The Freedom to Fly Starts With Understanding What You’re Paying For

By: Jennifer C Rykaczewski

Executive Director, Affordable Skies

Nothing in air travel is truly free, but knowing how airfare works gives you the freedom to choose how you want to fly.

We’ve been receiving a number of thoughtful questions from travelers lately, and one of them stood out because it reflects something many people are genuinely curious about. A traveler recently asked, “When I pay seven or eight hundred dollars for a round trip ticket, and my soda is ‘free,’ how much does that actually cost the airline?”

It’s a great question, and it goes straight to the heart of how airfare is structured. The truth is that nothing on an airplane is truly free. Not the bag, not the seat assignment, and not the soda. It’s either included in the fare you paid, or it’s offered as something you can choose to add.

When airlines set a fare, they account for a long list of costs most travelers never see. Fuel is one of the largest and most unpredictable expenses, changing often and dramatically. Beyond that are aircraft maintenance and required safety inspections, pilot and crew salaries, airport and gate fees, navigation and air traffic control charges, insurance, regulatory compliance, technology systems, customer support, reservation platforms, and the taxes and government-imposed fees attached to every ticket.

That drink she mentioned probably cost the airline somewhere around twenty to forty-five cents - inexpensive, but whether it’s included in the fare or sold separately depends on the airline’s pricing model.

Two Different Approaches to Pricing

Some airlines choose to bundle more into the fare so that the experience feels all in. Others start with a very low base fare and allow travelers to add only what they want. It’s not about right or wrong, it’s about the model they use and the experience they design.

What matters most for travelers is knowing that these approaches exist. Some people prefer the convenience of having everything included. Others prefer to start with the lowest fare and add only the things that matter to them. That’s where the real benefit is, the freedom to choose how you would like to fly.

For many families, students, and budget conscious travelers, having the option to skip things they don’t need makes flying possible. For others, paying a higher fare for a more inclusive experience is worth the comfort and predictability. Both approaches are valid, and both serve different needs in today’s travel landscape.

The Bottom Line

Nothing in air travel is truly free - what matters is understanding how pricing works so travelers can avoid common misunderstanding. It's about having the freedom to fly in the way that fits your budget, your preferences, and your life, whether that means choosing a fare with everything included or building your trip piece by piece.

The more travelers understand how pricing works, the easier it becomes to make choices that feel right for them. And that’s really the point: feeling informed, confident, and in control of your travel experience.

It’s important to us at Affordable Skies to provide travelers with clarity. Through our research, education, and advocacy, we’re working every day to help people understand their options and navigate air travel with confidence. That’s the heart of our mission, making sure travelers have the transparency and information they need to choose how they want to fly.

To stay informed and even more connected, our Members’ Access Lounge is now open - a space designed to help travelers stay engaged with the latest insights, updates, and resources. To access the lounge, please go to our homepage and click on the "Members Lounge Login."

Thank you for reading.

If you’d like to support our mission further, we welcome contributions of any amount and sincerely appreciate your support. https://www.affordableskies.org/supportus

James Henry, the Executive Director’s son, looking out the airplane window at the Washington Monument and excitedly saying, “Mom, LOOK, a castle!”