a premium, within a city for example, you may be subjecting yourself to a fee for parking. If you must bring a car, you might be able to find a parking lot nearby for less money.

10. Leave yourself enough time to review your bill. If you’re rushing to check out quickly in order to catch a flight or your next appointment, you might not give your hotel bill the attention it deserves. Some hotels are kind enough to slip your bill under your door early on your check-out date, but if not, leave enough time to review your bill line by line. If there is a charge you don’t agree with, have it removed by talking to the manager. This happened to me on one of the first hotel stays I experienced as an adult responsible for paying the bill — and at a time when I probably didn’t have enough money for taking vacations, anyway.

What’s your favorite hotel fee?

Photo: kevin dooley

The original version of this article, 10 Ways to Avoid Hotel Fees, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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After using the Continental Airlines OnePass Plus Card as my primary credit card for personal and travel spending for the past year, and the resulting accumulation of miles in Continental’s frequent flyer program, I decided to cash in. For 35,000 points, I was able to upgrade the round-trip ticket from Newark to Chicago. I would have preferred to use points for a longer flight, such as one to California to visit family, but upgrading those fares from most economy fare classes require an additional payment (a co-pay) beyond the miles.

As a result of the recent merger with United Airlines, Continental has begun changing some of their frequent flyer benefits. For example, you no longer have to have earned a certain level (Silver Elite, Gold Elite, or Platinum Elite) to take advantage of a few benefits like expedited bag check lines, priority status for checked luggage (first on the carousel at arrival), expedited security check lines, and priority boarding. Unfortunately for me, my primary airport is Newark, where these benefits often mean little, especially during peak travel periods.

With a first class boarding pass, I was able to board in the second group of passengers, after military personnel. Being one of the first four of five people to board allowed me to quickly stow my carry-on and sit comfortably for the next 30 minutes as the rest of the passengers boarded. While boarding, a flight attended offered drinks (of any type; alcoholic drinks are complimentary in first class) to those already settled.

While the DirecTV entertainment system normally costs $5.99 or $7.99 (with a $2 discount to Continental credit cardholders), if this entertainment is available on the flight, it is free to first class passengers. Even when a meal isn’t offered in the main cabin, first class passengers receive a complimentary meal with a tray, a small tablecloth, and silverware (well, stainless steel, not silver). On the initial part of my trip, the flight attended distributed warm towels before the meal.

The seating arrangement was about twice as spacious as the seats in the main cabin, and the seats were slightly more comfortable. The seats reclined much farther which encouraged me to relax more, particularly considering how exhausted I was by the end of the conference.

All of these conveniences added up to a nicer travel experience, but even first class status can prevent delays, turbulence, and difficulties getting around in the airports. If I were to have money to spare or unlimited frequent flyer miles, I would travel first class all the time. The benefits may be minor and flying without the conveniences is often adequate, but it could be an advantage for longer flights, particularly if I begin taking overnight flights when traveling long distances.

Even the best first class ticket can’t prevent the annoyances of moving through an airport, so while the fares call for a higher price, traveling by air is still often a problematic endeavor.

The original version of this article, Traveling First Class for the First Time, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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I’m no stranger to malfunctioning entertainment equipment on airplanes. Most of my flights are five-hour-long trips across country, and though I’d like to use that time to read or write, I’m usually not motivated to focus much in the confined space. I find myself preferring to listen to music or watch television when it’s available. On several occasions, my in-flight entertainment did not work right. Since I travel in economy coach class, the entertainment in almost always an additional cost. If the system is not working properly, I can opt to not buy the add-on service.

The situation is different for different travelers, apparently. If you are the royal family and you’re traveling in first class, the rules are different. Prince William and Kate Middleton experienced trouble with their entertainment system on a British Airways $8,000 per seat first-class flight from Los Angeles to London. Not that they need the money, British Airways was kind enough to refund the Royal Couple $300 for the inconvenience.

The refund is a bit excessive. $300 could pay for cable for at least six months in the United States. I’m not sure how the airline determined the couple’s suffering was worth this much, but I’d be happy with a refund of half that if my entertainment options malfunctioned for a ten-hour flight.

Is there any situation where a $300 refund for a malfunctioning entertainment system for as long as ten hours is warranted? Does it cost the airline more to deliver entertainment to first class than to economy? Even if every seat in first class were to have its own 3D HDTV, the refund is excessive. What would be an appropriate refund? On Continental, the price for in-flight entertainment is about $5 per seat. That seems like an appropriate refund amount.

The original version of this article, Prince William and Kate Middleton Get $300 Refund, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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The same day I purchased airfare from New Jersey to California for what I thought was one of the better rates I’ve found in the past decade or so, I came across statistics showing that New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport sports some of the highest fares in the country for the past two years, and this is expected to get worse this summer. It may not be fair to compares fares for an airport that has major business with global airlines with an airport in the middle of the country that has no international routes. The number of flights headed overseas may skew the data.

Through traveling and use of my Chase Continental Airlines OnePass Plus rewards credit card, I have more than 100,000 miles to use. I could have used my miles to pay for this flight, but that would have sliced my balance in half. I’d rather use miles for a fare upgrade. Unfortunately, for flying across the country, I can’t upgrade to BusinessFirst without paying a significant fee in addition to using miles.

Despite my anecdotal experience with lower rates that usual for my typical route, particularly considering I was booking within the traditional six-week window of higher fares, on average, travelers are seeing higher fares. The airlines are experiencing higher fuel costs and have no choice but to pass these expenses onto customers.

Do you plan to fly this summer as part of your travel or vacation plans? Are you expecting and planning for higher traveling expenses?

The Star-Ledger, Chicago Tribune

The original version of this article, Newark Liberty International Airport Has the Highest Fares, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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I don’t like the fact that when I think I know how much it will cost me to travel round-trip from where I live to where some of my family lives, New Jersey to California, there always seems to be new fees I hadn’t considered. I’ve managed to eliminate most of these extra fees by using an airline rewards credit card, at least when I fly using the one particular airline that has historically offered the route I want for the best fare. For other trips, other airlines may offer better rates, even when taking fees into account. Airlines try to bring down fares so they can easily compete on fare comparison sites, except for those airlines who refuse to offer their rates on comparison sites because they might not be able to compete at that level.

There is a public conception that most airlines and most flights are generally the same, so shopping for the lowest price often makes sense. On the one hand, airlines are attempting to differentiate themselves while on the other hand, they are adding these fees to cover what they’re losing when lowering the fares to compete. Even the Air Transport Association admits that airlines are still making a profit on airfare alone. An article in Fortune offers a breakdown of where each cent of your airfare goes.

The study uses a transcontinental flight, from Los Angeles to New York with one layover, as an example. The average fare of this type of travel is priced at $506.62. 6.6% of that amount is profit, while the rest is reserved for taxes, fuel, labor, equipment, and other costs. Since most of these other costs are fixed, increase in fuel prices will cut into profits. The loss of profit is a strong motivator for companies to add fees, even if that loss is only theoretical. We see it with credit card or debit card issuers who may see future profits limited in one area and compensate by adding fees in another area.

