Leave Fees Behind When Flying

Your plane ticket isn’t the only cost when you travel by air. Airlines charge extra fees for seat selection, checked bags and more.
The primary way to avoid a seat-selection fee is to opt out of choosing a seat.
Some airlines, including American and JetBlue, guarantee that parents can sit next to their children on a flight at no extra charge. With others, family members who want to be sure that they’ll be seated together must book tickets that include seat selection or pay fees to choose their seats. That may soon change: The U.S. Department of Transportation has proposed a rule that would require airlines to allow children aged 13 or younger to sit next to a parent or accompanying adult for no extra fee.
Southwest Airlines doesn’t charge for a checked bag, but with other airlines you’re generally on the hook for a fee to check luggage when flying domestically. You can usually avoid baggage fees by packing everything you need in a carry-on and a personal item that fits underneath the seat in front of you. (Some airlines, including JetBlue and United, do not include a carry-on bag with basic economy tickets.)
Overall, in-flight Wi-Fi has gotten faster, better and less expensive, says Sean Cudahy, aviation reporter for The Points Guy. JetBlue has offered free Wi-Fi for years. Delta Air Lines plans to have free Wi-Fi on most of its domestic mainline flights by the end of 2024 and on most international and regional flights by the end of 2025. You need a Delta SkyMiles account to access it, but there’s no charge to join.
If you’re flying with an airline that charges for Wi-Fi, see whether your credit card will reimburse or discount the fees. For example, the United Quest card ($250) offers up to $125 in statement credits each year for United purchases you make with the card, including in-flight Wi-Fi.