If we're being honest, airplane trips are exciting (albeit a little stressful). Whether you're running your suitcase through the airport halls, marveling at the airplanes on the runway or enjoying a drink at one of the airport bars, there's always something to, at the very least, keep your adrenaline up!

However, if there's one thing that is a lot less fun, it's dealing with the budget, particularly on the plane tickets. Buying plane tickets is a game of strategy within itself and it's always a race to crack the algorithm before the prices start to skyrocket.

One of the first places that your budget can be affected is extra fees on your plane ticket. The worst part is that you may not even be aware of them! Below are a few possible fees that can sneak into your airfare cost (and how to avoid them).

Baggage Leads To Fees (And We Don't Mean The Emotional Kind)

Line of passengers with luggage waiting to board
Via fortune.com

Your luggage is the easiest way to incur extra fees. If you manage to snag cheap airline tickets and you think you've won the lottery, you may want to check again. There are a lot of low-cost carrier airlines that don't include a checked bag. This means that if you have more than just a carry-on, you'll have to pay more.

One way to avoid this is to purchase your extra bag on the airline's website. In most cases, it's cheaper than paying at the check-in counter.

The other issue to look out for is the size of your luggage. Always make sure to check the luggage rules of your airline to make sure that your luggage in itself isn't too big. Carry-on and checked luggage, generally, can be a maximum of 50 lbs. If your luggage is heavier than that, the fees will add on.

We recommend that you weigh your luggage before arriving at the airport to avoid a nasty surprise. As an added assurance (and only if you're able), try to fit your luggage into a backpack instead of a suitcase. You'll have a better chance of being able to claim it as a carry-on and not as checked luggage.

Reading Between The Lines Will Save Your Wallet

Passenger with a suitcase in line at the airport
Via dallasnews.com

We're going to air our collective dirty little secret: No one reads the fine print. Whether it's a random work contract, or the Terms and Services, we tend to skim these documents, at best. However, when it comes to airfare, you may want to consider taking up the habit.

Cheaper airlines tend to hand you pretty numbers on the ticket, but love to slip in extra regulations about different aspects of your flight in the fine print, knowing that no one reads it. If you're not careful, you'll end up seeing a higher price on your credit card.

As tedious as it is, we recommend that you read through your airfare contracts and documents (maybe twice!). Make sure that you understand everything and follow them to a T. You'll thank us when you're able to afford a few extra souvenirs on your getaway!

Fees Are Hiding In Your Cards

People sitting at an airport bar
Via viewfromthewing.com

This is one of the more insidious charges. When you get to the final payment page and you're ready to seal the deal for your vacation, you may notice that the price is slightly higher.

Besides the usual taxes and stuff, you might start to wonder where that extra charge is coming from. We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but it's related to your card (or the payment method that you choose).

Every payment method comes with a few extra fees. If you're dealing with an American airline, there are laws that inhibit anyone adding credit card fees to your final transaction. However, if it's a non-American airline, you won't have those laws to protect you.

When it comes to these sorts of extra charges, there isn't a lot that you can do. We advise you to choose the payment option with the lowest fee.

Another path you can take is trying to find a travel fare aggregator, like Travelocity, Kayak.com or even Momodo.com (the latter's subsidiary). They may offer options for payment methods that don't involve extra fees and, generally, offer you cheaper options.

Insurance That You Don't Need

Whenever someone offers you insurance, your first step might be to blindly accept. After all, insurance is never a bad thing, right? In most cases, you'd be right. Cancellation insurance protects you from any last-minute cancellations and travel insurance can protect you while you're traveling. However, it doesn't come without an extra cost.

The easiest way to avoid these extra costs is to not accept them when they're offered. However, if you're unsure, check to make sure that you're already covered through your bank or home insurance. The last thing you need is to pay twice when you're already covered!