Although the data might be a little old at this point, a household survey in 2001 indicated that air travel is roughly evenly split between business and personal types of travel. Business travel is interesting because price is often not a factor. Companies, particularly large corporations that do business nationally or internationally, are willing to reimburse or pay for travel expenses when it means the possibility of earning more money for the company. Employees don’t balk at fees — or even high prices, to an extent — if they know the company will be paying for their travel. Roughly half of all flyers, if the 2001 statistics are to be believed, are immune to the effects of price changes through fees. This immunity allows airlines to increase fees, and in some cases, provide lackluster customer support, because the industry knows that half of its customers will continue to fly regardless of their satisfaction.

Fortune, Bureau of Transportation Statistics

The original version of this article, Why Airlines Continue to Add Fees, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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I got lucky: I decided to leave my job, and the associated daily commute, around the time gas prices started rising faster. Now, with more unrest in northern Africa, a gallon of gasoline at the pump costs more than $3.50 on average, with some location sporting a price north of $4.00. High gas prices, though they may be more equitable compared with prices in other locations around the world, could stall our economy as we still are trying to find our way out of a recession. The best options for dealing with high prices involve changing our own habits and decisions.

Here are some suggestions for softening the effect of increasing gasoline prices.

1. Work from home more often. A good rule of thumb is to try to add an additional day outside of the office for every 20% gas price increase. This may not be practical depending on the type of job you have, but if working remotely is an option, taking advantage of the opportunity will help save a significant amount of money over the course of a year.

2. Invest in oil as a hedge. It may not be perfect, but for the most part, gas prices increase along with the price of crude oil, while gas prices eventually decrease when crude oil gets significantly cheaper. Investing in an oil fund like the Vanguard Energy ETF will help your net worth increase to offset your loss of cash flow. If you gas expenses are fixed on a volume basis — always a similar number of gallons consumed each week — then you can modify your investment to match.

3. Buy a better car. If you already have a vehicle that’s considered energy efficient, it may not pay off to replace that car with one that’s slightly more efficient. The difference between 15 mpg and 20 mpg and the difference between 35 mpg and 40 mpg are both 5 mpg, but the former example has a much stronger energy-saving effect than the latter. To reduce your gas expenses significantly, look beyond these incremental changes and consider a paradigm shift. It may mean that you’re spending more money up front for newer technology, and you may never reclaim that cost through savings on fuel, but for alternative energy to make an impact, it will take long-term thinking and an expensive initial outlay.

4. Move closer to your office. Another way of reducing your commute is finding a way to live closer to where you work. When I worked for a non-profit organization in 2000 and 2001, at the same time gas prices started spiking, I had just realized my finances would not be able to handle the commute much longer. I decided to move to be ten minutes from my office rather than ninety minutes away. It was certainly a sacrifice, because my living conditions changed significantly, but it was a necessary decision at the time.

5. Car pool. You can cut your fuel expense by 80% by sharing a ride with four other people who both live and work near you. Car pooling is not always possible, but with some creative approaches, sharing a ride can still be a way to save some money.

6. Take public transportation. This isn’t possible in most areas of the country, unfortunately. Even in New Jersey, where we have an extensive train system, not every community is services by trains or buses. Public transportation is also subject to the cost of fuel through increased fares. While I took the train to my office during the period of time I functioned without a car, our fares increased several times. There were discount programs available, and my office even offered a commutation reimbursement benefit, but the effect of increased gas prices still hit me.

7. Buy using a gas rewards credit card. The main argument against using a credit card is that people generally spend more than they would with cash. I don’t see that as a problem if you have a card that you use only for gas purchases. The amount of gas you buy is a fixed amount based on your driving habits, which are unlikely to change. If you can afford the gas you buy, you might as well get some cash back for buying the fuel your car needs. The most obvious choices are the Chase Freedom Visa – $150 Bonus Cash Back and the Pen Fed VISA Platinum Gas / Cash Rewards Card, both offering 5% cash back on your gas purchases. With the Chase card, you’ll also benefit from a $100 bonus. Read more about these cards and other choices here.

What are your suggestions for reducing the effect of high gas prices?

Photo: Robb North

The original version of this article, Soften the Effect of High Gas Prices, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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My girlfriend is a teacher who never takes days for vacation, so we schedule our time away from our regular lives over the summer or during one of several of the breaks in her academic calendar. I do my best to design my schedule around hers; when I worked for a corporation, I requested vacation days to coincide with her breaks, and now that my schedule is more flexible, I don’t have to worry about being granted the days I ask for.

Today’s snow, a continuation of a winter that has seen snow on the ground continuously since December, has me thinking about spring vacation. Typically, we spend a week during the spring with my family in California. Since they moved to the west coast, I’ve generally been able to visit only twice a year, and this week is a good opportunity.

If you’re looking for spring break ideas, and whether you are a student, a family, a couple, or an individual, here are eight that might spark your interest and perhaps save a little money.

1. Rent a vacation house. If you’re going away for more than a few days and need more space than one room, it can be more economical to rent a house rather than to stay in a hotel. Browse HomeAway for a thorough selection of vacation homes throughout the world for rent. In some cases, staying for a week — a luxury you might have over spring break — can help you save even more money.

2. Go camping. If you stick to government-owned camping sites, there’s a good chance you’ll be able find deals you wouldn’t necessarily find at private-owned sites. You can visit Recreation.gov to start planning a low-cost camping trip. The website isn’t perfect, but you can browse for campsites with certain amenities and use this as a starting point for researching your vacation.

3. Travel as a student. If you’re a full-time student, part-time student, or part of the faculty or staff at a learning institution, you may qualify for better fares. Student Universe is a fare search engine like Kayak that offers student rates. A quick check shows the site offers the same fare I paid for a non-student fare for my flight to California, so it’s a good idea to double check any rates that you find. I also realized that I still have my .edu email address from my graduate school, so I could theoretically still qualify for student rates. Youth rates for non-students aged 18 to 25 are available as well.

4. Take a road trip. One of these days, I’d like to take the Route 66 drive from Chicago to Los Angeles. It may be a cliche and tourist-oriented, but I believe this is a good representative of what traveling might have been like before the advent of the interstate highway system. The Mother Road is a website dedicated to this route, and it has turn-by-turn directions for travelers who want to avoid newer road improvements like bypasses, opting for as authentic a drive as possible.

Of course, not all road trips need to be as focused as this; if you have the time, as might be the case for spring vacation, replacing a flight with an interesting drive could lead to new adventures. When I was younger, the free TripTiks offered by AAA to its members was helpful, but today you can have some of those same features using Google Maps.

5. Take a cruise. Spending your vacation on a cruise ship stopping in several ports can be a good way to experience a wide range of activities and a variety of locales in a short period of time. One of my former co-workers is a cruise aficionada, and every year she’d have new stories to share. I’m looking forward to traveling on a Mediterranean cruise at some point in the future, making quick excursions in Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey.

