Delta Air Lines passengers who face a new $25 fee to book award flights using frequent flier miles are calling the charge one more way consumers are being squeezed by high fuel costs.

"That's terrible," said Tony Jones, an Atlanta resident who flies about once a month, often on Delta. But, he said Tuesday he didn't see anything wrong with the fee if it covers fuel costs, which are "affecting everything."

Atlanta-based Delta announced last Friday that it will put in place a $25 fuel surcharge for award tickets booked Aug. 15 or later for SkyMiles award travel in the United States and Canada. For international award travel, the charge will be $50. Delta said it hopes to re-evaluate the surcharge if fuel prices fall. Other airlines previously announced fees for what used to be free award tickets, including US Airways and American Airlines.

"This certainly defines again that there's no free lunch anymore," said Randy Petersen, editor of Inside Flyer magazine in Colorado Springs, Colo.

But frequent fliers may pay less for fuel surcharges on their award flights than for regular tickets, Petersen said. A fuel surcharge for an international flight can be several hundred dollars, he said, so "if you pay $50 for that, that's a pretty good deal."

Many Delta passengers like Jones said the fee wouldn't affect their decision to fly Delta.

"I understand why they're doing it, but we've already paid once for the miles and I think it's a little unfair for another charge to go on something we've already paid for long in advance," said Kay Leibowitz, who lives in Knoxville, Tenn. and often travels through Atlanta on Delta for trips. "I don't like the thought of having to pay it, but it's part of what's going on."