Found out my $200 flight to Denver was actually $340 once I added the seat and bag
I was messing around on Google Flights for a trip to Denver next spring and found a $200 round trip that looked great. Then I clicked through to book and the seat selection was $35 each way and a carry on was $70 round trip, so that $200 fare turned into $340 real fast. I pulled up the airline's own baggage page and the numbers matched, which honestly surprised me because I always assumed booking direct was cheaper. Turns out the base fare is just the bait and everything else is the hook. I get why they do it, but it feels like the price you see should be the price you pay. Does anyone here actually call the airline and ask them to waive the seat fee, or is that just a myth?
Does it actually matter that much though if you're still paying less than the next guy after all the fees are tacked on? I mean sure it's annoying but comparing the real total across airlines is still the only move that counts.