Skiplagging Uncovered: The Flyer's Secret love and Airlines' Discontent
Save money by buying flights that connect in your desired destination and skipping the final leg Discover the fascinating history and working of skiplagging, despite airlines' strong disapproval Explore the consequences of this travel hack
Looking to save $500 on a flight? Many travelers turn to skiplagging, a popular technique to achieve significant savings by utilizing hidden-city ticketing or throwaway ticketing. This creative practice allows savvy flyers to outsmart the sometimes confusing airline booking system and reduce the cost of their journey.
Occasionally, airlines may actually charge a higher fare for a non-stop flight compared to a flight with layovers in one or more cities. Skiplagging is a strategy where travelers opt for a cheaper flight with multiple legs instead of paying for a more expensive direct flight. In this tactic, the desired destination is not the final city of the flight, but rather one of the layover cities.
The skiplagger intentionally leaves the airport during the layover city. This approach is frowned upon by airlines, to say the least, and passengers who engage in skiplagging may face penalties imposed by the carriers. Despite this, some adventurous travelers are willing to take the risk.
One skiplaggers story
A marketing professional named Amanda, residing in Texas, frequently travels by air and has recently become intrigued by the concept of skiplagging. She has consented to share her skiplagging encounters, provided that CNN Travel utilizes only her first name.
Amanda claims to have employed hidden city ticketing approximately 10 times over the last few years, resulting in savings ranging from $3,000 to $4,000. "I believe I began utilizing this strategy about two years ago, especially after the pandemic hit. It seems like in 2021, companies began hiking up their prices," Amanda stated. Through skiplagging, she manages to pay significantly less and has made it a consistent practice.
Amanda said she normally does it on international flights.
So far, the airlines do not appear to have detected Amandas skiplagging ways. Is she worried about getting caught down the line?
"I hope I dont because it helps me a lot," she said. "Im planning to do it again [at] the end of this month" for an international flight.
To be clear, skiplagging isnt a criminal offense.
"You won't be sent to prison," assured Scott Keyes, the creator of travel website, Going. "It is considered a breach of the airlines' contract of carriage, meaning that they view it as a violation of the terms and conditions you agree to when buying your flight."
Moreover, while airlines cannot imprison those who practice skiplagging, Keyes emphasized that they can take stern measures against audacious and repeat skiplaggers. This may entail the revocation of frequent flyer miles or even a ban from flying with the respective airline.
The practice of skiplagging, or buying "hidden-city" flights, has been around for a long time, but the term has gained traction in the last decade.
Pakphipat Charoenrach/Moment RF/Getty Images
History of skiplagging and how it works
Skiplagging is not a new phenomenon. According to Phil Dengler, the co-founder of online travel advice site The Vacationer, travel agents have been utilizing it for years as a cost-saving tool for their customers.
Dengler noted that over the past decade, Skiplagged.com has played a significant role in raising awareness about this practice, leading to the gradual replacement of the term "hidden-city ticketing" with "skiplagging" as its most widely-used counterpart.
Kathleen Bangs, a former airline pilot and spokesperson for FlightAware, explained in an email interview that the concept can be compared to "ghosting" an airline flight in today's context. This means that the airline expects passengers to be present in their purchased seat, but they fail to show up.
Bangs clarified that this practice does not apply to nonstop flights and provided an example scenario:
Suppose I wish to travel from Minneapolis to Miami and the cost of the ticket is $500. However, I found out that if I book a flight from Minneapolis to Jacksonville, Florida with a layover or connection in Miami, the price drops to only $350.
In this situation, I could opt to book a one-way flight, travel with only carry-on luggage, and conveniently choose not to board the Miami-Jacksonville portion of the trip. As a result, I would successfully reach Miami, my desired destination, while also saving $150.
An aviation-loving kid posed by an airplane in 1999. Over 20 years later, she recreated the photo
Why airlines hate skiplagging
Airlines have a strong dislike for the practice. Dengler provided a few reasons for this.
"The reason airlines dislike skiplagging is that it results in a financial loss for them. Flights with layovers are usually priced lower than direct flights due to the airlines' imposed limit on pricing," he explained.
By skipping the final leg, airlines miss out on the opportunity to sell a seat to someone who wants to fly nonstop, resulting in a loss of potential revenue. Although this decision may make the plane slightly lighter, airlines have determined that any fuel savings are outweighed by the value of a ticket sale. Furthermore, when airlines are aware that passengers were on the initial flight and are present at the airport, gate agents may call out their names or delay closing the doors, causing added stress for airline staff.
Keyes mentioned that hub-and-spoke airlines, which are the carriers offering flights to numerous destinations from their hub airports in various directions, are generally the most impacted and consequently the most attentive to skiplagging.
The practice of skiplagging violates many airlines' contracts of carriage and can result in the loss of loyalty points.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
CNN Travel reached out to seven major airlines, namely American, Delta, United, Air Canada, British Airways, Emirates (Dubai), and Lufthansa (Germany), for comment on this matter. Out of these airlines, only American provided a formal comment. According to American, the practice of hidden city ticketing is prohibited by their Conditions of Carriage and agency agreements. If a customer knowingly or unknowingly purchases a ticket and does not fly all segments of their itinerary, it can result in operational issues with checked bags and hinder other customers from booking a seat in case of urgent travel needs. American emphasized that intentionally creating an empty seat that could have been used by another customer or team member is an undesirable outcome.
Air Canada, Delta, and United have provided responses, referring to their contracts of carriage. Emirates declined to comment, while British Airways and Lufthansa did not provide any response.
What should passengers do in case of flight cancellation or delay?
When asked for comment, the US Department of Transportation, known for advocating passenger rights after recent cancellation meltdowns, did not specifically address skiplagging. However, they emphasized their commitment to consumer protection through enforcement, public awareness efforts, and regulatory actions. Keyes mentioned that airlines face a challenging task of trying to suppress skiplagging while maintaining a delicate balance.
"They are concerned that if they emphasize it too much or make too much of an example out of it, it might actually have a negative effect and raise awareness among more people about this innovative way some individuals are using to save money on flights."
One travel expert says the practice involves "too much hassle and stress," but some travelers are willing to gamble on it.
Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Skipplagging consequences
Keyes said he has skiplagged a couple of times himself, pointing to The New York Times ethicist, who did a column on the practice.
Dengler advises against swimming in these waters due to potential risks and complications.
"While skiplagging may be a cost-saving method for flights, I generally discourage it. The process can be highly troublesome and stressful. Although occasional skiplagging might go unnoticed, there is a genuine possibility that airlines may penalize you by deducting your mileage, demanding fare adjustments, or even imposing temporary bans."
In Texas, Amanda is prepared to embrace risks as it is the sole means by which she can finance her frequent trips abroad. The cost of tickets has skyrocketed, now reaching three to five times the amount they were two or three years ago. Consequently, traveling has become increasingly unfeasible.
