And some airlines are even removing the amenities that they might have charged for: US Airways is taking out its in-flight entertainment systems on domestic planes to lighten the load and save on fuel. On the other hand, American, Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest all plan to introduce Wi-Fi access on many aircraft this coming year; they will, of course, charge a fee (about $10 to $13).

Survival Strategies

Don't Be Caught Off-Guard
Now that booking through a reservations agent and checking two bags can add more than $100 to the cost of your round-trip flight, it pays to know what's included in the price of your ticket—and what isn't. Check airline Web sites for the most up-to-date information on fees, pack light, and book online.

Book Far in Advance
It's always been a good idea to book well ahead of the departure date because the cheapest fares are the first to sell out. And as carriers trim seat capacity, the least expensive seats will be filling up even faster. If possible, book your flight at least three weeks ahead of departure—preferably more than six weeks (and months in advance for holidays). Of course, now that it can cost as much to change a ticket as it does to buy one, it's more important than ever to be sure that your dates are firm before you book.

FREQUENT-FLIER FAMINE

American, Continental, Delta, and United have all raised the number of miles it takes to get a free ticket and are limiting upgrades, in some cases restricting them to the coach fliers who've paid the highest fares (and naturally giving preference to elite members). But now you will have to pay in cash as well as miles. US Airways is charging $25 to $50 to book a flight using mileage awards, and United now charges $100 for award tickets issued fewer than six days before departure. Most airlines are mum on how many seats they'll reserve for these formerly "free" awards, though it has typically been about 7 percent to 9 percent. But with seats getting scarcer anyway, some frequent fliers may decide that the programs aren't worth the trouble and may switch to more transparent non-airline reward plans like American Express's.

Survival Strategy

Consider Emptying Your Frequent-Flier "Accounts"
Given the deflating value of award miles, you might want to redeem your miles now and switch your credit card to a program that gives you points and cash back. The biggest perks of loyalty programs are the benefits extended to passengers with elite status. But only miles flown now count toward that, so the strategy of bulking up your account with miles earned on other purchases is losing its appeal.