Are you going to be connecting at Philadelphia, Phoenix, Charlotte or other airports with US Airways Clubs more than three times in a three-month span? Then the US Airways 90-day Membership promo might make sense for you. At $120, the temporary pass costs the equivalent of three day passes ($40 each) and allows you access to 22 US Airways Club locations, as well as partner clubs at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport and Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport.

The perks? Help with travel changes and rescheduling (including upgrades), free non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, business services and meeting space (fees are often associated with these extras), newspapers, television and more comfortable seating than you’d find in the average waiting area.

If your travel is pretty steady throughout the year, then you’d probably want to opt for the annual pass at $315-$390, but this may be the better deal for travelers facing a protracted period of increased travel.

These days, I almost always grab something edible during the post-security, pre-boarding stage at the airport - even if the flight is just an hour or two and I’m not really hungry and there’s nothing really exciting on the grab-and-go shelves. I’m the kind of traveler airports must love - because I always leave a little cash in my wake. The reason? I’m never quite sure what sustenance I can expect to find on board - and who knows how long I’ll really end up on the plane when it’s all said and done. As many travelers know all too well, these days, boarding the aircraft does not necessarily lead directly to one’s ascent into the friendly skies.

But as the NY Times‘ Michelle Higgins points out in the paper’s Practical Traveler column today, being late for a connecting flight often rules out time for water and snack purchases. And that means relying on the airlines for sustenance. The column concludes by rounding up the drink, snack and meal options on a handful of major U.S. carriers. You can find similar information for a variety of airlines on the Kayak.com Airline Fees page.

If you do plan to dine during your next flight, a few things to keep in mind:

- When searching for and purchasing flights, pay attention to the flight schedule’s layover time. Choosing a slightly longer layover will not only give you enough time to buy bottled water or a snack in the airport, but it gives the airline adequate time to transfer your luggage to the next plane.

- Whenever possible, bring both cash and a credit card to pay for in-flight food and beverage purchases. Some carriers, like Alaska Airlines, no longer accept cash in the cabin. But for just as many other airlines, cash is the only option you’ll have - and paying with exact change often expedites the purchase process.

- International flights will usually offer a free meal to passengers, but the type of meal depends on when and where you’re flying. If you have special dietary needs or preferences, it’s always important to check with the airline before you travel.

- Even water may cost you these days. Though airlines traditionally offered soda and water free of charge, US Airways’ decision to charge $2 is setting a new precedent for the industry.

Alongside today’s implementation of fees for traditionally free beverages like coffee and water on US Airways flights comes this incendiary little tidbit from the New York Times.

Apparently, the flight attendants union is publicly admitting that crotchety travelers who protest the newly imposed fees will likely end up with their beverages free of charge:

“We’re trained to keep order on an airplane and defuse confrontation,” Mike Flores, president of US Airways’ A.F.A. chapter, said in an interview Thursday. “If it takes giving a free beverage to somebody to do that, so be it. I expect there will be flight attendants who just give everything away.”

Hmmm. On the one hand, it’s a nice little loophole that I’m sure many travelers will be happy to take advantage of. On the other, it promotes contentious behavior in the economy class cabin, something there is often already too much of as it is. It’s frustrating to think that confrontation - and the obnoxious attitude that often accompanies it - may actually be rewarded in this scenario.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see a social experiment where savvy, polite travelers were rewarded for their behavior? Excuse me, sir, you’ve done such a good job of stowing your carry-on luggage in the overhead compartment, turning off electronic devices during take-off and keeping your seat belt fastened during flight that we’d like to offer you a free coffee. Ah, well, it’s Friday. I’m allowed to daydream a little….

For up-to-date information on the latest airline fees associated with economy class travel on the airlines Kayakers use most, visit the fantabulous Kayak Airline Fee page.

Well, it’s not like we didn’t see it coming. The days of the free first checked bag, at least on major airlines’ domestic U.S. flights, are numbered. Yesterday, Northwest Airlines announced that it will begin charging travelers $15 to check the first bag, a policy adopted earlier this summer by American Airlines and United Airlines. This morning, US Airways threw itself into the ring and announced the same $15 fee.

US Airways Baggage Policy

Northwest Airlines Baggage Policy

What’s more, the US Airways has also decided that, in addition to other recent changes like eliminating free in-flight beverages in economy class, it will beginning removing in-flight entertainment systems from its seats this fall, with no plans to replace them anytime soon. According to this AP story, the company estimates the change will save $10 million annually in fuel costs, thanks to the lighter load.

It seems that what many considered an unbelievable change in airline policies just a few months ago has quickly become the norm.

As for me, I think it’s time to drop some cash over at Minimus. Of course, isn’t that the irony? Paying more for new, tinier toiletries in order to avoid fees that will likely be less than the annual cost of my personal  products?