Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines, the three largest U.S. carriers, are expanding the use of surcharges to raise prices on the busiest travel days next year.
Delta and United added fees of as much as $30 each way to flights on as many as 41 days from now to May 28, said Tom Parsons, chief executive of researcher Bestfares.com. All three airlines added $50 one-way charges on some flights on Feb. 8, the day after the Super Bowl.
The 2010 fees build on surcharges that will take effect on flights after Thanksgiving and New Year's. Targeting seasonal flying, not just busy travel days related to events, is a new step for U.S. carriers trying to raise revenue amid the recession.
"This is becoming kind of a grab" for passengers' cash, said Robert W. Mann, president of consultant R.W. Mann & Co. in Port Washington, N.Y. "Nickel and diming in the form of $5 and $10 bills is really where it's going."
US Airways Group, the sixth-largest carrier by passenger traffic, added a 5 percent surcharge to tickets for travel from May 8 through September to help offset possible increases in fuel or other costs, said Valerie Wunder, a spokeswoman.
The seasonal charges were imposed in September for weekend flights after Thanksgiving and New Year's Day and spread among the so-called full-fare carriers, Delta, American, United, US Airways and Continental Airlines.
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