What website got sued by airlines and won?

But Skiplagged, which has been around for a decade, has survived past lawsuits from the likes of United Airlines and Orbitz. It even brags about these victories on its site, boasting, Our flights are so cheap, United sued us ... but we won.



The website Skiplagged.com is famous for being sued by several major airlines—most notably United Airlines and Orbitz (2014) and more recently American Airlines (2023–2024)—and largely emerging victorious or at least operational. The site facilitates "hidden city" ticketing, where a passenger buys a ticket to a city with a layover in their actual destination, then simply walks out at the layover. While airlines argue this violates their "Contract of Carriage," courts have frequently ruled that Skiplagged itself is not breaking laws by merely showing the data. In the 2024 American Airlines case, a jury did award the airline some damages for "copyright infringement" because Skiplagged used the AA logo without permission, but the court did not shut the site down or rule the practice of "skiplagging" illegal for the consumer. Consequently, in 2026, Skiplagged continues to operate as a thorn in the side of the airline industry, though airlines have retaliated by banning passengers who are caught using the tactic repeatedly.

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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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If an airline finds out what you are doing, it could simply cancel your ticket or even ban you from flying with it. That's what reportedly happened recently to a North Carolina teen who booked an American Airlines flight from Florida to New York but disembarked at his Charlotte connection.

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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 this practice isn't illegal, it is very frowned upon by the airlines and can lead to problematic consequences, as experienced by a teen flying American Airlines recently. Risks of skiplagging include unexpected bills from the airline, forfeiture of frequent flyer miles or even a ban from the airline.

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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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The process is quick and affordable. You may file a lawsuit against an airline in small claims court as long as the amount you intend to sue for is within the small claims court limit (on average $10,000 or less). Up next: Learn more on how to sue an airline in small claims court.

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The practice goes by a few different names, including skiplagging or hidden-city flying. Passengers disembark at their layover city, leaving an empty seat on their next flight, and save money in the process. But airlines are cracking down on the practice, claiming it breaches their rules and costs them revenue.

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Pilots Who Fail to Follow FAA Regulations May Face Claims The FAA has cataloged aviation accidents which show various pilot errors that have resulted in crashes. Private and commercial pilots can be held liable when their errors and negligence causes an aviation accident that results in severe injuries or deaths.

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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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Skiplagged searches for the route you want to take and then looks to see if there are cheaper options on the same route by booking an onward flight. The example Skiplagged uses is a flight from Atlanta to Orlando costing $250, but a flight from Atlanta through Orlando to Dallas costing $130.

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Certain flights are refundable within 24 hrs from the moment of booking and that is noted at checkout. If you are not sure a refund will be issued, please email us at [email protected] with your confirmation code and we can give you information on where you can check on the status of your flight refund.

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American Airlines filed suit against Skiplagged Inc., an online travel agency, over allegations that the agency deceives customers, though the airline does have the right and ability to cancel the tickets.

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Technically, no, skiplagging isn't illegal. You're not breaking any laws by doing it. You won't get arrested or face legal action from authorities for using this strategy. But, most airlines ban the practice in their terms and conditions, which everyone agrees to when they purchase a ticket.

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