If you’re traveling out of your locality and you want to drive, a rental car is just about the only way to go and the car rental companies know this. You’re standing at their front desk and the only way to get to your destination is to rent a car from them. They can get away with charging you as many junk fees on top of the price they quote as they want. These companies know that if you don’t rent a car from them, you’re up a creek without a paddle. Car rental companies, hotels, and local governments are using this to their advantage and are charging all sorts of money-grab fees and taxes that will substantially increase the price of your rental car.

Local governments see out-of-town travelers, especially those who are there for business, as major targets for taxation. These people who are traveling have no say in what taxes they have to pay and they won’t be around long enough to do anything about it, so they’re just stuck paying the high taxes. Cities and counties frequently charge taxes on a per-room basis for hotels, taxes on car rentals, and taxes on other services that are frequently used by travelers. Local governments know that voters are much less likely to revolt on a tax for people who do not live in their locality, so they gouge travelers whenever they pass through.

Hotels are another frequent offender of charging extra fees on top of what the room supposedly “costs” to stay in. Before you book your room, make sure to check and see if there are any daily facility fees that you have to pay. When shopping for a hotel room, do as much comparison to see what the actual cost will be as possible. Expedia’s hotel room search service does a good job at including the miscellaneous fees that hotels tend to add on.

Airlines will frequently charge you a passenger facility charge or PFC that’s a big cost. Terminals will sometimes charge you for passing through their halls, and Congress approved it. There are also charges for federal security service, charges per flight segments, and the list goes on. The pricing that you see for a ticket will be very disingenuous, so when you think you are getting the best deal, you might be getting ripped-off.