The Travel Tab

Some airlines are finding seats for their loyal customers, but many require that the fliers double the amount of miles they redeem to get the seat. To get around the difficulty of finding free trips, Tim Winship, publisher of Frequentflier.com, recommends searching for trips outside the United States. That's because while many airlines have cut back on the number of flights domestically, they have expanded the number of often more expensive international flights. Winship also recommends looking at alternative airports -- for instance, Chicago's Midway International Airport rather than O'Hare International. He also suggests off-peak travel times, such as midafternoon flights on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

Boarding Passes

Technology has made some parts of flying more convenient. Most airlines allow passengers to print their boarding passes from their computers 24 hours before their departure. Also, in addition to picking up a boarding pass at the airport ticket counter, many airlines also enable travelers to print their boarding passes from kiosks in airport terminals or some hotel lobbies. Travelers flying internationally, those who require additional security screening or those who have special needs have to check in at the ticket counter, depending on the airline.

Checking Bags

Several airlines -- including United, American and Northwest -- are charging customers $2 to check their luggage at the curb outside the terminal. That's separate from the $1-to-$2-per-bag tip that passengers also should give each the skycap. Unless you have oversize or extra bags, most carriers allow passengers to check their bags at their ticket counter for free.

Airport Security

When you're flying, one of the biggest frustrations can be going through airport security, especially if you're not familiar with the process as it has evolved in the past couple of years. Last year, according to the Transportation Security Administration, the average wait time to pass through airport security was three minutes, with a peak wait of 10.8 minutes. That's up from 2.3 minutes and a 10.4-minute peak in 2002. Wait times vary largely depending on the airport and time of day. The TSA's Web site, http://www.tsa.gov , gives historical information about security-screening wait time at various airports nationwide.

To pass through security a little more easily, travelers should remove all metal items, including keys, cellphones, watches, jewelry (except for rings), BlackBerrys and loose change, from their pockets and send them through the X-ray machine. Most seasoned travelers carry a plastic bag for these items and then place the bag in one of the plastic bins provided.

One of the biggest issues facing airport security is whether travelers must remove their shoes. The rules seem to vary depending on the airport and the TSA screener. TSA spokesman Darrin Kayser says that travelers are not required to remove their shoes but that it is recommended. That's because the type of shoe could fit an internal TSA profile and could cause you to be pulled aside for additional screening -- better to let the shoes be screened separately. Kayser also recommends checking with the TSA to see which items are not allowed in your carry-on bag, such as cigarette lighters.

In-Flight

If you are in coach and want a more comfortable seat, it may cost you a little extra, depending on the airline. Recently, Northwest Airlines became the first carrier to begin charging passengers $15 for some of its aisle and exit-row seats.

Last fall, fare expert Terry Trippler of Cheapseats.com, was one of the first industry analysts to predict that airlines would begin charging for sodas and exit-row seats. Now he predicts other carriers to begin adopting such additional fees. Trippler says traditional, legacy carriers will soon begin charging passengers a fee for checking their bags, even if passengers check their bags at the ticket counter. Trippler also thinks airlines will begin charging for sodas and juice. And he expects other airlines to begin charging for aisle and exit-row seats, as well.

"Passengers are getting to the point where they say, 'This is the way it is,' " he said. "Department stores used to wrap gifts for free. Banks charge to use ATMs, and furniture stores charge to deliver. The airlines are just a little late to the party."

If you want a meal, or actually a cold sandwich, chances are you will have to pay between $2 and $5. Most airlines, except for Continental, have eliminated meals during flights and have replaced them with buy-on-board snack boxes on flights of about four hours or more, depending on the carrier.

Los Angeles real estate lawyer Ira J. Waldman avoids paying for in-flight snacks and instead regularly stops at one of his favorite airport restaurants such as California Pizza Kitchen or Chili's to pick up a meal to go.

"They're fee-ing me to death," Waldman says. "Some of these fees now are just a joke."