Now that the a la carte pricing model has been fully proven by the low cost carriers and adopted by the legacies, fees are the new great annoyance in airline travel. Depending on the airline, there are fees for almost every creature comfort including leg room, snacks, early boarding or even water or overhead bin space. It’s enough to make the casual traveler sick with disgust, or at least lose all faith in an industry that was once so great.

The airlines have to do what it takes to survive though, and if that means nickel and diming customers then it’s the price that we have to pay to fly across the country at 600 MPH.

If you’re hell bent on fighting the system though, there are a few loopholes that you can often work to avoid paying part of the fees.

The first approach is purely physical: stop packing so much and don’t check your bags. It’s a simple suggestion but it can save you a ton of money at the airport, and knowing the size of the overhead bins and the available interior space it’s not that hard to pack accordingly. Most domestic carriers don’t charge for overhead space nor do they aggressively check the size or weight of your luggage, so if you can fit it in a roll-a-board (or even better, a pliable duffel bag) then you’re off scot free.

For a bulletproof method to avoid most of the fees, consider investing in an airline long enough to earn elite status. In addition to a whole host of other benefits, most airlines waive most of the fees once you travel 25,000 miles with them in a calendar year. Those benefits roll over to the following year, so if you travel that much between now and the end of 2011 the benefits will extend until February of 2013. American Airlines, for example, lists the benefits to their elite status on their webpage, and reflecting on those savings, it’s easy to see how the perks can add up.

If you’re not interested in spending the time to earn elite status though, then the next easiest way to avoid fees is by investing in the airline credit card. Depending on the airline (and bank, and card), most cards allow travelers to skirt most superfluous fees from boarding priority to checked bags to even club memberships. Make sure you read the fine print from each of the cards though — much of the plastic comes attached to amazing annual fees, and if those fees are more than you would spend against an a la carte basis then it’s not worth your money. If you want to get deeper into the process, check out thepointsguy.com for a great series of resources.

Some levity, however, if you will. Ticket prices have remained fairly stagnant for the last forty years, largely fueled by high competition and more efficient aircraft. We’re blessed by these low prices in 2011, so keep that in mind and buckle down. As Louis CK put it, we’re flying in chairs in the sky. It’s a wonderful world.