List of Airline Charges for Domestic Flights
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With the travel season in full swing, well-informed travelers have a hard time finding the best deals amidst the new charges Airlines have invented. Instead of comparing ticket prices, travelers should calculate the total cost of the flight, including baggage charges, food, drinks, entertainment, and many more fees that Airlines have come up with in an attempt to disguise the true ticket price. In this article, we reveal additional fees to help you calculate the true cost of your trip. The following lists are not exhaustive and fees are not guaranteed. All information provided applies only to coach and only to domestic flights (continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii). This article was last updated July 1, 2010.
Checked LuggageComparison Table for Luggage checked with US carriers:Overweight charges are not included in this list.
Most airlines allow you to take a small suitcase and a personal item with you as carry-on luggage (into the cabin). A personal item can be a laptop bag or a backpack. Since airlines started to charge fees for checked luggage, many travelers started taking larger and larger carry-on items. However, keep in mind that most airlines also have size and weight limits for carry-on items. Recently, they have started to enforce those guidelines more strictly. |
|
Airlines |
Food |
Drinks |
|
Alaska Airlines |
Snacks - $3.50-6, Breakfast and Sandwich - $6, Platters (Antipasto or Fruit & Cheese) -$7 |
Complimentary non-alcoholic bev.// Alcoholic bev. - $6 |
|
American Airlines |
Breakfast Snack - $3, Breakfast Cafe Box - $6, Nut Snacks - $3, Boston Market Sandwich or Chicken Caesar Salad - $10 |
Complimentary non-alcoholic bev.// Wine, Liquor - $7, Beer - $6 |
|
Continental Airlines |
Complimentary Snacks, Complimentary Meals on flights longer than 3 hours, Plan to charge for meals beginning fall 2010 |
Complimentary non-alcoholic bev.// Alcoholic bev. - $6 |
|
Delta Air Lines |
Complimentary Snacks, Breakfast - $3-7, Lunch & Dinner - $6-8, Additional Snacks - $2-5 |
Complimentary non-alcoholic bev.// Beer - $5// Wine & Liquor - $7 |
|
Frontier Airlines |
Snacks -$3, Breakfast and Sandwich -$6, Salad -$7 |
Complimentary non-alcoholic bev.// Bottled Water, Energy Drinks - $3// Alcoholic bev. - $5 |
|
Hawaiian Airlines |
Complimentary Meals, Premium Meals - $10, Snacks - $5.50-6.50 |
Complimentary non-alcoholic bev.// Alcoholic bev. - $6.50 |
|
Horizon Air |
Snack Packs - $6 |
Complimentary non-alcoholic bev.// Complimentary Wine & Beer// Liquor - $6 |
|
JetBlue Airways |
Complimentary Snacks, Meals - $6 |
Non-Alcoholic Bev. - Compl., Alcoholic Bev. $6 |
|
Northwest Airlines |
*Now Delta |
|
|
Southwest Airlines |
Complimentary Snacks, No Sandwiches/ Meals |
Complimentary non-alcoholic bev.// Energy Drink - $3// Alcoholic bev. - $5 |
|
United Airlines |
Snackboxes - $6-7, Meals: Breakfast - $5, Lunch & Dinner - $9 |
Complimentary non-alcoholic bev.// Alcoholic bev. - $6 |
|
US Airways |
Snacks - $3-4, Snack Box - $6, Meals - $7 |
Complimentary non-alcoholic bev.// Alcoholic bev. - $7 |
|
Virgin America |
Snacks and meals - $2-10 |
Complimentary non-alcoholic bev.// Premium non-alcoholic bev. & alcoholic bev. - $2-10 |
The times where you can indulge in free food and drinks are long gone, but if I have to pay for my meals, I expect something better.
Although you cannot bring liquids through security, you can buy anything at the airport stores. Currently, most airlines still offer complimentary non-alcoholic beverages.
You can bring food through security and I would not hesitate to do so.
