Frequent Flyer Free Miles--Hah!!!!

I've been redeeming frequent flyer miles for years, as we get lots of them by paying our suppliers with credit cards. It's never been easy to get what I want, but I have found it to be basically a great way to travel. Well, my dh and I are going to Palm Springs in Feb. (and will do the Tour de Palm Springs!) to have a short visit with his parents. I went online and got my tickets all done. I expected to pay the $20 for the taxes, but I didn't expect to have to pay $75 per ticket to "redeem" my frequent flyer miles! Whoa!!

Still it's nice to have to only pay $85 for a ticket. Is that all, you ask. Well, no, as a matter of fact, it's not. I also have to pay $15 for my 1st piece of checked baggage and $25 for the second piece. As I'm taking my Bike Friday and my husband is taking his golf clubs, our "free tickets" are starting to cost us some dollars.

Oh, well, thanks for letting me rant. We're still gonna go! It's still lots cheaper than forking over for a regular coach ticket.

The luggage is annoying! We flew for the holidays and I didn't know about it beforehand! I flew a few months before hand and there was no fee to check baggage. What a suprise when we got to the airport!

We just flew Southwest Air. Two checked bags each (no bikes...skis). No fee for either.
My "free" ticket did require a $50 "reactivation" fee, however, plus $5 for some security fee or some such.

Southwest is, to my knowledge, the only airline that still lets you check 2 bags for free. I'll fly them whenever possible - if only to support them:)

CA

I'll be doing the Tour de Palm Springs as well!

Although I am not prepared for the century...:(