Thanks, TSA! Security Fee Hike Will Lead to Costlier Airfare

The Transportation Security Administration, already unpopular with air travelers for its screening procedures and hygiene product bans, certainly won't win any fans with an upcoming fee hike. Soon, the TSA "will more than double the mandatory fee they charge many passengers," according to MarketWatch.

Travelers are currently charged a $2.50 security fee for each leg of their flight, with fees capped at $5 and $10 for 1-way and roundtrip flights respectively. On July 21, the fee will be raised to $5.60 per leg, a cost that's automatically added into the price of a plane ticket.

Unfortunately, the new fees are not capped. This means each leg of your flight will incur another $5.60 charge under the new law. What's more, sufficiently long layovers will also be subject to the fee hike: layovers longer than four hours on a domestic flight or longer than 12 hours on international flights will now be treated as "legs."

For travelers who reside in major hub cities like New York, Chicago, or Atlanta, the higher airfare prices may be minor annoyances. However, customers who have to make several connecting flights when traveling are certain to notice the price bump. "The TSA uses the examples of a traveler who takes a round trip flight to and from Newark with stops in Chicago, Denver and Las Vegas and pays $28 in fees," MarketWatch explained. "Before, that would have only been $10."

To learn more about how this fee hike could affect you, check out the full story over at MarketWatch. And, for what it's worth, prospective air travelers should always browse our latest airfare deals to save as much as possible.