When booking flights, navigating extra fees and upgrades can be overwhelming, which is no accident. Behavioral economics, a field that combines psychology with traditional economics, highlights the many biases that drive us to pay more than we have to. Understanding these biases can help us overcome them. For example, “decision fatigue” makes us less likely to start over when the final price is higher than we expected, even though this can cost us. Cementing our own wants ahead of time can help us avoid expensive add-ons and avoid the upsell.
