Ultra low cost airlines use a clever loophole to avoid paying 7.5% federal excise tax on airfare. They charge an online and phone booking fee, which isn’t subject to that tax.
A fee that is mandatory is considered part of the fare and is subject to the 7.5% tax, so they waive the fee if you book tickets at the airport counter.
I’ve written several times over the years about using this trick to purchase airline tickets at the airport to save big on Allegiant, Frontier, and Spirit flights.
This also works for one of the newest airlines around, Breeze Airways.
They have a “Technology Development Charge” that currently appears to range from $42-$54 round-trip.
I reached out to Breeze to see if that can be waived by booking tickets at an airport, and they confirmed that it can be, but only on Tuesdays between 11am-1pm ET. Clearly they don’t want people doing this…
The fee varies by route and may also vary by day.
In the examples below, the Technology Development Charge you can save by purchasing at the airport is $42-$54 per round-trip ticket. That will sure add up quickly if you’re flying with the family!
One-way tickets have half of that fee.
Akron-Hartford has a $42 online booking fee:
Akron-Tampa and Akron-West Palm Beach have a $54 online booking fee:
Westchester County to Los Angeles has a $42 online booking fee:
Akron to Las Vegas has a $42 online booking fee:
Islip to Charleston has a $54 online booking fee:
You can download the Breeze app for iOS or Android, signup for an account, and instantly get 500 BreezePoints, worth $5 for airfare.
While Allegiant, Frontier, and Spirit have one class of service, Breeze features 3 cabins:
Breeze first class “Nicest” seat:
Have you flown Breeze yet? Will you go to the airport to purchase a Breeze flight?
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31 Comments On "Save Big On Breeze Airways Flights With This Trick They Don’t Want You To Know About!"
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Problem with Spirit is they charge less for bags at time of booking versus after purchase. The money I saved at the airport buying tickets was eaten by paying more for bags. Will the same happen with Breeze?
You can’t pay for bags when booking at the airport?
No, you could pay online after booking but that’s more than at the time of booking online. It will be cheaper than in the airport where you basically have to buy the plane to bring your bag on.
You can pay at the airport when booking, it the rate will be the “airport rate” which is the highest possible rate you’d be charged at time of checking in at airport.
The IRS shouldn’t be letting these stuff go on…
does every airport served by them sell tickets ? will hpn aairport have that option ?
Yes, according to what they wrote to me.
What about airports where they don’t have any flights on Tuesday, they’ll even have someone by the desk those hours?
LOL the headline wording reads like clickbait advertisment
If I wanted to buy a ticket on a Wednesday to fly on Monday, they give no option for me to buy ticket without fee.
Their tiny window should only be legal if they provide that option every day
S
+1
Is this still legal? Can they say that the charge will be waived only on Tuesday Feb 29th between 11:00 and 11:01 AM?
Or 1-1:01 am…
They have terrible customer service!!! Can only access via message chat
Is the counter in CAK even open on Tuesday? Dont see any Tuesday flights in or out of CAK.
I’ll reach out to Breeze for further claficiation.
Thanks. I’ll check back here.
“Yes, someone will be at Akron (CAK) on Tuesdays between 11 am-1 pm ET. Please send us a message through Facebook Messenger, or text us at (501) 273-3931 if no one is at the counter. Thanks!”
“Please make sure you create a Guest account if you do not have one.”
If anyone tries it, let us know!
do you have the list of all the airports Breeze flies out of? Is ORD on the list?
No.
https://www.flybreeze.com/destinations
anything like this for Play airline?
According to flybreeze.com/destinations/Akron-Canton: “Akron is known for its picturesque views and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum” (I don’t know which one is less true!)
11:00-1:00 is probably when their CSRs take their lunch break.
“Thank you for waiting for us to get back to our desk. Sorry, you missed the time slot. You can now pay full price plus some more charges we will tack on.”
OMG i just flew from CLE to BDL and paid like $700 round trip.
I just chatted with customer service and was told there is no waiving of the fee even if I purchase at the airport.
I just went to the counter at BDL and bought tickets and had the fee waived. At first the lady was like you have to buy them on the app and when I said the website says it will be waived Tuesdays 11-1 she reluctantly gave me the QR code to scan. I had to fill out a form and then I got a text confirmation code 10 mins later telling me to go to the counter to pay. The one person at the counter tried to tell me I would have to wait 45 mins for her supervisor to be back and when I said no, here is the text she then reluctantly looked it up on her computer and took my payment. Was worth it to save $186 though.
Thanks so much @Dan! I just booked tickets at the ticket counter earlier today at BDL (after confirming via their chat that this still applies). I booked HVN to PBI for my family of 9 for a grand total of $342 round trip! (I will add luggage separately @ $35/checked bag). Booking online for the same exact thing was ringing up well over $900! thanks again Dan!
Awesome!
Did you have to go between 11am-1pm?
Yes! When I chatted with them they sent the exact same response as they did to you. I confirmed that it will be available in both Tweed New Haven and BDL and they said yes, it’s wherever they fly out of. I actually went to Tweed New Haven first because it’s slightly closer to me and we’re planning to fly out of there and after spending about 20 min trying to figure out where the ticketing counter was I finally found someone who said that Breeze is not open there until December hence why they don’t have any counters there yet. We then rushed 45 minutes to BDL to catch the short window of time and BH I made it in time and they did not give me a hard time whatsoever.