That does not mean passengers traveling on frequent flier tickets with American airlines are exempt from other fees, particularly when traveling abroad.
But given that Web booking tools for frequent flier tickets do not always display all the available options for award seats, particularly on partner carriers, Mr. Winship said the phone booking fee was sometimes worth challenging.
Besides fuel surcharges and government taxes, other fees associated with redeeming frequent flier tickets have been increasing in recent years, as airlines have relied on à la carte charges to offset higher oil prices.
To the Editor: Regarding "How to Avoid That Cramped Seat" (Practical Traveler, March 18), I recently flew to London on a Delta 767 with a frequent-flier ticket.
Using a frequent-flier ticket from his brother-in-law, Randolph flew to Montreal on Wednesday night and played the first round on six hours of sleep, having never seen the course.
Doing the Math Hotel rooms, rental cars, even chocolates may sound like a good deal if you've ever tried to book a frequent-flier ticket only to be thwarted by black-out dates and tiered mileage calendars showing that the one day you want to fly requires double the miles.
People traveling on a frequent-flier ticket or whose travel is paid for by an employer can get a policy that omits the cancellation coverage but provides emergency medical and dental help up to $10,000, and emergency medical transportation up to $20,000.
An amateur jazz trumpeter from Vermont, Mr. Driggs moved to Manhattan in the early 1950s and began saving posters, fliers, ticket stubs and photos.
Question: Will I ever be able to get a frequent-flier ticket again?
Answer: Nabbing a frequent-flier ticket requires the same leap of faith that buying any airline ticket does, although an "error" costs less.
