If at all possible, book your flight with Airtran, Southwest, JetBlue, Delta, Spirit, or USA3000. Most airlines are going to hit you with a $100 change fee, but JetBlue only charges $25-$30, Airtran and Delta just $50, Spirit $25, and Southwest nothing at all (Southwest issues a credit good for a future flight). Uniquely, to my knowledge, USA3000 permits a name change for a $35 fee, meaning that you can re-issue a ticket in someone else’s name if you decide not to use it. If the fare in your “fare class” has gone up between the time of initial purchase and your new flight date, you will have to pay any difference, however.

I had a flight booked with Jet Blue. They wanted $100 to change it!! Meanwhile if I just booked a new flight (without changing) the price was $99.

What is going on with the Airline industry?

I believe it is a thing called "inflation". I may be wrong, but I had thought that most businesses are out there to make money. If you want to use a service, such as a flight with an airline, it costs money. I constantly hear people whine about fees, and yet the next day they are right back there booking another flight with the same airline, just so they can whine about it again.

I have your answer in two words: TRAVEL INSURANCE! It's not that difficult a concept.

Correction to the above -- Delta's change fee is an obscene $150 and nearly double that for international. The comment on Southwest and others being little to no change fee is correct. How much longer will Delta be in business when the work so hard to treat their customers like @#$%?

Any airline that charges $150 to change I won't use, their nuts.

I am sick and tired of them all. I do a lot of traveling by plane, I'm done.