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Flying is a lot more expensive than it used to be, and I’m not just talking about ticket prices. There are loads of other junk fees airlines tack on these days that can price people out of flying altogether.

Poking around in an airline’s fee schedule can sometimes help you avoid these fees, though. Doing this taught me a simple way to save on Allegiant Air flights, though it might not be an option for everyone.

How you book your flights affects your ticket prices on Allegiant Air. Most of us book online these days because that’s easiest for us. But many don’t realize there’s a $22 electronic carrier usage charge per passenger, per segment for doing this.

That’s pretty steep. A family of four flying Allegiant Air with a four-flight roundtrip (two flights each way) would pay a total electronic carrier usage charge of $352. And that’s above and beyond the cost of the ticket itself, plus other fees, like baggage fees and seat selection fees.

How to get around it

The best way to get around Allegiant Air’s electronic carrier usage charge is to book your tickets at an airport that Allegiant Air operates out of. Yes, it’s annoying, but it can reduce the strain on your bank account quite a bit.

Those who decide to do this may want to research when Allegiant flights are leaving the airport that day so they can plan around them. Try to choose a time when there aren’t likely to be a long line of passengers trying to check in and drop off their luggage. This can reduce your wait and minimize your inconvenience.

If you’re not able to visit an airport to purchase your ticket, you can try booking your Allegiant Air flight by phone instead. There is a call center booking fee for doing this, but it’s only $14.99. Returning to our family of four example from above, booking over the phone would only cost them about $240 — a $112 savings. Again, it’s inconvenient to do this. But the savings could make it worth it for some.

How to avoid as many junk airline fees as possible

Here’s a closer look at some common junk airline fees and how you can avoid them:

• Checked bags fee: If you don’t have a travel rewards credit card that exempts you from paying for checked bags on a certain airline, you could try to limit yourself to taking just a carry-on. These are free on most airlines.
• Seat selection fee: Allow the airline to randomly assign you a seat for free unless you really need a particular seat.
• Change/cancellation fees: Wait to book until you are certain that you’ve found the flight you want. If you do need to change or cancel your reservation, do so as quickly as possible. Some airlines may not penalize you for changes made within 24 hours of booking.

This isn’t an exhaustive list. If you’re interested in what other fees an airline might charge you for, check out its website for more details on its fees, particularly fees listed as optional. That’s where I learned about Allegiant Air’s electronic carrier usage charge, which might not seem all that optional to those who habitually book flights online.

If you ever have questions about an airline’s fees, it’s best to reach out to that airline directly. Ideally, you can do this before you’ve purchased a ticket — so you’re not locked in to surcharges you weren’t aware of at the time of booking.

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