Last time we covered the first unexpected travel expenses which had to do with airport charges. As I said then, though travel is inspiring and life-changing, it can also be money draining.
The savvy cultural traveler knows how to plan effectively so that these unforeseen fees can be minimized.
Today we discover flight and hotel charges you probably didn’t know you’d have to pay.
Here we go:
Unexpected travel expenses: Flight charges
5. Seats
Not all seats in the plane cost the same. Depending on their location and the services they provide, prices vary.
Some coach seats do come with internet connection, electrical outlet to charge your electronic device, or phone service. These are obviously more expensive.
Cheaper seats generally can be the ones next to the emergency exits (which require you to accept the duty of helping out in case of emergency and not carry any hand luggage with you) or the seats next to the toilets.
Cultural traveler tip: Go to Trip Advisor’s SeatGuru.com website and find out which seats are available in your airline.
6. Additional baggage charges
With airlines striving to be more eco-friendly and more economical for their passengers, carrying extra luggage will nearly always impose a penalty on you.
Whether you’re checking bags and they are overweight (which carries an extra cost) or quite simply you are not allowed extra bags, baggage charges tend to be unexpected because you didn’t read the tiny print.
Airlines such as United, Delta and American Airlines can charge up to $25 per extra bag, while other airlines will let you bring an extra bag at no charge.
Cultural traveler tip: Do read the fine print in your airline ticket. It explains the baggage you are and aren’t allowed to carry with you and check.
7. Changes in itineraries
If you purchased your flight tickets and something comes up and you need to change the date, prepare yourself to pay up to $300 for that change.
This depends on the kind of ticket you bought. The cheaper the ticket, the less flexible it is and the more you’re going to pay for any changes.
Cultural traveler tip: Get very clear on what your tickets allow you and don’t allow you to do, purchase travel insurance that will cover these expenses and try to plan carefully in advance so that you don’t have to change anything.
8. Food
It started with economic airlines that in order to cut costs they would charge for any food or drink you consumed on the plane.
Now more and more airlines are cutting costs by charging for some items while others remain free.
For instance sodas, water and juices may be free, as well as peanuts, pretzels and raisins. However, lunch or dinner menus may come at a price of anything between $5 and $25.
Cultural Traveler Tip: Check your flight details to see what food it includes. When in doubt, call the airline to confirm.
Power bars and packaged items may be accepted on the plane and an empty water bottle can be filled up after going through customs. Again, check with the airline in advance.
9. In-flight entertainment
Nowadays some airlines may charge you a fee for TV shows or movies you may want to watch during the flight. They may charge you by item or they may require you to purchase “entertainment time”.
Cultural Traveler Tip: Bring your own entertainment! Book, iPod, iPad… you know what I mean.
Unexpected travel expenses: Hotel charges
Telephone calls from the hotel room may have additional charges, even when using a pre-paid phone card.
10. Hidden hotel charges
Let me tell you a very simple rule of thumb: The fancier the hotel, the more they’ll charge you for everything.
Hidden hotel charges may include:
- Cable TV.
- Telephone calls (even with a pre-paid phone card).
- Cleaning and tidy up service.
- Wi-Fi (Nearly every big hotel chain will charge you for Wi-Fi, ridiculous, right?).
- Room service.
- Tourism tax, tourism fee, visitor fee.
- Some other crazy charges, I once was charged $3 for the “weekend power outage fee”.
They are mandatory most of the time.
Cultural Traveler Tip: Check with your hotel as much as possible before your arrival. Hotel websites almost never advertise these charges, so I recommend to get on the phone.
Continue reading Part 3 of this series, to discover the last of the unexpected expenses you need to be aware of.
In the meantime, have you encountered any of these situations before?
Or maybe you were charged something that is not listed here?
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