3 Airlines That Charge the Most Fees to Travelers

Airlines are about as greedy as little children with their candy these days. I remember traveling with my husband with two checked bags, to carry-on bags, free beverage and snack service, free pillows and blankets and not spending a dime unless we ordered a cocktail on our flight. Last month on the way to celebrate our wedding anniversary, we boarded a flight that made me realize just how greedy airlines have really become.

I ordered a cocktail. A Malibu rum and diet coke to be exact (does anyone else think the type of wine they serve on planes is a little scary?) and instead of handing me my little bottle of Malibu (which I’d never pay $7 for anywhere else, but don’t even hesitate to spend on a plane) and a diet coke with a glass of ice, the flight attendant decided to play bartender and pour a little rum from the bottle before placing it back in her drawer and walking off. I’ve never NOT been handed the bottle and the ability to make roughly two cocktails of my own out of it. Airlines are greedy; and these airlines are the worst.

Spirit Airlines

If you want to book a ticket, it should be free, right? Wrong. On Spirit, you have to pay a $10 fee simply for booking your ticket over the phone. You get charged for carry-on luggage, checked luggage, your seat and everything in between. Of course, the fees are cheap; but the price to bring anything else on the plane (I’m shocked they don’t charge for breathing) will significantly increase the price of your seemingly inexpensive ticket.

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air is a great airline if you plan on traveling to specific cities. However, despite the low prices for flights, everything else will cost an arm and a leg. You pay for checked bags, carry-on bags, pillows, blankets, water, your seat, boarding, and everything in between. However, you do get to save a little when you use your debit card to book a flight and you do get to save a little if you pre-pay for your luggage.

United Airlines

This is an airline that makes approximately $5.4 billion annually collecting fees from you. Yes, just fees. That doesn’t even count the money they make from airline tickets. That’s just fees. Baggage fees and everything in between.