6. Day trips in your local city. Although the travel bug often leads people outside of the United States, there’s often a lot to do and see close by. I leave not far from New York City, but if I look in the right places, I can find activities as varied as I could find anywhere in the world. This is the benefit of having such a culturally diverse, large city nearby. In major cities, it’s easy to spend a week-long vacation with something new every day.

7. Go on a photography safari. You don’t have to be a professional photographer to have a great experience with your camera. If you take an organized photography tour, your vacation could be fairly expensive, but access to superb outdoor photographers can change the way you think about the art and craft. To save money, organize your own photography safari by taking any vacation with the sole purpose of coming back with amazing images.

8. Tour vineyards and wineries. Most wine tours are a few hours long, so this isn’t an activity can take over your entire vacation. This isn’t an activity geared towards students or families, obviously. It’s better suited towards couples who are interested in what could be a romantic opportunity. Many wine tours are educational, as well.

9. Participate in a volunteering group. More for students who are looking for a different type of vacation, whether to enhance their résumé or to enhance their set of life experiences, joining an organized group volunteering event can affect life-long values and help introduce you to like-minded individuals. The United Way markets this opportunity as an “alternative spring break,” with projects such as helping underachieving children in Newark, New Jersey and learning how to plan fundraising events in Boston, Massachusetts.

What are your suggestions for spring break?

Photo: rayced

The original version of this article, 9 Ideas for Spring Break, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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Retails airlines are battling their customers. People shopping for flights generally want one thing: the lowest price on airfare. The airline industry doesn’t want that to be the case. They’re making this shopping process more difficult for their customers. For example, some airlines do not make their prices available through websites that aggregate fares, like Expedia and Kayak. Last year, when I searched for the best fares for a visit to California on Kayak, American Airlines was included in the results. This year, the airline wants potential customers to visit its own website to find the fares.

Also, it’s getting more difficult to compare actual fares due to the addition of small fees for everything from a meal to bringing a carry-on bag into the cabin. Due to the complexity, the fees are not fully disclosed on fare aggregation websites when sorting the search results by price for example, so the shopper must perform additional research to make a purchase decision based on price.

Additionally, airlines claim to be unique brands, but the public isn’t seeing it. Most people, when they fly from JFK to LAX for example, feel the experience will be roughly the same regardless of the airline. These companies want to set themselves apart from the others and attract customers, and are trying hard to train customers not to shop on price. I don’t think it’s working. Flights are seen as a commodity where all products are similar enough that the only determining factor is price. Furthermore, the nickel-and-dime practice with fees is not gaining the industry or any one airline more fans. There is little differentiation.

Without the need to publish rates to external databases, American Airlines and any other airline that follows suit would be able to better control prices without reacting to the marketplace. They would be able to offer exclusive deals on the company’s own website only, and have more flexibility to adjust rates. All of this makes it more difficult for shoppers to evaluate prices. If airlines want to be evaluated beyond airfare, they’ll need to offer distinctive services that customers actually want.

Each airline wants loyal customers, and that’s another way of saying they want customers who are willing to pay higher prices in exchange for some sort of value perceived in a brand.

What kind of services would make you loyal to one airline company?

New York Times

The original version of this article, Comparing Airfare is Frustrating: What Would Make You Loyal?, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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Yesterday, the boards of directors for Continental Airlines and United Airlines agreed to merge the two companies, creating the largest airline carrier. The new company will bear the United name and the Continental brand will cease to exist. If the government approves the merger, like it did recently for Delta and Northwest, there will be even less competition in the marketplace and less incentive for airlines to work to woo customers.

A quick survey shows that air travelers are generally more satisfied with Continental than they are with United, so this merger will be unfavorable for customers, at least at first.

I’ve accumulated some frequent flier miles on Continental, and I’ve been hoping to use them all this year. Judging from the Delta/Northwest merger earlier this year, Continental’s OnePass program will be merged with United’s MileagePlus program, although the entire merger process will likely take a long time to complete. Both airlines are members of StarAlliance, a collective of airline companies that allow a limited range of benefits across airlines for frequent fliers.

What do you think about this merger?

The original version of this article, Continental Airlines to Merge With United Airlines, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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Just a few days ago, I arrived home from a vacation that took me to Las Vegas and Death Valley. When preparing for the trip, I used SideStep for finding the best fare that fit my schedule, settling on a flight from EWR to LAS on Continental Airlines. My flights were mostly full, so I decided to cash in on my travel over the past 10 years or so and use my miles to upgrade our return reservation to first class.

In the end, even first class was full, so we didn’t get to experience the better amenities. Continental still hasn’t refunded my miles, but that’s another story. Today’s story is about how the airline industry continues to find ways to “unbundle” services so that anything travelers have grown accustomed to are now offered only a la carte.

My last air travel was to celebrate my brother’s marriage last year. Flying Delta was not a perfect experience, including charges of $15 for pre-paying online for checked baggage, $20 for paying for baggage when checking in at the airport, and $8 or more for a meal on the flight. This more recent Continental flight included a $23 fee for checking a bag online ($25 in person) and a $39 fee for choosing a “premium” seat in the coach cabin.

JetBlue, another perennial favorite of mine because it flies direct to Long Beach airport, charges for pillows and blankets, admittedly a package I never use.

What other micro-fees can the industry deliver? Spirit Airlines answered that question in a recent press release. Somewhat hidden in the announcement of this airline’s new reduced fares is the fact that checked bags are no longer the only type of luggage subject to extra charges. Each carry-on item will now cost each Spirit Airlines traveler $20 when members of the airline’s discount club, where membership costs $39.95 per year, pay online in advance, $30 when non-members pay online in advance, or $45 when anyone pays at the gate.

Spirit has two goals. The first is to decrease listed fares in an industry where customers, like me, shop mainly for the lowest fare regardless of the carrier, not loyalty. The second goal is to create a disincentive for customers to bring more luggage into an already crowded cabin.

These new fees take effect July 1, 2010 for travel on or after August 1, 2010.

I don’t like being nickeled-and-dimed, but as long as I continue to live far from people and places I want to see, I’ll need to continue playing the airline industry’s game.

There isn’t much room to complain. Airfare, at least coach travel, is generally affordable. If you avoid overpaying for food in the airport, keep your schedule flexible, and search for the lowest fares, it can be one of the cheapest, and obviously fastest, ways to travel.

Nevertheless, the quest for lower fares invites these fees. Here are some more ideas for new ways for the airline industry to take our money:

• $1 for entering the lavatory
• $9.99 a minute for talking to a flight attendant
• $2 for the privilege of reclining your seat back an inch
• $1 to use a tray table
• $20 for access to fresher air for the entire flight

Any more suggestions?

The original version of this article, Spirit Airlines Now Charges for Carry-On Luggage, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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This article is presented by Kelly Whalen, Consumerism Commentary staff writer.

Traveling can be expensive, but worthwhile. At some point everyone needs to take a break from their regular routine. Whether you stay at home, take a car trip to Grandma’s house, or fly across the country, there are ways to travel without spending all your hard-earned savings.

