9 Fees That Make Your Vacation More Expensive
A recent U.S. News survey found that 65% of Americans had to change summer travel plans due to rising costs. If you’re planning on traveling this year, you can keep costs low by avoiding as many fees as you possibly can.
“One of the biggest mistakes travelers make is assuming every fee is mandatory just because it appears during booking or at checkout,” said Brian Rooney, travel advisor and cruise industry specialist at GetCruiseInfo.com. "A surprising number of charges are optional, inflated or avoidable if you know what to question.”
Here are nine vacation fees you should try and cut from your travel budget this summer.
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1. Resort Fees
Rooney pointed out that resort fees are probably the most frustrating fee in travel because they’re often unavoidable and can add $30–$60 per night to a hotel stay. Before booking your accommodations, you should look at the real final price instead of just comparing the advertised nightly rate.
Eli Harris, a travel advisor and travel agency owner at After Hours Travel, added, “You may be able to avoid some or all of these charges by opting out of amenities and/or utilizing certain brand rewards programs.”
2. Currency Conversion and Credit Card Fees
Some merchants and ATMs offer to charge you in U.S. dollars instead of local currency. However, they don’t mention that the exchange rate can be awful, and you can lose 5% to 12% on your transaction if you choose the wrong option. You’ll want to check with your bank and credit card to see what fees may apply on your travels.
3. Airline Fees
Baggage and seat selection fees are becoming increasingly common. Harris advised checking whether your loyalty program and/or airline credit card offer any benefits that offset these costs, like free seat selection or a free checked bag.
Rooney has seen travelers spend $200 to $500 extra round-trip because families get pressured into paying, so they can choose seats together.
4. Rental Car Add-Ons
The experts agree that rental car counters are experts at upselling exhausted travelers after a flight. These add-ons can include prepaid fuel plans, duplicate insurance coverage, GPS upgrades and toll packages. Since you may already have rental coverage through your credit card or personal auto policy, you would be paying double for the same expense.
5. Hotel Parking Fees
Parking fees in major cities and popular destinations have skyrocketed over the years. Harris regularly sees hotels charging $40–$75 per night for parking. This means that one week of parking can cost more than a flight and quickly raise your vacation costs.
6. Phone Plans
Harris found that many people neglect to check their phone plans before traveling. Most mobile carriers charge a premium to use your phone on a cruise ship. If you're traveling internationally, calls and texts could cost you a few dollars each. These costs can add up fast, especially if you aren't aware of them. Keep in mind that you can save money by using FaceTime, WhatsApp and social media when connected to Wi-Fi.
7. Hotel Minibars
Before you crack that bottle of water open in your room, you’ll want to check with the hotel. Sometimes, costs are hidden in info packs or booklets in the room, and that bottle of water can easily cost $8. If you dig into the snacks and drinks in your room's minibar, you can rack up over $100 in unnecessary charges on your bill.
8. Cancellation Fees
If you're not sure about your plans, verify whether there are cancellation fees before making a purchase. Harris pointed out that in the U.S., you can cancel most airline tickets within 24 hours of purchase for no fee. If you find a better price, make sure any cancellations happen in that window or else you’ll be down hundreds of dollars.
9. Generic Items You Forget
We've all forgotten something we needed while on a trip, like a charging cable for a cell phone or over-the-counter medications, but buying these while traveling will cost you. According to Harris, these generic and often forgotten items are extremely overpriced when you're traveling. On a trip he took recently, he paid $8 for a tube of toothpaste and $6 for eight ibuprofen pills.
Before jetting off on your vacation, exercise some due diligence and double check that you've packed all the essentials, so you can avoid these unnecessary expenses.
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This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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