Currently, the airlines pick up the credit card merchant fee's whenever a credit card is used to pay for travel. The airlines get a very good rate -- rougly 1.5% but with the total amount charged each year these fee's are a significant cost. There has been lots of talk about the airlines wanting to push the merchant fee's onto the travel agents. If they are able to do this(this is a big if), expect extra fee's whenver you pay for your ticket with a credit card.