Big changes to air travel are in store for 2009. From major mergers to security adjustments, here are some changes you can expect this year:

Mergers – Delta is merging with Northwest, Northwest’s name and brand will be phased out by the end of 2009.  The merger was approved by the Department of Justice in October of 2008, and will be complete by 2010.

Airlines Introduce A-La-Carte Pricing – Both American and Frontier Airlines will be introducing their a-la-carte pricing in 2009.  While America has not released details on their pricing structure, Frontier has already laid out their plans.  Economy fares are bare-bones, no-frills tickets; Classic fares include seat assignments, checked bags, DirecTV, and frequent flyer miles; and Classic Plus tickets are fully refundable and changeable with lots of extras.

Airport Security Update – The TSA may be discontinuing the 3-1-1 rule for carry-ons by late 2009.  This is due to new, more advanced X-ray technology.  For more on this subject please see the story TSA Allows Some Larger Bottles of Liquids.

Internet Service Expands – Expect to see internet access on many more flights in 2009. American, Delta, and Virgin America all introduced the service on certain flights in 2008, and will likely expand the service to more planes this year. Delta plans to add service to a new plane every few days, with the goal of outfitting all its aircrafts by the end of the year  They also plan to add the service to their newly acquired Northwest's planes.

Paperless Boarding Passes – Paperless boarding passes are becoming more popular, and soon you will be able to download your boarding pass to your PDA or cell phone.  This will enable you to scan your barcode at checkpoint security directly from your device, eliminating the need for a paper printout.  Continental Airlines was the first to experiment with the paperless boarding pass and you can expect more airlines to pick up on the idea in 2009.