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9 Worst Hidden Travel Fees

Hidden mandatory fees are ancillary charges that travel suppliers add to posted prices while retaining the revenue—not directly passing it along to any other public or private entity. These mandatory fees are scams with only one purpose: to make real prices look lower than they actually are. It’s dishonest. Any mandatory fee that winds up in a seller’s pocket is an integral part of the true price and should be advertised as such.

We’re not the only ones who think it’s a shakedown. The Federal Trade Commission agrees, calling the fees “drip pricing.” And the Florida Attorney General says such fees are “inherently deceptive.” But despite the backlash, the situation seems to be getting worse. From fuel surcharges to resort fees to port charges, the travel industry’s laundry list of ancillary costs grows. Here are some of the fees you should watch out for, along with advice on avoiding the nickel-and-diming when possible.

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