What are the benefits of skiplagging?

Skiplagging involves booking a flight with a layover at your intended destination and simply getting off at that stop instead of taking the connecting flight. This often results in cheaper fares, as airlines sometimes offer lower prices for flights with layovers than direct ones.



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Skiplagged is the most well-known service for finding hidden-city or throwaway tickets. That's the practice of booking a less-expensive flight option without planning to fly the entire itinerary. Instead, you bail at a connecting airport rather than continuing to your final destination.

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Also called skiplagging, the practice involves buying multi-stop airline tickets with layovers in a desired destination, then ditching the second flight. Savvy fliers look for these kinds of tickets because they're often cheaper than flying direct.

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You could forfeit all your hard-earned points. It could even ban you from the airline. In short, skiplagging isn't breaking the law. However, if you're caught, airlines will not be happy that you are costing them money and could opt to try to penalize you or challenge you in court.

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It makes sense, because the practice saps revenue from them on two fronts: Not only do passengers underpay — potentially by hundreds of dollars per ticket — but the seat on the tossed leg also could have been sold to someone else. Most contracts of carriage from major airlines expressly forbid skiplagging as a result.

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Airlines could suspend your frequent flyer account and seize your miles like United has threatened, or worse. Some travelers who have used and abused this tactic have been sued. So yes, this means you should not attach your frequent flyer account to any flight you skiplag.

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It's not illegal but it does come with two problems: Most airlines will cancel your return ticket if you miss a portion of your itinerary. So if you intentionally skip your connection, you may find yourself without a flight home. Airlines can, and do, blacklist customers from booking tickets with them.

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That's the practice of booking a less-expensive flight option without planning to fly the entire itinerary. Instead, you bail at a connecting airport rather than continuing to your final destination. Although some travelers have been booking these types of tickets for decades, Skiplagged took the idea mainstream.

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Simply, it's booking a flight from Airport A to Airport C and getting off at a layover at Airport B. People can save hundreds of dollars doing this because a nonstop flight is more expensive than booking one with a layover in the intended-destination city.

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Yes, you can leave the airport during domestic layovers. For instance, if you're a US citizen and have a layover within the country, it is legal and safe to leave the airport. Be aware that you'll probably be getting two boarding passes if the domestic layover is more than an hour.

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Backpack only — We recommend only bringing a backpack that can fit under the seat in front of you. Anything larger risks getting checked at the gate, and all checked bags will end up in Dallas (final ticketed destination)!

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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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Layovers are preferable if you want to save some money and have enough time in your travel schedule. Layover flights are usually cheaper than both direct and non-stop flights. Though you might spend a lot of time landing, disembarking and with layovers, you get to rest and stretch in between your journey.

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If you know you can't make a scheduled flight, it's better to cancel your flight rather than be a no-show. If you cancel, you might receive a partial or whole credit for the fare purchased, to be applied to a future flight.

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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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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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Crucial Steps to Take Before Each Flight
  1. Account for Busier Travel Times. Accounting for busier travel times can help you catch your plane. ...
  2. Check-In Ahead of Time. ...
  3. Get to the Airport Early. ...
  4. Give Yourself Enough Time Between Flights. ...
  5. Have the Correct Documents Ready. ...
  6. Be Sure You Know Your Gate Number. ...
  7. Enjoy a Stopover.


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The good news is that hidden city ticketing isn't illegal. The bad news is that you can get in trouble with airlines for hidden city ticketing, as it does violate the contract of carriage you agree to when booking a ticket.

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