Entertainment, Headsets, Pillows and all other charges
image by satosphere
Comparison Table for all other charges with US carriers:
|
Airlines |
Headsets/Wi-Fi |
Pillow/ Blanket |
|
Alaska Airlines |
Inflight Wi-Fi access on select flights, Fees |
No info |
|
American Airlines |
Headsets - $2, Inflight Wi-Fi access on 767-200, select MD80s, and soon on 737, Fees |
$8 pillow and blanket (for you to keep after the flight; pillow is inflatable; includes coupon for Bed, Bath & Beyond) |
|
Continental Airlines |
Headsets - $3 |
No info |
|
Delta Air Lines |
Inflight Wi-Fi access on selected planes, Fees |
Free blanket |
|
Frontier Airlines |
Complimentary headsets or bring your own |
No info |
|
Hawaiian Airlines |
Headsets - $5, $5 for inflight movies (even if you bring your own headsets), $15 player & 2 rental headsets |
No info |
|
Horizon Air |
*Part of Alaska Airlines |
|
|
JetBlue Airways |
Complimentary e-mail access on BetaBlue, $ for headsets or bring your own |
$7 pillow and blanket (includes coupon for cleanrest.com) |
|
Northwest Airlines |
*Now Delta |
|
|
Southwest Airlines |
No Info |
No info |
|
United Airlines |
Complimentary headsets, Inflight Wi-Fi access, Fees |
Only on international flights. |
|
US Airways |
Inflight Wi-Fi access, Fees |
$7 Pack with pillow, blanket, eye mask, ear plugs |
|
Virgin America |
Headsets - $2 or bring your own, Inflight Wi-Fi access, Fees |
$12 Pack with pillow, blanket, eye mask, ear plugs |
Paying for headsets is not really a big deal breaker for me, since I prefer my own headsets. Since plane hygiene is also not what is used to be, I also prefer to bring my own inflatable pillow.
You can get airline headphone adapters in most electronics stores. Buy them ahead of time. The stores in the airport pay hefty fees to the airport operators. Those fees are reflected in their prices.
Conclusion
I wonder when we will have to pay for the luxury of having an oxygen mask available or a live-vest/ floatation device.
I wish there was a federal regulation that would force airlines to reflect all charges in the ticket price. Until this happens, we are devoted to keep this list up-to-date and we ask you to help us.
If you discover a new charge, please let us know so that we can update this list. Simply email us through the contact form. We will work it into the article.
We created this list to the best of our knowledge, based on personal experience, and reports we have received. We do not guarantee its completeness or correctness, nor do we accept any claims based on this list. We promise to do our best to keep up with the constant changes introduced by the Airlines. If you are aware of any changes, please let us know.
This article was a collaboration effort of:
Dani (Trip Galleries)
and me (My Travel Photos)
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American Airlines joins the ranks of airlines offering internet. They are going to start it on routes connecting New York with San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami. The charge will be $12.95 per flight.
United is soon going to charge up to $9 for snacks. No more free snacks.
United will also drop their complimentary business class meals except for some fligts from San Francisco or L.A. to New York.
Wow, that was a ton of work putting that together, and exactly the sort of thing airlines don't want people to do. By taking things we used to get in the base fare and turning them into fees and extras, it's now very difficult to comparison shop for flights. So, what appears to be the lowest fare might not really be.
I think the first place that does a reasonable job of taking something like your grid, and applying it to a live, dynamic shopping comparison will become very popular.
==
Headsets on Delta flights are comp for first class and $2.00 for coach. Also, Delta is now a "cashless" airline. Everything must be put on a charge card (including the $2 headsets)
US airlines is stink. All USA airports for all USA airlines are not friendly people. All international airlines (no USA airlines) that I flew Korean Air and Lufthansas are very friendly people and staff. No charge for baggages, food, and drinks, etc.
I suggested who fly USA airlines to bring your own snacks (not opened) with you and bottled water or soda. Ask flight attendant for a cup of ice for free.
I dislike USA airline food....too cheap and taste terrible. I got sick several times. I bet there is a muslim workers at the food service to put something to make air passengers sick. Watch out!