TRAVEL

Airline Ticketing Fees

Why You’re Being Charged: The airlines say that printing paper tickets costs too much. If you opt for an old-fashioned paper ticket instead of an e-ticket, it will cost you.
The Cost: Paper-ticket fees vary by carrier. Northwest Airlines and American Airlines charge $50. Continental Airlines does, too, but will waive the fee for travel that requires a paper ticket (when going to certain foreign countries, for example). United Airlines charges $20.
How to Avoid It: Embrace the e-ticket, and use your printed confirmation as backup.

Rental-Car Insurance

Why You’re Being Charged: The rental agent scared you into buying coverage you probably don’t need.
The Cost: Prices vary by company, type of car, and the state you’re renting in but can total as much as $30 a day.
How to Avoid It: Find out if the liability and collision coverage on your own car applies when you’re driving a rental. It probably does, says Jeanne Salvatore of the Insurance Information Institute. (If you rent a luxury car, though, you may need to buy extra coverage.) Also, some credit-card issuers offer complimentary collision coverage for gold-and platinum-card holders who use their cards to pay for a rental. (Call your company for details.) Consider forgoing “medical payments” coverage if you have adequate health coverage. Your homeowner’s insurance may cover certain items stolen from the car, making “personal effects” coverage unnecessary.

Miscellaneous Hotel Fees

Why You’re Being Charged: Whether or not you actually used the hotel pool or the Internet access in your room, you may find a charge for them on your final bill. Fees and surcharges are expected to bring in $1.2 billion in revenue for the U.S. lodging industry in 2004.
The Cost: Fees vary, but these are typical examples: minibar-restocking fee, $2 to $3.50 on top of the food or drink price; gym and pool charges, $8 to $24 a day; parking fee, up to $72 a day; housekeeping surcharge, $6 to $20 a day; Internet-access fee, typically $10 a day.
How to Avoid Them: Ask about additional charges when you check in; at checkout get a detailed breakdown of your bill. If there are fees that haven’t been clearly disclosed, it is fair to question the charges. But be prepared: Hotel employees are trained to answer questions and complaints about fees, says Bjorn Hanson, a lodging analyst with the investment firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. “They know how to say no.”