US Airways

With the economy still trying to muster a recovery, and unemployment still around 8.5%, any price increases are painful. And just a month into 2012, a spate of headlines points to more hurt ahead. Here are seven ways inflation will be digging into your wallet this year:

Despite the State Department issuing a travel alert Sunday following the killing of infamous terrorist Osama Bin Laden, Wall Street analysts expect airline stocks to continue their upward ride.

How hard can it be to get a really good chicken walnut sandwich at Denver International Airport? Depending on when you land, a lot harder than you'd guess. And it's not just Denver: The problem of airport restaurants that are closed when passengers are still arriving is irritatingly widespread.

New technology is leading to changes in business relationships between airlines and online ticketing sites. It'll take a while for the new landscape to settle down, but the near-term result could be potential windfalls for some carriers -- and confusion for air travelers.

Of all the industries that have achieved record profits recently, none have posted more remarkable results than the airline industry. For the first time in a decade, the industry is on a glide path to profitability -- but it's getting there by squeezing its customers.

When Virgin American offered traveler writer Randy Diamond the chance to upgrade his ticket to "Main Cabin Select" for a mere $500 more than the coach fare, he assumed it must be for a first-class seat. But what the airline is actually offering for that upgrade may surprise you.

Delta, US Airways and AMR, the parent of American Airlines, all posted higher-than-expected earnings for the peak summer travel season. Airlines have pushed fares up by limiting the number of seats for sale, and have also seen growing international and corporate travel.

As the U.S. economic recovery edges forward, these three airline stocks stand out as buys for fundamental reasons. Several analysts, including those at Value Line, see better days coming for this group.

Don't believe the fairy tales United and Continental are spinning about their proposed merger being beneficial to travelers and carriers alike: Beyond the deal to bring Southwest to Newark Airport that they cut placate the antitrust watchdogs, this merger is all bad news.

When it comes to airport shuttle bus services, convenience is increasingly being trumped by cost-cutting. Hotels near airports are "carpooling" -- sharing their shuttles to save time and money for themselves, but not necessarily for you.