With air ticket fees ever on the rise, we’re sure there’s a nickel-and-diming department at every airline HQ, and the job of those nerds is to find more ways to tack on extra charges. Those of us who remember the good ole days when you bought your $99.99 ticket, and that’s exactly what you paid to fly.

Today, there’s the ever growing list of add-ons, including baggage fees, in-air food, blankets, special seating, state taxes, city taxes and oil price supplements. Of course, we can expect even more to come.

Some experts claim the savvy flying senior can actually save money and fly cheaper by bundling. Basically, it’s when you package ticket prices to include such benefits as frequent flyer points, special seasonal offers, upgrades and other fees that would cost more if purchased separately.

Because the deals are always changing, when planning your next trip, first check with your travel agent and/or airline. Determine if you can build a favorable package. Then when you get the bundling price quote, compare it with what it would cost if you bought everything listed separately.