I have a trip coming up soon. I’m not an experienced traveler, so I searched for ideas and tips and compiled the best I found. Here are my favorites.

Check for discounts. Whether it’s a hotel room, plane tickets, or tickets to an attraction, you may qualify as a student, government worker, resident (if you are traveling within your own state), AAA member, or any number of other memberships.

Comparison shop. As with anything you purchase, you should compare prices before you book airplane tickets or plan a vacation. In some cases you can plan a whole vacation around an inexpensive destination at the time of year you are planning.

Read guidebooks. It may feel touristy, but guidebooks will often give you great money saving tips. Some even offer per diem plans, recommend out-of-the-way hotel deals, or tell you about views or attractions you would have walked right past otherwise.

Pack snacks. This tip is not just for parents! When I went to San Francisco in June I packed my own snacks since I am a perpetual grazer and didn’t want to pay $10 for a terrible in-flight meal.

Pack an empty water bottle. No, you can’t take water through security, but once you are through you can fill your bottle with free tap water! This tip also works well for driving, biking, or walking.

Pack your own entertainment. Traveling with kids always means packing toys, books, and DVDs that will keep the kids occupied. But you can use this tip if you are childless or traveling solo as well. I pack my own books, download movies, and make a playlist before I leave to keep myself occupied when I travel.

Check the weather forecast and pack appropriately. There is nothing worse than packing too much, and having to pay extra for your suitcase. Be sure to include some layers for cooler nights.

Leave room for souvenirs. Make sure you leave some room for souvenirs in your bag! You don’t want to have to pay for a second bag or for an overweight bag.

Walk as much as possible. Part of visiting a new place is seeing the sights, and it is much better for your health and wallet to see them on foot.

Stay close to home. We’ve all heard of the staycation: stick close to home and see the sights right in your own hometown or the biggest local city. I admit this is something my family needs to be better about. Can you believe we live only 45 minutes from Philadelphia and the kids have never seen the sights?

Prepay for your hotel room. You can save 30-50% off the cost of a hotel room simply by paying in advance. Many hotels will refund your payment as long as you cancel with 24 to 48 hours’ notice.

Stay plugged in for deals. Even after you have bought a plane ticket you may still be able to adjust your ticket if airfares go down. Yapta is a great service that allows you to monitor fares before and after you buy.

Use points. If you, your spouse, or even a friend travels a ton, you can cash in on their points for free hotel rooms. My dad uses this tip all the time. It’s one of the benefits of living out of your suitcase for the work week.

Mix pleasure and business. I am traveling to Los Angeles, where I’ve never been, in early April. I’m extending my trip by a few days so I can enjoy the sights and scenery. This is how my family had vacations when I was a child and young adult. It’s a great way to save on airfare.

What are your favorite tips and tricks to save money while traveling? Do you recommend any sites, books or tools for travel?

Photo: creativesam

The original version of this article, Travel On a Budget, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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I’m currently winging my way down to San Antonio (where The Alamo is), except in a car and not with wings. My wife and I are signed up to join some of the members of The Atlantic Paranormal Society with an investigation of spirit activity in a gorgeous inn. We’ve been talking and daydreaming about doing something like this for years.

Even so, I know some of you will laugh at me, so I won’t spend any more time discussing what’s real and what’s not. Instead, I’ll talk about how much it’ll cost for us to go on Vacation #1.

First, here’s the equipment we’re bringing, which has already been paid for, and not on a credit card:

• Digital voice recorder for capturing electronic voice phenomena – $50 – I wanted something high quality, not only for possible EVPs, but also potentially for on-location interviews for some other future creative endeavors
• Electro-magnetic field detector – $20 – at this price point, it’s basically a toy. More serious investigators get the kind that engineers use, and the one we got actually had the word “ghost” in the name. It’s pretty cute.
• Infrared digital thermometer – $14 – even though this is also inexpensive, it feels pretty solid and seems accurate so far
• Extra batteries – about $9

And then there are the pricier items, the stuff that isn’t paid for yet, and which we won’t be able to make use of again in the future:

• A five-hour class and a four-hour investigation – $300 for the two of us
• Somewhere to sleep Friday and Saturday night (what’s left of it) – $200
• Gasoline to get to and from San Antonio – $50 at the outside, since I recently filled up the car
• Optionally, one of many downtown walking ghost tours – maybe $40 for both of us
• Lunch and dinner – I’ll have to get back to you on that, but it doesn’t have to be expensive

So, ignoring meals, we know we’ll be spending $590 this weekend. Normally, when we go on vacation, I approach it with some excitement and some dread, because 1) I don’t go into a vacation with any estimate of how much we’ll be spending, and 2) most things get charged to a credit card.

This trip is going to be different, because we’re armed with an estimate, and more importantly, we have enough cash in the bank to pay for everything. True, we’re using the money that more prudent people would call an emergency fund, but a twinge of guilt about that is still preferable to the slow panic of knowing that your vacation is going to be charging you interest for a long time to come.

Not this time.

No, that panic will likely come in May, when we go to California for Vacation #2. However, we pre-paid for that conference, which includes lodging and meals. All that’s left is the airplane tickets and the car rental, and the other day my wife said she was going to set aside some of her recent bonus money to help pay for that. The conference tickets themselves went on my credit card, which I’m aggressively paying down, so that sounds fair.

Vacations seem smarter this year, relative scientific merits of ghost hunting notwithstanding.

The original version of this article, Smithee’s First Vacation with Cash, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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My recent experiences traveling across country gave me more appreciation, or disapproval, of the lengths airlines are now gong to empty the wallets of travelers. The flight industry once positioned itself as luxury travel, with a variety of free amenities, but the industry takes the opposite approach now.

Yes, it is true that airlines compete mostly on airfare. I understand companies need to recover the cost of airport real estate and fuel in other ways. The airlines find it easy to hide the many varieties of fees. Travelers who are rushed — and the security process ensures more people will feel rushed — are more willing to pay for something rather than argue or look for other options. Additionally, it seems like every month an airline decides to begin charging for something that has traditionally been free.

Here are some ways to avoid getting nickel-and-dimed by the airlines.

1. Bring your own food. While you can’t bring much liquid through security, you can bring food with you from outside the airport. Once you enter the airport, the food you will find in the restaurants and shops will be over-priced. If you wait until you are on the plane, not only will the options be more expensive, there will be fewer options. Make something at home, add some snacks to quell your appetite, and bring an empty water bottle to fill at the fountain once you pass security.

2. Pack light. Several airlines now charge if you check a bag. Try to travel with only a carry-on bag if possible. If not, don’t let your luggage exceed the weight limits. And check in online before hand; checking a bag in person can often cost more than checking a bag online.

3. Arrive to the airport early. Leave more than enough time to proceed through security and relax at the gate before boarding time. Avoiding stress at the airport will prevent you from taking the easy way out on choices and buying things with which you can live out.

4. Bring your own pillow and blanket. If you are used to the free blanket and pillow traditionally offered for free on long flights, you’ll be disappointed to find they are not available in all cases, and when they are, often you will have to pay. If you can pack a small pillow and blanket your own in your carry-on bag or live without them, your wallet will thank you.

