Northwest to Add Award Ticket Fees in September

Northwest has announced it will charge up to $100 USD for each award ticket issued on or after September 15. The airline's executives say the charge is necessary because fuel prices have continued to rise while the number of award tickets remains fairly steady. That equates to lost revenue, and Northwest says these charges will "offset only some of the increased cost." The $100 charge is for trans-Pacific flights. Award tickets for flights within North America will incur a $25 fee; within Asia/South Pacific $75; trans-Atlantic and all other itineraries $50. It's the latest in a series of airline fees that have budget travelers weighing their luggage and shopping for airfares more carefully than ever.