Thursday, October 09, 2014

Travel is wonderful – but it’s not cheap, especially when unexpected fees and costs pop up to throw your budget off track.  Travel editors at the Huffington Post suggest effective ways to avoid or lower at least five of these fees without giving up any of the fun.

Checked baggage fees – They are becoming standard, but there are several ways to avoid them. One is to travel like a pro, streamlining so that everything fits into your carry-on. Another is to choose carriers like Jet Blue or Southwest, which charge no checked baggage fees. The third is to get an airline-affiliated credit card that waives the standard fee.

Reservations change fee - Airlines are required to allow passengers to change their reservations within 24 hours of booking if the ticket is purchased at least a week in advance. If you think your travel plans may change more than 24 hours after you've booked your flight, consider purchasing a refundable ticket. These fares are more expensive than non-refundable tickets, but the extra cash you'll pay up front may be less than what you would owe in change fees. (Or fly with a low-cost carrier like Southwest, which allows free reservation changes.)

Car rental airport fees - It's handy to step off the plane and into your rental car, but it's also costly. Airports charge rental companies a concession fee for vehicles picked up at the airport that can range from 10 to 25 percent of the overall cost. To avoid the surcharge, check for car rental locations located off airport property. Sometimes, the cab fare to a different rental location amounts to less than the airport fee.

Book and fly on the right days of the week - Shop for airfare on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when most airlines publish sale fares. You’re also likely to find a better deal when you fly on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday. You may have to juggle your vacation time a bit, but you could end up saving significantly.

Negotiate hotel rates – Find the best deal you can through a third-party travel site like Expedia, Travelocity or Hotels.com. Then call the hotel or resort directly and inquire about the best available rate. Sometimes the rates offered by the hotel are lower than those published online, especially if the hotel wants to fill empty rooms.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com