5. Bring your own headphones. Airlines are offering more entertainment for free. Almost every flight I’ve been on for the past two years have featured a monitor in the back of the seat in front of me with a variety of channel options. Most flights will charge you for headphones for listening to the programming, however. In almost all cases, your own headphones or iPod ear buds will work just fine. Even on Continental Airlines flights, where the audio is delivered with two mono jacks rather than one stereo jack, you can use your own headphone and experience half of the audio.

6. Bring your own entertainment. Listen to your own music or watch your own movies on your computer. While many airlines do have some free entertainment, they will want to offer you more for a fee. Even though I had access to free television shows on Delta, the better shows and movies would have cost several dollars. I stuck with the free entertainment provided by the airline as well as my own equipment.

7. Don’t use curbside check-in. If you are dropping off bags to be checked, bring them inside. Curbside check-in may save some time, but if you arrive at the airport early enough, you can save money by dropping your bags off inside the terminal.

8. Use your own internet access. With my BlackBerry, I already paid for a tethering service. While I was sitting in the terminal waiting to board my flights, I could connect the phone to my computer to access the Internet. Some airports have free WiFi now, but not many. If you want to access the Internet while waiting, you may have to pay a fee to access a proprietary Wifi network. Better yet, if your life and work don’t involve constantly being online, try to avoid the Internet completely while traveling.

9. Don’t be picky about your seat selection. I have found that more airlines are charging for reserving an exit row or bulkhead seat in advance, if they allow the practice at all. Thanks to SeatGuru, it’s easy to find the best seats on any airplane, and the airlines want to charge premiums now that everyone wants the best seats. If you would be comfortable wherever they place you, don’t pay any extra money for better placement.

10. Complain to Congress. If Congress was able to force credit card companies to stop their anti-consumer policies of over-charging and double-charging, perhaps they would have some luck with the airline industry as well. Keep in mind, when one door closes another one usually opens; companies usually find a way to get around restrictions and continue making life difficult for customers to protect the bottom line and shareholders.

What other airline fees have you discovered and how do you avoid them?

Photo credits: paalia, georgeparrilla

The original version of this article, How to Avoid Excessive Airline Fees While Traveling, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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As of this past Saturday, my brother is now a married man. He and his wife live in California, and I spent Halloween attending their wedding and the past week visiting with my family in that state. I am happy I was able to take a week off from my day job and spend it with my relatives for the occasion. It was a beautiful ceremony and a fun reception and party, and within a few weeks, the new couple will be traveling to Costa Rica for their honeymoon.

The wedding was on Halloween, but costumes were not required.

I was happy to find a great deal on airfare for the cross-country travel. Delta Airlines offered a rate of $250 including tax for the round trip travel from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport. This rate is about $100 less than the lowest rate I have ever paid for a trip for the Philadelphia or New York area to the Los Angeles area and several hundred dollars less than the typical rate.

In order to qualify for this low rate, I had to make a few sacrifices:

• JFK is not my preferred airport. Either Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) or Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) are more convenient.
• When checking in for departure online, I was charged $15 for checking a bag in addition to my carry-on luggage.
• After arriving at the airport, checking my luggage, and proceeding through security, I was directed towards a shuttle bus to take us to our gate at a different terminal.
• On the flight, we are treated to amenities like a full-featured, personal media center but if we want a meal we would need to pay at least $8.
• The seats on the flight offer less legroom than I am used to from other airlines like JetBlue and Continental. By the time I booked the flight, exit rows and bulkhead seats were unavailable.
• LAX is not my preferred airport, either. A better choice for the Los Angeles area, where my brother lives, is Long Beach Airport (LGB). When visiting my mother, I would prefer John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County.
• Unable to check in online in advance for the return trip, I was charged $20 for having a bag checked. I also left a tip for curbside check-in.

Considering the price was half of what I might otherwise pay for a trip to California, I was willing to put up with a few annoyances. Although I like JetBlue, I feel no particular loyalty to any one company. I do not travel enough for frequent flier rewards to have any impact on my purchasing behavior.

Do you have a favorite or preferred airline or airport? Do you stick to your favorites or are you willing to compromise on comfort for a great airfare?

Photo credit: Hong Kong dear Edward

The original version of this article, Delta Airlines: Good Airfare But Not My Favorite Airline, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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As I’ve mentioned recently, my maternal grandmother passed away a few days ago, my second of two grandmothers to pass away in the past few weeks. A few years ago, she moved out to California to be cared for by my mother and brother who had also moved out to the west coast several years earlier. When my grandmother entered hospice care, I mentioned to my boss that I would be taking a few days off for the funeral with short notice, as I intended to travel to California to be with my family. On Tuesday last week, my mother called me to share the news while I was getting ready to leave work for the day.

I immediately began searching for a round-trip flight that would take me from the New York City or Philadelphia area to the Los Angeles area on Wednesday and back over the weekend. My primary tool for searching for flights online is SideStep, but I also look at websites for individual airlines. Not finding anything and wanting to leave the office to continue searching at home, I notified my boss that I would be out for the remainder of the week.

I decided to give the Visa Signature concierge service a try. I signed up for a Visa Signature card earlier this year for the purpose of putting its service through real-life tests and writing about them here. There is no annual fee, but the card is marketed offering exclusive perks and services, such as a 24-hour concierge and access to exclusive events. I called the Visa Signature concierge during the drive home with the intent of using the service to find and book my flight to California.

The concierge who answered the phone could not have been less helpful. To research flights, a travel specialist needs to be on call, and at the time I called, they had none. The best they could do is take my flight requirements and get back to me within 24 to 48 hours, and the impression I took away from the call is that all travel requests require this excessive turnaround time. Since this was Tuesday evening and I needed to travel Wednesday, this did not meet my needs. A regular travel agent would have been able to take care of my request immediately.

I thanked the representative for her help but I spent an hour or so doing my own research and booking the flight when I arrived home. I determined that bereavement fares, last-minute rates designed for people who need to fly in situations like mine, do no longer exist at most airlines. When they do, the rate is a five or ten percent discount off the full coach fare, not the non-refundable economy fare. I would be better off with the economy rate. I spent more than I would have liked, but the fare I chose was decent for a non-stop flight considering the circumstances.

I’m pleased I was able to be with my family in a difficult time, but I would have liked the process to be smoother, and the concierge service let me down.

Photo: Doug Letterman

The original version of this article, Visa Signature Concierge: Useless for Immediate Travel, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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Southwest Air, which is the airline I consider when I feel like saving upwards of 50% off the price of a ticket, today introduced a new option for boarding before other people.

If you’ve never flown Southwest before, you may not know that they don’t assign seats like, well, every other airline I can think of. You get put in a group, and something between the honor system and common courtesy then decides exactly when you board, and subsequently, where you sit.

