By DAVID KOENIG and JOSHUA FREED (AP)

Good times are finally back for the nation's airlines and for travelers, that means it's getting harder to find bargains.

The summer travel season got off to a roaring start, fares are up, and money is rolling in from fees on things like checked baggage. The six biggest U.S. airlines earned about $1.3 billion in the second quarter, and more profits are expected for the rest of the year.

Even so, airlines are still woozy from the one-two punch of record-high fuel prices followed by a recession. Those six big carriers lost $22.7 billion in 2008 and 2009. And that's just a portion of the $63.35 billion that U.S. passenger airlines lost from 2001 to 2009, according to the Transportation Department.

There were plenty of fare sales when the airlines were struggling to fill seats. Now those seats are in demand, so deals are less common. And travelers are paying for "extras" such as an aisle seat, checking bags and buying a ticket over the phone — things that used to be part of the fare. Here's a look at what travelers can expect in the months ahead:

FARES AND FEES The airlines are hooked on fees after two years of using them to overcome, first, high fuel prices and then slumping travel demand. A new study shows that worldwide, carriers took in $13.5 billion from fees in 2009, a 43 percent jump in just one year. "Fees are going to stick and they're going to become more pervasive," says Jay Sorensen, a former airline executive who is now president of consulting firm IdeaWorks, which did the study on fees.

United and American led the way on "ancillary revenue," including fees, at about $1.8 billion apiece last year, according to IdeaWorks.

United Airlines President John Tague calls fees "an unequivocal success," and suggests his airline could still double the amount it's bringing in with baggage fees.

Everyone is watching to see if travelers pay Spirit Airlines' fee of $45 for some carry-on bags on flights starting Aug. 1. Most of the big airlines have promised Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., they won't follow Spirit's lead.  More here...

By JOSHUA FREED,
AP Airlines Writer

What good are a million frequent flier miles if they expire before you can use them?

All of the major airlines except Continental have slapped expiration dates on their frequent flier miles, generally one to two years.

Activity on the accounts — like flights or credit card awards — will prevent expiration. But even frequent travelers can be surprised when miles expire on an airline they don't often fly.

Some airlines, including Delta, show mileage expiration when you log into your frequent flier account on its website. Some don't. So staying on top of all the relevant dates can be challenging.

The advantage of using software or a third-party website is that you can monitor multiple rewards accounts at one time.

A few will send you an alert if your miles are close to expiring. And most let you track hotel and rental car rewards programs, too, all in one place.

The biggest and oldest of the sites is MileageManager. It has about 120,000 members, according to Randy Petersen, who runs parent company Frequent Flyer Services as well as InsideFlyer magazine.

Petersen said one advantage of having multiple accounts in one place is that after your trip, it's easier to make sure you got credit for all of your spending.

If you took a trip to Dallas, he said, "you will see your flight, your hotel — 'hey, where's my car rental?'"

Here's a rundown of what you'll find on some of the more popular mile-tracking sites. All three will also track car rental and hotel programs. However, not every site tracks every provider's program, so check to make sure the programs you use the most are available on the site:

Jimmy Buffett and a few of his friends plan to give a free concert on the Alabama coast to show support for the Gulf region.

Alabama tourism director Lee Sentell says show will be July 1 on the beach at Gulf Shores. 

Buffett's website says the concert is meant to demonstrate support for the people, businesses and culture of the Gulf Coast.

It will be broadcast live on CMT. Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band will be joined in Gulf Shores by Sonny Landreth, Zac Brown Band, Kenny Chesney, Jesse Winchester and Allen Toussaint.

A special souvenir T-shirt will be designed for the concert. It will be available online and at the show.