The Extra Mile: “Extra Mile Gothaz”

✈️ Why I Go to the Airport to Buy Plane Tickets

If you’ve been reading the Extra Mile for a while, you know I’ll do just about anything to save money on airfare. And by “just about anything,” I mean driving to the airport … to buy plane tickets.

No, really.

I’ve done this time and time again with Allegiant, Frontier, and others … and every time I do, I save a surprising amount of money.

Here’s the thing: The price you pay for a plane ticket isn’t actually just the airfare. It’s a collection of different charges bundled together, including:

• The airfare itself
• TSA security fees
• Airport facility fees
• Segment fees
• Government taxes
• And on many low-cost carriers, an additional booking fee with names like “Carrier Usage Charge,” “Passenger Interface Charge,” or “Technology Development Charge”

That last one is where things get interesting.

With ultra-low-cost airlines, the actual airfare is often just a tiny fraction of the total ticket price. Sometimes it’s less than a dollar … and that’s by design.

Airlines pay a 7.5% federal excise tax on airfare, but not on many of these additional fees. By keeping the fare low and tacking on extra charges, airlines get to keep more of the money you pay.

But there’s a catch: To treat these charges as optional fees rather than airfare, airlines have to provide customers a way to avoid paying them.

And that’s where the airport comes in.

Instead of booking online from the comfort of your couch, you can walk up to the ticket counter and buy the exact same flight in person. By doing so, you’ll often avoid these online booking fees altogether.

The savings can be substantial.

Many low-cost carriers charge $20 or more each way in these fees, meaning a roundtrip ticket can cost $40-plus more simply because you booked online. In some cases, the actual airfare is less than the fee itself.

Take this flight, for example: A roundtrip in late August from my home airport of Sioux Falls, SD (FSD) to Nashville (BNA) is going for $86 online. That’s already a great deal, but you’ll notice that more than half ($44) of the cost is due to the airline’s “carrier usage charge” – the piece you can avoid by buying tickets at the airport instead.

Now, is saving $44 worth making a special trip to the airport, finding parking, and potentially waiting in line for an hour? Probably not. But once you start buying tickets for multiple people or booking several trips at once, the equation changes quickly.

I recently made another airport ticket run for an upcoming family trip. By purchasing four tickets at the airport instead of online, I saved $176.

The total cost of our roundtrip flights was just $428, so that’s roughly a 40% discount compared to booking online.

The way I look at it, if someone offered to pay me $176 an hour to drive to the airport and buy plane tickets, I’d gladly take the gig. Spending an hour at the ticket counter suddenly felt like a pretty easy decision.

Now, this trick won’t work with Delta, United, American, Southwest, or most traditional airlines. But it can work with several low-cost carriers, including Allegiant, Frontier, Breeze, and Sun Country. Each airline has its own rules, ticketing hours, and fee structure, so you’ll want to do a little homework before making the trip.

It’s also not something I’d recommend doing for every flight. But if you’re booking travel for the whole family, live relatively close to the airport, or happen to be there already, it’s one of the strangest – and most effective – ways to cut the cost of flying.

Sometimes being thrifty means booking a mistake fare. Sometimes it means maximizing points and miles. And sometimes it means standing in an airport ticketing line in 2026 because an airline charges you extra to use the internet.

Welcome to budget-airline economics.

Read more about this trick to save big on budget airlines!

– Jackson Newman, senior editor

🤝 Deal of the Day: Fly Delta One to Europe from 97K SkyMiles!

Heat scale (out of 3): 🔥🔥🔥

Why we love it: Prices just dropped on Delta One flights to Europe this summer! Best availability in July and August from all cities.

These nonstop fares are 115,000 SkyMiles each way – or as low as 97,700 each way with a Delta SkyMiles credit card. Flying to Dublin (DUB), Lisbon (LIS), Rome (FCO), and more!

Sign up now to get all the details on this deal & don’t miss the next flight deal alert.

Already a member? Log in to see all your deals. (Not seeing it? Remove your airport filters to see every deal.)

– Gunnar Olson, Thrifty Traveler Premium deal analyst

📖 Gettin’ Booksy: Dan’s Air France Biz Class Upgrade

Welcome to Gettin’ Booksy, a celebration of our favorite feeling: Booking something awesome! Book something lately? Let us know at [email protected]!

What Did Dan Book?

Dan booked flights on Air France from Minneapolis (MSP) to Zurich (ZRH) for him and his dad. But after inquiring about a business class upgrade … his trip got a whole lot better!

How’d You Book It?

Dan used 15,000 Virgin Atlantic Miles (so 30,000 roundtrip) to fly MSP-CDG-ZRH in Air France economy. But at the gate, they were offered a business class upgrade for $500 per person!

What Makes it So Awesome?

Dan booked one of what he called “the last vestiges of points and miles sweet spots,” booking Air France or KLM economy from MSP to Europe for just 15,000 points each way with minimal taxes and fees. But the $500 business class upgrade was what made this such a killer deal. A lucky day for Dan and his dad.

Thanks for sending us your “Gettin’ Booksy,” Dan!