Southwest also offers “Business Select” and “A-List Customer” designations, but now the rest of us also have the opportunity, if we want to spend an extra $10, of boarding early. From their Web site:

EarlyBird Check-in is designed for passengers who have purchased electronic tickets at the Wanna Get Away Fare, Anytime Fare, Senior Fare or DING! Fare

EarlyBird boarding positions are automatically assigned and confirmed 36 hours prior to your scheduled departure time

With EarlyBird Check-in, you’ll receive a better boarding position that is confirmed for your trip. Since you’re boarding earlier, there will be more open seats and overhead bin space from which to choose. Then you can sit back and relax as the other passengers board.

(See more Early-Bird Check-In FAQs.)

(Photo by adotjdotsmith.)

Unlike other airlines, which have recently begun charging for any and all baggage (pretending, I guess, that it wasn’t already included in the price of the ticket, and that they were voluntarily losing money on the proposition for the past few decades), Southwest is offering a somewhat-innovative service for the extra fee.

Southwest Air to charge $10 to board early, Deepa Seetharaman, Reuters, Sep. 2, 2009

The original version of this article, Southwest Air’s $10 Boarding Upgrade, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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Spurred on by Erica Douglas in response to my thoughts about airline fees for checked baggage, here is a list of the fees charged by airlines for traveling with this particular expected service. I should have done this research before embarking on my previous trip to Arizona. I might not have been able to avoid the fees, but I would have better expected to be charged for a service whose cost was previously rolled into the fare.

The fees below are charged for domestic flights, not international travel. The prices represent the cost to check one or more bags each way. If you’ve booked a round trip flight, you will be charged these fees once for your initial flight and once again for your return flight.

Most airlines offer ways to avoid these fees which usually involve qualifying for second-tier status in their frequent traveler programs.

AirTran: $15 for the first bag, $25 for the second bag, $50 for each additional bag.
Aliaska Airlines: $15 for the first bag, $25 for the second bag, $50 for the third bag, $100 for each additional bag up to a total of seven bags.
American Airlines: $15 for the first bag, $25 for the second bag, $100 each for the third, fourth and fifth bags, $200 for each additional bag.
Continental Airlines: $15 for the first bag, $25 for the second bag, $100 for each additional bag.
Delta: $15 for the first bag, $25 for the second bag, $125 for the third bag, $200 for each additional bag up to a total of ten bags.
jetBlue: No charge for the first bag, $20 for the second bag, $75 for each additional bag.
Northwest: $15 for the first bag, $25 for the second bag, $125 for the third bag, $200 for each additional bag up to a total of ten bags.
Southwest: No charge for the first two bags, $25 for the third bag, $50 for each additional bag up to a total of nine bags.
United Airlines: $15 for the first bag, $25 for the second bag if you pay online; $5 extra if you pay at the airport.
US Aiwrways: $15 for the first bag, $25 for the second bag, $100 for each additional bag up to a total of nine bags. If you pay at the airport, the fees are $20 for the first bag, $30 for the second bag.
Virgin America: $15 for each bag up to a total of ten bags.

Are there any major airlines missing from this list? Let me know in the comments and I will update this article.

The original version of this article, Airline Fees for Checking Bags, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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When I traveled to Arizona in April, I was charged $15 for each flight for checking my luggage. While I knew that many airlines had begun charging extra for services that were once “free,” like meals and baggage check, I didn’t recall seeing any warning when I originally booked the flight several weeks earlier. I have no problem with these add-on fees. On an earlier trip, I was happy to pay an extra $25 in both directions for a better-placed seat, a benefit that I used to be able to receive just by asking for certain exit row placements.

But let’s be clear. These things were never free. Travelers paid for meals, checked baggage, entertainment, and all the other amenities w have come to expect while flying, but the cost was unnoticed. The cost of these items was simply rolled into the cost of the ticket. Airlines, under the strain to compete with each other, have been reluctant to raise fares, the most visible differentiation. With services like SideStep, companies are aware that in most cases, people choose flights based almost solely on the flight with the lowest price.

A number of commentators don’t seem to understand that we’ve been paying for these services all along. This article from CNN Money explains how new or raised amenity fees have saved the airlines from extinction.

Since travelers have always been paying for these services, although they were rolled into the price of the ticket, it might make sense to continue looking at the overall cost of the flight when making comparisons.

The airlines do need to do a better job of explaining all the fees up front so consumers can make educated selections based on total price. But let’s not consider these fees “added” or “extra,” it’s just a case of higher prices.

The original version of this article, Airline Baggage Fees Increasing in Popularity, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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In order to remain competitive, airlines try to keep fare prices low. When that strategy starts to break down and airlines can’t compensate for the cost of flying in the normal way (increasing bookings, and decreasing flights) and they still resist raising fares, they look for new ways to earn revenue.

So now we’re charged for meals and luggage, both of which were once included in the fare price for most flights. JetBlue Airways is now selling a pillow and blanket set for $7. I’ve noticed the disappearance of the “free” pillows and blankets that once adorned seats while boarding, but now they’ve returned in another fashion.

The $7 will provide you with your own unused pillow and blanket set. As they are charging for the privilege of comfort, at least you don’t have to cuddle with the same bedding used by travelers before you. The set also comes with a $5 coupon for Bed, Bath, and Beyond, making the purchase a little more attractive.

JetBlue Starts Selling Blankets and Pillows, Micheline Maynard, New York Times August 5, 2008.

The original version of this article, JetBlue Now Charges for Pillows and Blankets on Flights, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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Last week, I spent several days in San Diego with family and friends, including my mother and her long-time boyfriend, my brother and his girlfriend, and my girlfriend. One benefit of visiting family for vacation every April is the fact that my mother seems quite willing to spend money to ensure everyone’s enjoyment, at least through this year. (If I continue to earn more money than I expect, that may not be the case for much longer.)

I decided to estimate how much my mother might have spent on our trip to San Diego as an exercise in curiosity. To be fair, I did pay some of these expenses, but only a small portion.

Lodging. A room with double queen beds at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay may have cost $750 over the course of three nights. We had three rooms for an estimated total of $2,250. I believe she was able to receive one night free, but I’ll stick with estimates based on the full retail value. Add internet access at $10 per room per day and valet service of $20 per day. Add tax. Running total: $2,780.

Travel. The trip from my mother’s home in Orange County, California to the hotel in San Diego was 80 miles. At a rate of 50.5 cents per mile, the round trip in our car “cost” $80. My brother and his girlfriend drove separately, so I would consider than an additional $80. Cab rides throughout the four days added about $120 to the transportation total. Running total: $3,060.

Meals. Tuesday: lunch at a restaurant with an ocean view in La Jolla ($200) and dinner at Osetra ($300). Wednesday: breakfast at the hotel ($150) and dinner at a fondue restaurant in San Diego ($250). Thursday: breakfast at the hotel ($150), lunch by the hotel pool ($50), and dinner on a cruise around the bay ($300). Friday: brunch at a restaurant near the hotel ($200). As I didn’t see any of the bills, these prices are just estimates. Running total: $4,660.

