Travel Booking: The Costs That Appear After the Headline Price

The cheapest advertised fare is frequently not the cheapest total, and the gap is designed rather than accidental. Comparing at the final step rather than the first is the only comparison that means anything.

Where the price grows

• Baggage. The largest single addition. A basic fare plus a checked bag routinely costs more than a mid-tier fare that includes one.
• Seat selection. Optional unless you are travelling with someone you want to sit next to, at which point it stops being optional.
• Payment method fees. Some airlines and agents charge by card type.
• Check-in charges. Some carriers charge for airport check-in, which catches people whose online check-in window closes.
• Priority boarding, sold as convenience and sometimes functioning as the only way to guarantee cabin bag space.

Price every option with the same things included — one bag, a seat if you need one, your actual payment method — and the ranking often changes.

Currency conversion at checkout

When a foreign site offers to charge in your home currency, the exchange rate applied is set by the merchant's provider and is usually worse than your own bank's. Choosing to be charged in the seller's local currency is generally cheaper. This applies to hotels and car hire as much as flights.

Check whether your card charges a foreign transaction fee before assuming it does not.

Accommodation

• City or tourist taxes are frequently added at the property rather than at booking, and sometimes payable in cash.
• Cleaning and service fees on short-term rentals can be a large share of a short stay's cost — always compare the total for your actual number of nights.
• Resort fees are added per night at some hotels and are not always visible at the comparison stage.
• Cancellation terms differ far more than price. A slightly higher flexible rate is often worth the difference.

Car hire

The advertised daily rate is the least reliable figure in travel. The additions that matter are the insurance excess, the fuel policy, the young or additional driver charges, and the cross-border restrictions. A low rate with a very high excess and a full-to-empty fuel policy can be the most expensive option available.

Travel insurance

Check what you already have before buying separately — some bank accounts and cards include cover, though usually with conditions such as paying for the trip on that card. Check the medical cover limit and the excess rather than the headline price, and check whether the activities you actually plan are covered.

Before you book

Add up the total including bags, seats, payment fees and any local taxes before comparing options. Check the cancellation and change terms, which are worth more than a small price difference on anything booked months ahead. Check whether the fare allows a name correction, since airlines differ enormously on this and a misspelling can otherwise mean rebooking.