I found an international offer from Cincinnati to Paris Charles DeGaulle for $760 USD. When I tried to reserve that fare, the lowest available comes up at $825.40.
A budget traveler can do a lot with $65.40. With some planning, that could take care of one night in a budget hotel or two nights in a hostel.
It would certainly buy two people a very nice meal, or a week's worth of picnic lunches from a local Parisian market.
Unlike those variable purchases, this one is standard and non-negotiable.
Let's look at where the $65.40 will go:
The September 11 Security Fee could take up to $10.
The airport facilities fee could take up to $18.
U.S. departure taxes could require up to $29. The phrase "up to" is thrown in because there are variations by city and itinerary. Assuming the maximum on all these fees, we're up to $57. That means the remaining $8.40 (or more) could be coming from a variety of other expenses Delta identifies as "U.S. and foreign user, inspection, security or other similarly based charges, fees or taxes." Whew!
Delta says those last group of fees--whatever they are--could add up to $250 to the price of your ticket! Suddenly, that $65.40 seems like a bargain.
Some international flights increase 25% or more because of the fees imposed. That's why that initial price of $760 is only a starting point for comparison purposes, not your final cost.
Beyond price, sale fares pose some other potentially costly problems. Click "next" for examples.
