Can I skip the first leg of my flight and start my journey from the second airport?

No, you cannot skip the first leg of any itinerary. As stated above, after you've skipped a flight, all remaining flight legs on your itinerary will be canceled by the airline. It may seem silly, but this is a common mistake many infrequent travelers make.



No, you generally cannot skip the first leg of a flight itinerary without severe consequences in 2026. According to the "No-Show" policies used by almost all major airlines (including United, Delta, and Lufthansa), if you miss the first segment of a ticket, the airline's computer system automatically cancels all remaining segments, including your return flights, with no refund. This is done to prevent "hidden city ticketing" or "skiplagging," where passengers book cheaper multi-city flights but only intend to use a portion. While you might save money upfront, the airline sees the unused first leg as a contract violation. If you must skip a leg due to an emergency, you must contact the airline before the first flight departs to have them manually "protect" the rest of your itinerary, which usually involves a significant re-faring fee that negates any original savings.

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Generally the rule is if you miss any part of a multi segment flight then all further segments are cancelled regardless of it being the first leg or second. Generally the rule is if you miss any part of a multi segment flight then all further segments are cancelled regardless of it being the first leg or second.

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Most airlines only charge a fee for missing a flight if the passenger seems to have a habit of doing it purposely, commonly known as skiplagging, in which a passenger books a ticket with no intention of taking the secondary legs of a trip in order to secure a cheaper fare.

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Skipping a connecting flight is generally not illegal, but it can have consequences. Airlines have rules that require passengers to follow the entire itinerary they've booked. If you skip a connecting flight, your remaining flights might be canceled, and you might not be eligible for a refund.

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If you are flying within the USA and have no checked baggage to a final destination, then skipping the final leg of a journey is usually fine. There's no penalty for cancelling (as the missed leg is the end of your trip), and you can just leave the flight with hand luggage without any worries.

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Is skiplagging illegal? No, but it's against most airlines' contracts of carriage or the rules people must follow to fly with the airline. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines both put skiplagging first on their lists of prohibited booking practices.

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While skiplagging isn't illegal, American Airlines filed a civil lawsuit earlier this month against Skiplagged.com, accusing the company of unauthorized and deceptive ticketing practices and tricking customers into believing they've gained access to a secret loophole.

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While not illegal, intentionally skipping segments on an itinerary does almost always violates airlines' contracts of carriage. For example, American's contract of carriage says this: Reservations made to exploit or circumvent fare and ticket rules are prohibited.

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Throwaway ticketing is purchasing a ticket with the intent to use only a portion of the included travel. This situation may arise when a passenger wants to travel only one way, but where the discounted round-trip excursion fare is cheaper than a one-way ticket.

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Yes, it's called “Hidden City Ticketing” or sometimes “Skiplagging”. It's do-able, but you need to be mindful of a few things: The airline, if they realize what you are doing, may cancel the rest of your itinerary. As such, ONLY do this on the way home, not the way out.

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Can I go outside the airport on a connecting flight? You can if you have time but you'll have to go through all the security checks when you re-enter. It's usually not worth the time and effort and you might even miss your flight if you miscalculate the time it takes to get back through security.

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Limit interaction with the airline's employees
He said passengers planning to use hidden city tickets should avoid in-person check-in and use online or mobile check-in instead. To avoid arousing suspicion when skiplagging, fly under the radar and avoid speaking to airline staff unless necessary.

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To offer you the best price on your chosen route, we found that a round-trip ticket is actually cheaper than a one-way flight. However, the practice of “throwaway ticketing” — only using the first part of a round-trip ticket — is prohibited by a majority of airlines in their terms and conditions.

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Don't openly admit you have a one way flight
Immigration and security officials can deny you access to the flight or send you straight back home if they know you're on a one way ticket. Chances are they won't ask but it is officially their duty to, so be prepared with proof of some sort of onward travel.

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In its complaint, American alleges that Skiplagged's practices are deceptive and abusive. Skiplagged deceives the public into believing that, even though it has no authority to form and issue a contract on American's behalf, somehow it can still issue a completely valid ticket.

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