---
title: "What is Close-in booking fee? | Benefit Systems"
description: "A close-in booking fee is a surcharge some programmes add when an award ticket is issued shortly before departure."
source: "aus dem gebauten HTML abgeleitet"
---
# What is Close-in booking fee?

A close-in booking fee is a surcharge some programmes add when an award ticket is issued shortly before departure.

Also called: Close-in fee.

## How it works #

The surcharge hits exactly the situations where award space is most likely to open up, because airlines release unsold seats close to departure. Where the fee exists it changes the maths: a late award seat can cost more than a cheap cash fare even when the miles are sitting there. Some programmes waive it at higher tiers, others never charge it at all.

## Not to be confused with #

A close-in booking fee is not the same as the taxes and surcharges on an award ticket, which are charged regardless of when the booking is made.

## In German #

The German term is Kurzfristgebühr. [German version of this term](/de/glossar/kurzfristgebuehr)

## Related terms #

- [Redeposit fee](/en/glossary/redeposit-fee): A redeposit fee is the charge a programme applies for returning already redeemed miles to the account after a cancellation.
- [Award ticket](/en/glossary/award-ticket): An award ticket is a flight paid for with miles or points instead of cash; taxes, fees and surcharges almost always still have to be paid in money.
- [Award availability](/en/glossary/award-availability): Award availability is the number of seats an airline releases on a given flight for redemption with miles, which is usually far smaller than the number of seats still on sale.

## Articles that use this term #

- [What does changing or cancelling an award ticket cost?](/en/knowledge/award-ticket-changes)
- [How do you find award space an airline’s own site won’t show?](/en/knowledge/award-availability)
- [What is a point actually worth, and how do you work it out yourself?](/en/knowledge/point-value)