– Gunnar Olson, flight deal analyst and travel reporter

💺 How to Avoid Basic Economy (& Still Get a Good Deal)

Call me bougie, but I don’t book Basic Economy fares. I just don’t like them.

The no-frills airfare invention of the major airlines to compete against ultra-low cost competitors don’t offer perks like seat selection and the ability to make changes that I need in my flight bookings.

You may like basic fares, and that’s OK. But if you’re like me and you need more from your economy bookings, here’s how to avoid them:

✈️ Use Google Flights Filters: We begged for this feature for years, and the folks at Google Flights listened. Now, in your search results, you can click on the fare type at the top of the page and toggle on “Economy (exclude Basic)” to see only Main Cabin fares and above for flights within the U.S. and Canada.

⭐ Use Your Points and Miles: This doesn’t work for all points and miles programs (we’re looking at you Delta and JetBlue 😡), but with most airlines (including American and United), the lowest award rates are for flexible Main Cabin tickets. Plus, these fares are fully refundable – making for risk-free travel!

🤝 Book with Airline Partners (Especially for Delta): Leveraging airline partners can help travelers save on Main Cabin award tickets, too. The best example: Using Air France/KLM Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic to book Delta economy award tickets. While nonstop Delta flights to Hawaii will cost $1,000 or 100,000 SkyMiles, you can get the same flights – in Main Cabin – from just 51,000 roundtrip instead. It’s a no-brainer.

🌏 Find Main Cabin-Only Airlines/Routes: This is more of a crapshoot. But some airlines (like Hawaiian Airlines’ long-haul flights from Honolulu to Asia and the South Pacific) and some destinations (like Dubai in the Middle East and many destinations across Africa) offer Main Cabin fares as the lowest rates, even when you book with cash.

Bottom Line: You don’t have to settle for paying much more to book Main Cabin. If you want to avoid Basic Economy (like me), use these four methods.

Check out my full breakdown of how to avoid basic economy fares here.

– Gunnar Olson, flight deal analyst & travel reporter

🎙️ On the Pod: Breaking Down Hyatt’s Big Changes

🛏️ Hyatt’s revamp of its loyalty program is here, so Kyle and Nick dig through all the data to show you what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what you should do about it.

Tune in now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

🥂 Flying Delta? T-Mobile Wants to Buy You a Drink

Whether it’s a pre-vacation celebratory cocktail, a glass of wine to help you unwind after a long work day, or simply something to take the edge off, plenty of Delta flyers enjoy an adult beverage at 35,000 feet.

If that sounds like you, T-Mobile just said cheers to that.

The mobile carrier is rolling out a new perk exclusively for its customers: Get one free premium drink on every Delta flight. And unlike many limited-time promotions that disappear after a few months, this benefit is sticking around year-round.

Considering Delta’s beer, wine, and spirits typically cost between $9 and $12, the savings can add up quickly for frequent travelers.

Better yet, it’s refreshingly simple. Eligible T-Mobile customers just need to link their SkyMiles and T-Mobile accounts through the T-Life app at least 24 hours before flying. Once you’re onboard, you can order a drink and so long as you attached your SkyMiles number to your reservation, you should be all set.

Whether your go-to is a Miller Lite (please, say it isn’t so), a Tito’s cocktail, a glass of wine, or something stronger, the perk covers Delta’s premium alcoholic beverage menu. And if you’re not much of a drinker? Consider using it to make your travel companion’s day a little better.

Thrifty Tip: Through June 30 (unless it’s extended), Delta SkyMiles cardholders can also score a free premium snack to go with their drink!

The free-drink benefit is part of T-Mobile’s first-ever “Member Month,” a June promotion packed with travel-related deals. Other offers include discounted airport parking, free Wi-Fi on Royal Caribbean cruises, travel sweepstakes, hotel and rental car discounts, and more.

We love perks that don’t require a spreadsheet, a scavenger hunt, or a dozen hoops to jump through. A free drink on every Delta flight? That’s the kind of travel benefit we can raise a glass to.

Get the full scoop on this new perk!

– Jackson Newman, senior editor

✈️ Other Travel Tidbits

• 📊 In case you missed it: our Credit Card Benefits Tracker got a major upgrade. It’s now a free online dashboard that tracks 100+ cards, your points balances across 40+ programs, and your Chase 5/24 status – no bank logins or personal info required.
• 🎙️ The Thrifty Traveler Podcast is going live on Friday, June 12. Join us at the historic Parkway Theater in Minneapolis for a live taping — travel trivia and prizes beforehand, Q&A after, and plenty of bits in between. Tickets are on sale now and selling fast.
• ✈️ Alaska is raising fees and cutting earnings on Atmos Rewards. The partner award booking fee jumps from $12.50 to $20 each way on July 1, and saver fares booked after June 11 for travel after Aug. 1 will stop earning points. The upside: if you carry the Atmos Summit card, that partner fee is waived entirely. (AwardWallet)
• 🧳 Amazon Prime Day lands June 23–26 this year. If you’ve been eyeing new luggage, packing cubes, a travel battery pack, or noise-cancelling headphones, it might pay to hold off a few weeks and see what goes on sale. (Amazon)