The following are fees charged to
most coach passengers. Very frequent
fliers and passengers with full-fare
tickets may be exempt from the fees or
pay less.
RESERVATIONS |
| Airline |
Book
round-trip
ticket
by phone |
Preferred
seat |
Priority
boarding |
Ticket-change fee
Domestic/International |
|
Fee to change
flight to same
destination on
day of departure
(1) |
|
| AirTran |
$15 |
$6 or $20 |
$10 |
$75/Not applicable |
|
$75 |
|
| Alaska |
$15 |
Not available |
Not applicable |
$75 online; $100
elsewhere/$75
online;
$100 elsewhere |
|
$25 within six hours
of departure |
|
| Allegiant |
$44.97(2) |
$6.99 or
$8.99 |
$9.99 |
$50 per one-way
flight/Not applicable |
|
$50 per one-way flight |
|
| American |
$20 |
$19-$39 |
$10 |
$150/$150-$300 |
|
$50 for domestic flights;
$150-$300 for
standby seat
on international
flights |
|
| Continental |
$20 |
$19 minimum |
Not applicable |
$150/$150-$250 |
|
$50 |
|
| Delta |
$20 |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
$150/$250 |
|
$50 |
|
| Frontier |
0 |
$20 |
Not applicable |
$100/$100 |
|
$50 |
|
| Hawaiian |
$25; $15 for
flights within
Hawaii |
$25 |
$25 |
$150; $30 for flights
within Hawaii/$75
or $100 |
|
$150; $30 for flights within Hawaii |
|
| JetBlue |
$15 |
$10-$40 |
Not applicable |
$100/$100 |
|
$40 |
|
| Southwest |
0 |
Not available |
$10 |
0/Not applicable |
|
0 |
|
| Spirit |
$10 |
$10-$25 |
Not applicable |
$100 online; $110 on
telephone and
at airport/$100
online;
$110 on telephone
and at airport |
|
$100 online; $110 on
telephone and
at airport/$100 online;
$110 on telephone
and at airport |
|
| United |
$25 |
$9-$159 |
$9-$39 |
$150/$250 |
|
$75 |
|
| US Airways |
$25; $35 for
international
flights |
$5-$30 |
Not applicable |
$150/$250 |
|
$50 |
|
FREQUENT-FLIER PROGRAMS |
| Airline |
Book free ticket on phone/online |
|
Change free ticket's
origin/destination |
Buying miles or credits(3) |
|
| AirTran |
0/0 |
|
$75 |
$39/credit |
|
| Alaska |
$15/0 |
|
$75 online; $100 on phone |
$27.50/1,000 miles |
|
| Allegiant |
Not applicable/Not applicable |
|
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
|
| American |
$20/0 (For phone or online:
$50 extra if
booked
7-20 days before
departure; $100
extra
if booked 2 hours-6
days
before departure.) |
|
$150 |
$27.50/1,000 miles |
|
| Continental |
$25/0 (For phone or online:
$75 extra if
booked
less than 21
days before departure.) |
|
$75 |
$35/1,000 miles |
|
| Delta |
$20/0 |
|
$150 |
$28/1,000 miles(4) |
|
| Frontier |
0/0 |
|
0 if 8 or more
days before departure
and seat in same
service class
is
available; $50
within
7 days before
departure |
$25/1,000 miles |
|
| Hawaiian |
$25; $15 for flights within Hawaii/0 |
|
$150; $30 for flights within Hawaii |
$25/1,000 miles |
|
| JetBlue |
$15/0 |
|
$100 |
$5/point, plus $20 fee |
|
| Southwest |
0/0 |
|
0 |
Not applicable |
|
| Spirit |
0 if booked
at least 180
days ahead;
$15-$100 otherwise/0
if
booked at least
180 days ahead;
$15-$100 otherwise |
|
$110 |
Not applicable |
|
| United |
$25/0 |
|
$150 |
$67.25/1,000 miles |
|
| US Airways |
$55 for U.S. or Canada flights;
$75 for Latin
America/Caribbean flights;
$80 for Hawaii
flights;
$90 for international
flights/$25 for U.S. or Canada flights;
$35 for Latin
America/Caribbean flights;
$50 for international
and Hawaii flights.
