Jetstar

Avoid credit card fees with Jetstar

I was booking a flight between Hobart HBA and Melbourne MEL on Jetstar, a popular Australian and Asian discount carrier. As I was going through the booking process on jetstar.com, they were trying to charge me $8.50AUD per passenger for the pleasure of using my credit card. Credit card fees are uncommon in North America, however in Australia, they’re the norm, with most retailers charging a percentage fee for using your credit card. Although there’s no fee for using a debit card to pay, my Canadian debit card wasn’t eligible for their payment service. If I booked on an online travel agent, the cost was substantially more.

Sunday Reader Questions: Your biggest travel mistake?

Sunday Reader Questions: Your biggest travel mistake?

When you travel a lot, you’re bound to make some mistakes. A curious reader asked me what was your biggest travel mistake?

I’m pretty meticulous when I travel. I make detailed (though convoluted) travel itineraries, triple-check the information, and get a third party to read through it to make sure I’m not missing something. Unfortunately, on a trip to New Zealand, a glaring mistake was made.