How To Avoid Common Travel Fees

Now more than ever, the avid traveler is trying to cut costs in every way they can. Here are some common travel fees and charges you can look to cut out, potentially saving you a good chunk of change on your next journey.

Ask hotels and resorts if they charge fees for amenities like fitness centers or pools when you make a reservation, and again when you check in, advises David Lytle, editorial director of Frommers.com. If you're not going to use certain facilities, negotiate with the hotel before you sign anything that allows them to bill your credit card, he advised.

When booking a flight, watch out for charges like selecting an exit row seat ($20 at AirTran Airways), seats with more legroom ($35 at Spirit Airlines) and even picking a seat in advance of the flight ($5 to $35 at Northwest Airlines). Wait until you get to the airport on the day of travel and you may be able to avoid fees like charges for certain seats.

Common fees charged by airlines are detailed on the travel site www.Kayak.com.

Pack light. Airlines won't just charge you for checking your bags, they'll sock you with another fee if any are too heavy -- up to $175 on Delta, for instance. If that heavy bag is also "oversized," you'll be hit up for more, as much as $175 on United. With most carriers, including American, Continental, Delta, and United, these fees can be cumulative, so check the airline's Web site for its baggage restrictions before you pack. Bag fees are less common on international flights. Plus, you may be able to get some fees waived if you are a member of certain frequent flyer programs, like American Airlines premium programs, or if you hold an airline-linked credit card like Continental Airlines Chase cards.

Mid-range and discount hotels often offer free Internet service, but higher-end locations tend to charge, sometimes as much as $19.95 per day. If your hotel won't waive the fee, check out www.WiFiFreeSpot.com or www.JiWire.com to find free service nearby.

If you travel with your pet, you are likely to find yourself lapping up extra fees. Even self-proclaimed "pet friendly" hotels typically charge daily fees, starting at about $10 per pet, and in some cases additional per-stay fees up to $200. Ask clear questions when making reservations, and check out Web sites like www.PetsOnTheGo.com, www.PetTravel.com or www.DogFriendly.com to find no-fee or low-fee deals.

For years, savvy travelers have known using a credit card overseas could help save on exchange rates and fees. But credit card companies now typically add a foreign currency conversion charge of up to 3 percent. Lytle, of Frommers.com, said a strategy that will save on fees is to use a credit card only for large purchases, and use ATMs to withdraw cash infrequently for minor spending.

Photos: Getty Images

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Comments

[Brandon Lemke]

does anyone know anything about gay travel site fabugo? i booked my trip to San Diego on travelocity, flying on JetBlue and staying at a days inn near the gay clubs. i then found this site fabugo and they had same flights and hotels and i would have saved money booking with them. it looks legit. nice site. are they for real?

[Adviser Luxury travel]

Thanks for sharing the tips to reduce the traveling cost. Many of us are looking for the new ways to curtail traveling expensed because of tight budget without compromising with security and comforts.

[Robert Derby]

I went to Fabugo but the site sucks. They are obviously a straight company trying to make a gay site. Go to their parent company site...nothing about equality or anything gay. I hate these kind of companies. I would rather book trips at a site that doesn't pretend like Orbitz.

[Todd]

I booked with Fabugo a few months ago and had a horrible experience. I had to call to try to get some help with the hotel choices to find out what hotels in Cancun were best for a gay couple, and they had no freaking idea! The people on the phone were not gay and acted like they were uninterested that I was gay. This is obviously a straight company trying to fake us out like usual. Don't book Fabugo!!!!