(For phone or
online: $75 extra if booked within
14 days
before departure.) |
|
$150 |
$27.50/1,000 miles |
|
IN THE AIRPORT |
| Airline |
Check bag at curbside(5) |
1st checked bag Domestic/Int'l |
2nd checked bag
Domestic/Int'l |
3rd checked bag
Domestic/Int'l |
Checked bag,
51-70/71-100
lbs. |
Checked bag
63-80 total in. |
Carry-on bag |
Airport club lounge:
Annual membership
fee/Daily fee |
|
| AirTran |
0 |
$20/$20 |
$25/$25 |
$50/$50 |
$49/$79 |
$49 or $79(6) |
0 |
Not available |
|
| Alaska |
$2 |
$20/$20 |
$20/$20 |
$20/$20 |
$50/$50 |
$50 |
0 |
$450 new member; $350 renewal/$40 |
|
| Allegiant |
Not available |
$14.99-$29.99; $35 at airport/Not
applicable |
$14.99-$29.99; $35 at airport/Not
applicable |
$50/$50 |
$50/$75 |
0 |
0 |
Not available/Not available |
|
| American |
0 |
$25/$25 |
$35/$35 |
$100/$100 |
$50/$100 |
$150 |
0 |
$500 new member; $459 renewal/$50 |
|
| Continental |
0 |
$23 online; $25 at airport/0 |
$32 online; $35 at airport/$27
online, $30 at airport (Mexico, Caribbean
and Central and South American flights);
$45 online, $50 at airport (Europe);
0 (Japan) |
$100/$100 |
$50/Not accepted |
$100 |
0 |
$525 new member; $475 renewal/$50 |
|
| Delta |
0 |
$23 online; $25 at airport/$23
online; $25 at airport |
$32 online; $35 at airport/$27-$50
online; $30-$55 at airport |
$125/$100-$200 |
$50 |
$175 |
0 |
$500 new member; $450 renewal/$50 |
|
| Frontier |
0 |
$20/0 |
$20/0 |
$50/$50 |
$75/$75 |
$75 |
0 |
$250/$35 |
|
| Hawaiian |
0 |
$23 online; $25 at airport; $10
for flights within Hawaii/0 |
$32 online; $35 at airport; $17
for flights within Hawaii/0 |
$125; $25 for flights within Hawaii/$80-$150 |
$50(7)/Not accepted |
Not accepted |
0 |
$249/Not available |
|
| JetBlue |
$2 |
0/0 |
$30/$30 |
$75/$75 |
$50/$100 |
$75 |
0 |
Not available |
|
| Southwest |
0 |
0/Not applicable |
0/Not applicable |
$50/Not applicable |
$50/$50 |
$50 |
0 |
Not available |
|
| Spirit |
0 |
$25/$30 |
$25/$30 |
$85/$90 |
$50/$50 |
$100(8) |
$30; $45 at the gate |
Not available |
|
| United |
$2 |
$23 online; $25 otherwise/$23 online;
$25 otherwise |
$35/$50 |
$100/$100 |
$100 for domestic flights; $200
for international flights/$100 for
domestic flights; $200 for international
flights |
$100 for domestic flights; $200
for international flights |
0 |
$475 new member, renewal/$35 online;
$50 at airport |
|
| US Airways |
$2 |
$23 online; $25 at airport/0 |
$32 online, $35 at airport/0 or
$50 online or $55 at airport |
$100/$100 |
$50/$100 |
$100 |
0 |
$40 online; $50 at airport |
|
IN-FLIGHT SERVICES |
| Airline |
Meal/ Snack(9) |
Beverages: Alcoholic/ Non-alcoholic |
Headset |
Wi-Fi(1)(0) |
Pillow- blanket |
Unaccompanied minor age 5-7(1)(1) |
Pet aboard flight |
|
| AirTran |
Not available/0 |
$5 or $6/0, $2 or $4 |
0 |
$4.95-$12.95 |
Not available |
$49 |
$69 |
|
| Alaska |
$6 or $7/$6 |
$6/0 |
Comes with a $6 or $12 entertainment-unit
rental |
$4.95-$12.95 |
Not available |
$25 |
$100 |
|
| Allegiant |
Not available/$2-$5 |
$5 or $7; $2 or $4 |
Not available on domestic flights;
$5 international |
Not available |
$7 or $10 for pillow; $10 or $15
for blanket |
Minors must be accompanied. |
$100 |
|
| American |
$6 or $10/$3.29 or $4.49 |
$6 or $7/0 |
$2 |
$4.95-$12.95 |
$8 |
$100 |
$100 |
|
| Continental |
0/0(1)(2) |
$6 or $9/0 or $3 |
$3 (0 on some
international
flights
and comes with
$6
DirecTV rental
on
some other flights) |
Not available |
0 |
$100 |
$125 |
|
| Delta |
$6 or $8/$2, $3 or $5 |
$5 or $7/0 |
$2 |
$4.95-$12.95 |
0 |
$100 |
$125; $200 for international flights
($75 for Brazilian flights) |
|
| Frontier |
$6 or $7/$3 |
$5/0, $2 or $3 |
Comes with $6 DirecTV rental |
Not available |
Not available |
$50 |
$75 |
|
| Hawaiian |
$10 or $12/$5.50-$6.50 |
$6.50-$16/0 |
$5 |
Not available |
0 |
$100; $35 for flights within Hawaii |
$175; $35 for flights within Hawaii |
|
| JetBlue |
$6/0 |
$6/0 |
$2 ($6 for movies) |
Not available |
$7 |
$85 |
$100 |
|
| Southwest |
Not available/0 |
$5/0 or $3 |
Not available |
$1-$7 |
Not available |
$50 |
$75 |
|
| Spirit |
Not available/$2-$4 |
$6/$3 |
Not available |
Not available |
Not available |
$100 |
$100 |
|
| United |
$5-$9/$3-$7 |
$6-$8/0 |
0 |
$4.95-$12.95 |
0 |
$99 |
$125 |
|
| US Airways |
$7/$3-$6 |
$7 or $8/0 |
Not available on domestic flights;
$5 for international flights |
$4.95-$12.95 |
$7 |
$100 |
$100 |
|
1— for confirmed seat. Difference in
fare may also be charged. Standby fliers
may not have to pay additional fee; 2—
includes $29.98 round-trip booking fee
and $14.99 convenience fee; 3— for the
first 1,000 miles purchased; additional
tax may be charged; 4— minimum of 2,000
miles must be bought. 5— curbside fee
is in addition to other bag fees; 6—
$49 for bag 62-70 inches; $79 for bag
71-80 inches; 7— 51-69 pounds; 8— fees
are for bags 62-79 inches; 9— airlines
selling snacks may also provide some
snacks free; 10— single flight fee; fees
may be set by outside vendor; 11— itineraries
with connecting flights may cost more;
airlines may have fees for children of
other ages; 12— will begin selling food
on some flights in mid-October.
Sources: Airlines, USA TODAY research
by Gary Stoller |