Airline amenities flying off the radar
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• Skip the meal. "This is just transportation," says Peterson. The airline is not a restaurant, he points out, and nor is their food all that healthy. Ask yourself if you must lunch on that calorie-laden $7 airline sandwich. Save your wallet and waistline and eat a real meal when you get to your destination.

• Eat in. If you know you'll starve if you don't eat during the flight, travel with your own food to avoid purchasing pricey airline meals. No one will stop you from bringing food and drinks on the plane, says Miller.
• Dress in layers; leave the blanket and pillow at home. So what if the airline doesn't offer pillows or blankets or charges for them. You won't need them. When you're elbow to elbow, fishing a travel blanket or pillow out of your carry-on just isn't practical, says Peterson. Carry a jacket. Forget leaning back for a snooze -- it's become a no-no these days to recline your seat, he says. As for chilly flights, he contends that the plane will get warmer as it fills up.
• Ground-ship your luggage through UPS or FedEx. If you're going away for a few months, ship your belongings ahead to avoid paying extra to check in additional bags, says Peterson. That way, he says, you can walk on the plane with your one carry-on bag containing your Tom Clancy book and iPod.
  Interested consumers need only type in the words "luggage" and "shipping" into an Internet search engine for a list of luggage shipping companies with varying convenience levels and prices.
• Consider a frequent-flier membership. Getting a membership in a frequent-flier program can get rid of some these fees and limits, says Peterson. Look on the airline's Web site for information about their program.
• Shop around. If your favorite airline keeps cutting back on particular amenities you want, consider flying on another airline that offers those same perks for free. Look on Web sites such as Expedia.com and Orbitz.com for ticket prices, then check the airline's Web site for information on bag restrictions and amenities (these are usually found in FAQ or help sections). If you have time, check public message boards such as the one on Frommers.com to get a sense of what it's like to fly on an airline unfamiliar to you.

Living without amenities: You can do it
Remember that the point of flying is to save the time and the money it would take to drive to your destination. You are not flying for the great food or the movies or the questionably laundered pillows. Just as you wouldn't expect a taxi driver to hand you a sandwich or a bus to supply you with free headphones, it shouldn't be a total loss if you have to fly without amenities. Pack light, bring your own grub, carry your own book, listen to your iPod tunes and slip that jacket on if it gets cold. You'll be there sooner than you know it.