Ever bought tickets on a budget airline, only to realize upon checkout that the total price is much higher than you expected it to? Welcome to the real world. While we've gotten savvier at sourcing for cheaper travel deals online, the airlines have found other ways to earn our money as well. My friend Timothy wrote a good piece in Dollars and Sense today on How Budget Airlines Are Getting You To Spend More Than You Should, and I wanted to add on with some of my recent experiences and tips for everyone else thinking of flying budget air. Scoot, JetStar, AirAsia and TigerAir are my top go-to places when I need to fly short-haul (anything less than 7 hours). However, the prices aren't always as cheap as we're led to think. Here are some tips to look out for: 1. Buy during a promotion Airlines almost always have ......