Preferred seating is also available on some airlines. Jet Blue’s “Even More Legroom” seats cost $10 and up; USAir charges $5 to $30 for front-of-plane economy seats. United Airlines has an Economy Plus Access membership for $349 a year; you get preferred seating—if it’s available. (Not such a good deal if you ask me.)
Parking
Parking can cost you $20 a day for indoor parking. That really racks up after a few days. Look for coupons and deals, and don’t forget to ask your parking attendant if they have coupons at the kiosk. They usually do, and it never hurts to ask.
Extras
Some other fees or snags you may not be thinking of in your rush to your vacation? Make sure that your carry-on toiletries meet TSA standards. Don’t take more than three ounces of shampoo, mouthwash, or other liquid on the flight, as it will be tossed away. Travel kits for men and women are widely available at drugstores such as Walgreens. Love your very expensive perfume but only have that 100 milliliter bottle? Ask for a sample at the department store, or take your bottle and have them decant some into one of the sample bottles they have. It’s way better than packing your Chanel No. 5 and having the bottle break in your luggage.
You should also be aware that most airlines do not carry enough pillows or blankets for everyone on board, so if you’re the chilly sort, take your own. You can find inexpensive pillow and blanket kits everywhere, including Amazon.
Although it would be nice to be able to just throw a passport and a bikini into a bag and head to the airport without a second thought about cost, those days are long gone for most of us. With a little preparation and planning, however, you may just save enough money to make your next trip turbulence-free.
