Can you buy a connecting flight and not take it?

Legally, you're not supposed to do it since you agreed to the fare terms which forbids you from doing it. But practically, you can do it with the following considerations: The airline will most likely cancel the remaining portion of your trip. So, if you have a return leg, it will be cancelled.



Technically, you can buy a connecting flight and "miss" the final leg—a practice known as "Hidden City Ticketing"—but it carries significant risks and consequences in 2026. Airlines strictly forbid this in their Contract of Carriage because it disrupts their pricing models. If you skip the second leg of a journey, the airline will immediately cancel all remaining flights on that itinerary, including your return flight. You also cannot check any bags, as they will be tagged to the final destination on your ticket, not the "hidden city" where you plan to get off. In 2026, airlines use increasingly sophisticated AI to track "serial skippers"; if you do this repeatedly, the airline may freeze your frequent flyer account, strip you of your miles, or even ban you from future flights. While it might save you $200 in the short term, the loss of your return ticket and potential blacklisting usually makes it a poor strategy. If you must do this, it should only be done on a one-way ticket with carry-on luggage only, and you should be prepared for the possibility that a last-minute gate change or weather diversion could land you in a completely different city than your intended "stop."

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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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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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And though hidden city ticketing may seem like a savvy way to save a few bucks, the practice is against the law. That's because it breaches the contract you agree to when you purchase a flight ticket, Griff said.

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Airlines are cracking down on the viral travel hack.
The teenage traveler caught “skiplagging” last week has been banned by American Airlines for the next three years.

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If an airline catches you skiplagging, in most scenarios it will punish you as per the terms and conditions of the ticket you're flying on. The punishments could range from financial penalties to restrictions on future booked travel.

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She continued: “While a one-off occurrence could go unnoticed, any travelers that are repeat offenders run the risk of being flagged in the airline's system and potentially banned from flying with the airline in the future.”

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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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The airline will most likely cancel the remaining portion of your trip. So, if you have a return leg, it will be cancelled. If you're a frequent flier, and do this often, the airline could ban you, or take away your points.

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“Hidden city ticketing,” or booking a flight with the intention of getting off at the layover city rather than the final destination, is perfectly legal, but there are some factors to consider before making it a habit.

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Airlines typically require that both legs of the journey be cancelled together in order to receive a refund or credit for future travel. However, if your plans have changed and you no longer need to take the return portion of your flight, some airlines may allow you to change it for a fee.

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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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Does Skiplagged charge a fee? There is a service fee with each standard booking completed through Skiplagged, starting around $8.

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Consequences include canceled flights, airline bans This is perfectly legal and the savings can be significant, but there are some things to be aware of, the company said in one FAQ response, adding: You might upset the airline, so don't do this often.

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But truth be told, we're the exception to the rule. While there are many pilot and flight attendant couples, and many flight attendants married or committed to other flight attendants, and many pilots with the same connections with other pilots, several factors have made those connections less likely.

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American Airlines accuses the company Skiplagged of illegally selling its tickets to customers and using “unauthorized and deceptive ticketing practices” in the process. The lawsuit comes just a few weeks after American Airlines made national headlines when it caught a teen apparently planning to use the tactic.

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Skiplagged founder Aktarer Zaman identified a problem -- the seeming arbitrary nature of airfares -- and attacked it. Now United and Orbitz may eat him for lunch. Aktarer Zaman, the 22-year-old Skiplagged founder who got sued by Orbitz and United, has a B.S.

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