Entertainment. My girlfriend and I visited the San Diego Zoo one day, and the tickets cost a total of $60. Food and souvenirs added an additional $40 to that cost. My brother and his girlfriend attended kayaking lessons, which I’ll estimate at $60. My mother treated herself and the other women to manicures and pedicures at the hotel’s spa. My brother and his girlfriend, only a few days from leaving for the next leg of their band’s country-wide tour, received facials and massages, and I had use of the spa’s shower and steam room. Based on the price list on the hotel’s website, this must have cost over $500 total. Running total: $5,320.

This doesn’t include the money my girlfriend and I spent to fly across the country, about $800. Estimated total: $6,120.

While it’s true that we could have saved thousands of dollars by traveling less over the past week, and I would be happy spending time with my family doing anything, having these yearly vacations gives me something to look forward to every spring. I may be wrong, but I believe my mother would consider this to be money well-spent. I hope to be in a position to provide similar vacation opportunities for my family at some point in the future.

The original version of this article, How Much My San Diego Vacation Might Have Cost, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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As gas prices approach $4.00 nationally this summer, airlines are looking for ways to keep their profit margins without increasing ticket prices. Even though the average today is still “only” $3.20, some airlines have begun to make some changes.

Carriers have been scrambling for ways to “up-sell” fliers, including selling first-class upgrades, fancy alcoholic drinks and day passes to airport clubs. But they’ve also been stripping out previously free services and charging customers for anything more than basic transportation — everything from use of skycaps and telephone reservationists to on-board meals and, at a few carriers, assigned seats and exit-row or bulkhead legroom.

In my experience on airplanes in the last few years, I’ve been charged extra for food and headphones. In my latest foray booking with Virgin America, they wanted more money to reserve slightly better seats like those in the bulkhead or exit rows.

I’d like to get used to traveling with everything I need in carry-on luggage, but that’s not always possible. Charging for more than one or two checked bags is already part of the flying experience. Check out this chart from Yahoo Finance/Wall Street Journal.

The airlines are doing everything they can to avoid raising ticket prices, thanks to consumers’ tendencies to live and die by the fare price.

US Airways spends roughly $250 million a year on baggage service, Mr. Parker says, and passing some of that cost to customers who actually use the service helps the airline offer lower basic fares. Consumers will switch airlines over even a $5 fare difference, airlines say, but are less sensitive to fees paid at the airport.

The psychology of money is interesting, and I am a victim just like most humans. I’ll search online for the lowest fare that makes sense for my schedule requirements, but buy overpriced food in the airport and opt for upgrades elsewhere.

Baggage Becomes a Big-Ticket Item [Wall Street Journal Online]

The original version of this article, Get Ready to Pay More to Fly, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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This weekend, I purchased tickets for the trip my girlfriend I will be taking to California in April. My general method of operation for purchasing airline tickets is to decide which dates will be best for traveling taking into account my schedule and my girlfriend’s schedule. She’s a teacher who doesn’t take vacations or sick days except for calendar vacation days set by the New York City Public Schools, so our vacations coincide with winter break, spring break, and over the summer.

I check SideStep to compare options from a variety of airlines and schedules, usually plus or minus one or two days depending on our available schedule. I take some mental notes and check back about once a week until I’m ready to pull the trigger.

Invariably, I end up waiting until I’m within the “six week window” in which prices are higher. I’m barely within that window now — we will depart on April 21 — and the prices haven’t risen.

We don’t choose the cheapest flight, which would usually involve flying from an inconvenient airport or at an inconvenient time. Given the choice to spend a little extra money and not find a way to the airport at 5:00 am, not take a red-eye flight, and not require battling the Los Angeles rush “hour,” we’ll spend the extra money.

This time, Virgin America presented the best non-stop schedule for the best price. Virgin America is a new airline for me. I checked some reviews online before booking and generally found promising opinions. Rather than booking through SideStep, I booked directly at Virgin America’s website to ensure I was getting the best scheduling options.

I noticed that Virgin America charges more for better seats. Their interface allowed me to choose our seats before finalizing the reservation, and the bulk head and exit row seats, which have more leg room, would cost an additional $25 each to reserve. Other airlines don’t generally allow you to reserve these seats in advance, but I don’t like the idea of being charged more for a seat that’s only slightly better than the others in the main cabin. As far as I know, no other airline shares this policy.

Virgin America sports what seems like a neat entertainment center for each traveler, a step up from jetBlue‘s television. Movies and food all cost extra on these flights, however. I’ll probably stick with reading a book or listening to my own music and bringing my own food for the flight.

The original version of this article, Anyone Fly Virgin America?, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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I received a notice in the mail the other day reminding me to renew my roadside assistance service from AAA. For the last several years, I have been a member of AAA “Plus,” which offers the standard service and extra distance for free towing. I’ve decided to downgrade to the standard AAA plan. Before owning my current car, I could make a case for being a member at the higher level.

Despite the Plus membership’s higher price of somewhere in the neighborhood of $90 a year, every year until owning my current car, the service has paid for itself in car service alone. That’s no longer an issue, so I’ll be renewing my membership at the basic level. I’ll still receive useful roadside assistance and be eligible for the same discounts from a number of companies.

I could cover the basic membership yearly fee of about $50 in discounts alone. Here are some of the deals I can take advantage of:

* 10% off at Circuit City with a number of restictions.
* 6% off at Dell.
* 10% off at Target.com (online only).
* 20% off on movie tickets.
* 15% (up to $50) off of Magellan GPS units when shopping online and 5% off at BarnesAndNoble.com.

A full list of savings is available at AAA’s savings website.

The original version of this article, Members Only: Discounts Offered When Flashing the AAA Card, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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There’s a new kind of gasoline pump being shipped to gas stations, and it’s the kind of thing guys will like. If you need directions, just check the pump. These new devices are equipped with a stripped-down version of Google Maps, pre-loaded with locations hand-picked by the station owner.

Once you find your destination on the device, you can even print out the directions and coupons. As of now, Google will not place advertising on the service, encouraging gas station owners to work with their local restaurants, hotels, and other destinations.

There’s a strong drawback. If you don’t have a destination address, and the place you want to visit is not one of the gas station’s “partners,” the maps will be useless. You’ll have to suck it up and ask for directions from a live human being anyway.

Those of us filling up in New Jersey are not permitted to pump our own gas, so we probably won’t see this technology. In fact, some gas stations around here haven’t upgraded their pumps since what I imagine would be some time in the 1960s or 1970s. This could be helpful when traveling out of state, though.

Gas Stations Getting Pumped for Google Maps [News.com]

The original version of this article, Stopping at a Gas Station for Directions Just Got Cooler, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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If you travel in New York, get ready to spend more money. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is putting forth a new proposal to raise toll rates and rail fares.

The toll and fare increases will help pay for a complete replacement of the PATH system and rebuilding the World Trade Center.

• Tolls on the GWB, the Holland and Lincoln tunnels — should go up at least $2.
• Tolls would also take a jump on the outerbridge crossing, Goethals bridge and Bayonne bridge, which connect New Jersey and Staten Island.
• PATH fares are also expected to go up, by as much as 50 cents a ride.
• And drivers who rely on EZ pass could lose their one dollar discount.

