Growing up, my family went on numerous summer vacations. The five of us all usually traveled in my parent’s midsize sedan. While we enjoyed each other’s company for a while, we soon became irritable. We didn’t have nearly enough room in the car to remain comfortable for longer than an hour or two. If you’re planning an upcoming vacation, consider renting a vehicle to travel in. You can ride in style; and, you will have enough room to stretch. On this blog, you will discover the best types of vehicles to rent for large families. Enjoy your vacation ride this year!
Faith Brown
When you book a trip, one of your biggest expenses is going to be your flights. However, when you're budgeting for your flights, remember that the cost of the ticket is only a fraction of the flight cost—extra fees and hidden expenses could almost double that cost. Here are some of the extra expenses to watch out for.
Baggage Fees
Almost all airlines are now charging a fee to check your bags. While a couple were slow to join the rush to charge fees, once most of their competitors were doing it, they decided there was no reason not to.
The cost for a first bag is generally $25 or more, and it goes up if you add more bags or your bags are oversized.
On most airlines, you can avoid the baggage fees by carrying on your luggage, but be prepared to pack light to meet the bag size limitations and to get to the gate early so you can find storage space close to your seat on the plane.
Food and Drinks
Between travel time to the airport and having to arrive early to get through security, you're probably going to want at least one meal at the airport or on the plane. Don't plan on packing your lunch.
The TSA severely restricts what you can bring through security. For a passable meal, be prepared to find airport concessions consisting of fast food chains and casual restaurants charging almost double their usual prices.
Don't think you can wait for the flight to get a free snack, either. Some airlines are even charging for the bag of peanuts these days.
Entertainment
If you haven't touched a real book in years and rely on your electronic device to keep you entertained, understand that there's no cell signal in the air. Cell towers simply don't reach that high and your phone will be moving too fast to find a signal.
To get online, you'll need to use the WiFi on the plane or in the airport, and this access comes at a price that could be close to your monthly data plan's cost.
Ground Transportation
Airports are usually outside of the city center, and this means an expensive cab fare or taking your own car and paying for airport parking. In big cities, both options can add up to more than a cheap domestic flight.
For a more economical option, consider using an airport shuttle service such as MacLeod's Shuttle Service to get you to or from the airport.