Meanwhile, there are plans to widen the New Jersey Turnpike, which would most likely be paid for higher tolls. From the proposal overview, it sounds like the plan is to stretch the car-and-truck lanes south from exit 8A to exit 6 and widen the existing car-and-truck lanes between exits 8A and 9. The last widening project that ended in the early 1990s increased tolls 70 to 100 percent.

Working from home is starting to sound even better.

Port Authority Wants You to Pay More [WABC 7 News]

The original version of this article, Proposal to Raise NYC Transportation Costs, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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It’s time again for a 10% rate hike for commuters on NJ Transit bus and rail lines. I used to be a mass transit commuter, taking the train to Newark every day to work, but at some point when my work schedule was unpredictable, I started driving for more flexibility.

I haven’t been working in Newark for over a year, and my current job is also located a few blocks from a train station. I still drive, however. This rate hike won’t affect me, but I’m already affected through the price of gasoline. I pay twice as much to fill up my tank as I did when I purchased this car — a car with excellent gas-mileage — several years ago.

The rate hike on NJ Transit takes effect tomorrow, so it might not hurt to stock up on those tickets which do not expire.

The original version of this article, NJ Transit 10% Rate Hike, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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I arrived back to New Jersey last night to the least frugal part of my trip: paying for parking at Newark Liberty International Airport. Parking for eight days in the daily parking lot cost us $192 ($24 a day).

In the past, I’ve parked at work in Newark and taken the NJ Transit train, but now that I don’t work in Newark, that wasn’t an option. We could have taken the train from somewhere else. We could have even parked in the economy lot for $15 a day for a total of $120. We paid for the convenience of being very close to the terminal. Next time, if there is time, I’ll choose another option.

The original version of this article, Parking at Newark Liberty International Airport, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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Earlier this week, I purchased my airline tickets for the upcoming trip to California my girlfriend and I will take in April. I went through a number of steps to find the best price including tinkering with SideStep.com.

The lowest cost non-stop flight for the dates and times my itinerary required was split between two carriers. SideStep.com wasn’t the only online tool that produced this result. My suggested flight west would be on Continental Airlines and the return flight would be on American Airlines. Even checking directly on Continental’s own website revealed that no return flights were available on that carrier.

As it turns out, sometimes seats are available but not displayed online. I called Continental Airlines and spoke to their booking agents. It turns out that there is a flight at the time I want, and the total price matches that of the combined Continental/American lowest cost round trip. It’s true that the flight is probably overbooked and they are anticipating some cancellations between now and April; I was not assigned a seat number.

It’s easy to become completely reliant on internet tools, but for flights, it doesn’t hurt to call the carrier directly. In this case, I didn’t save any money, but by combining my flights on a preferred carrier and gaining the airline miles, I’ll now qualify for an upgrade or a free ticket.

The original version of this article, Seats Not Available Online, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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I travel by airplane twice a year (plus or minus one) and it seems every time I fly, there are new online tools. First, years ago, Expedia allowed me to find low prices across multiple carriers. Then Priceline debuted, allowing travelers to “name their own price.” Although I’ve experimented with the tool, I never used it for booking flights.

One of my favorite tools is SeatGuru, which has seating configurations for many different aircraft on a variety of carriers. Before you choose your seat when booking a flight, you must check SeatGuru to determine which seat locations provide more legroom (good) or are next to restrooms (bad).

Last time I traveled, I found success with SideStep, which searches more airlines for rock bottom price and is highly configurable. A site which provides is Kayak.com.

I’ve never been on a cruise, but if that’s how you roll, Kayak is now offering metasearch for cruises, so you don’t have to go back and forth to individual travel sites to find the best deals. At first glance, it’s as easy to use as the flight search, but the travel dates are less flexible.

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This story attracted my attention because I am getting ready to flow from East Coast to West on US Airways next Monday. US Airways is looking to purchase Delta Airlines, which is bankrupt, for $8 billion in cash and stock. Any merger won’t affect my flight, although it would be nice if the airline lift the requirement of purchasing a meal if I want to eat on a six-hour flight. I guess I’ve been spoiled with free food in the past.

For me, an airline merger might make it more difficult to find inexpensive flights. I generally fly only twice a year, but New York or Philadelphia to California seems to be one of the more expensive routes.

Here’s the full announcement about the possible merger, sent to USAir Dividend Miles members, in addition to some links. They’re very friendly.

* US Airways Press Release
* Article from New York Times DealBook
* Article from Bloomberg News

The letter I received follows.

Dear Dividend Miles Member,

By now you may have heard that US Airways has made a proposal to merge with Delta Air Lines. Over the coming days there will certainly be much discussion in the media about this proposal, and in advance of that I’d like to make clear our company’s motivation for initiating this process and explain how we believe it would provide enormous benefits for you, one of our frequent flyers.

The merger of America West and US Airways has provided us with a sound platform to grow our business and provide additional opportunities for our customers. We believe a merger with Delta is the right type of opportunity that can positively benefit all of our stakeholders – customers, employees, and investors. The combination will provide an even stronger base from which the merged airline can compete with other domestic and international airlines.

For you, our customer, there will be benefits similar to what you’ve already experienced with the new US Airways:

* A much larger network of routes and frequencies to simplify your travel
* A history of reducing fares and eliminating unfriendly fare rules like Saturday-night stays
* A global frequent flyer program that would combine your Dividend Miles and Delta SkyMiles balances
* Participation in one of the world’s largest airline alliances, opening up even more of the world for your travel
* Peace of mind that you are building a travel rewards investment in a company that will be here for the long term, and that your miles will be here when you’re ready to redeem them

Of course, we don’t overlook the operational challenges inherent with this kind of transaction. Using our experience with the America West/US Airways merger we will work hard to mitigate transition difficulties, particularly with technology online and at the airports. In the short term we know there will be challenges, but in the long run you will be the beneficiary of one of the largest, most convenient airline networks in the United States, designed to make travel as efficient, economical, reliable and comfortable as possible.

This process will undoubtedly take some time to reach its conclusion, but please be assured that in the meantime our current integration processes are moving full speed ahead, including moving to one reservations system scheduled for early second quarter 2007. In addition, should this transaction fail to materialize, please be assured that the new US Airways is in a very good position, competitively and financially, to continue to build the best full-service, low-fare airline in the world.

Thank you again for your support of US Airways. We look forward to the opportunity to serve you again soon.

Sincerely,
Scott Kirby
President

The original version of this article, US Airways and Delta Airlines Might Merge, My Flight Unchanged, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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Once again, I’ll be traveling to California to visit my family for Thanksgiving. Last year, I wrote about my first flight on jetBlue. This year, the least expensive flight I could find was US Airways out of Philadelphia. I should have looked for tickets before Labor Day. This year, SideStep was a big help in finding the lowest prices. It covers more airlines than most travel sites, such as Expedia.

During the week in California, I should be keeping up with Consumerism Commentary as normal.

The original version of this article, Traveling for Thanksgiving, is copyrighted by Consumerism Commentary.

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