If you’ve ever heard me speak at a travel show or if you subscribe to my free weekly newsletter, then you have heard me talk about the hidden city travel hack. It’s also known as ‘throwaway ticketing’, ‘point beyond ticketing’ or skiplagging. I’ve even included it in my article about 17 ways to find cheap flights but I warn: You didn’t learn it from me!
For those not up to speed, hidden city ticketing is when you buy a ticket with a layover and get off at the layover destination instead of going on to the flight’s final destination. Let me give you an example to help explain it another way. About 20 years ago, I needed to get from Los Angeles (LAX) to Cleveland. A non-stop, one-way ticket was $600. So I took my own advice and searched nearby alternate airports to try and find something cheaper. I figured if I could just get to a nearby airport, I could just take a bus to Cleveland. To my surprise, while doing my research, I found a flight to Buffalo with a stop in Cleveland for only $230. Yes, that first leg to Cleveland was the exact same $600 flight I had originally found.
I was scratching my head too, because it makes no sense since Buffalo (BUF) is farther from Cleveland and you have to take two flights instead of one. But that’s the airlines for you. I later learned that United obviously had a lot more competition between LAX and BUF so they offered lower fares. However, they were the only carrier at the time to fly nonstop between LAX and CLE, which is why they were able charge so much for a nonstop.
If I’d wanted to break airline policy, I could have just gotten off in Cleveland and let my connecting ticket to BUF go to waste. If I had done that, I would have bought a one-way ticket, made sure not to check a bag, or put in my mileage account number.
The hidden city trick is not illegal but it is against airline policy since it’s beating the airlines at their own game and they don’t like it. As I wrote in the post, “remember, I’m not recommending this trick and if you do it a lot you WILL get caught.”
Sure enough, a teenager just got caught doing it because his father booked him a hidden city ticket using skiplagged.com, and apparently does it often.
According to KTLA, “The purchased flight was from Gainesville, Florida to New York City with a layover in Charlotte, North Carolina. The plan was for Hunter Parsons’ teenage son to get off the plane in Charlotte, where he lives, and not continue to New York City.”
The story continues to say: “Hunter says that once at the airport in Florida with his North Carolina driver’s license, the gate agent was skeptical of his son’s final destination. According to Parsons, his son was “interrogated a little bit” before being “taken to a security room.” “They kind of got out of him that he was planning to disboard [sic] in Charlotte and not going to make the connecting flight,” the elder Parsons told Nexstar’s WJZY. That’s when an American Airlines representative reportedly canceled the ticket and made the family purchase a new direct flight ticket.”
It turns out Hunter’s son was flying for the first time alone so it really makes American Airlines look bad, interrogating this boy still wet-behind-the-ears. American Airlines should be able to see who purchased the ticket and should have contacted the father. On the other hand, it is the traveler’s responsibility to know what kind of ticket they have, just like it’s their responsibility to make sure everything in their bag is legal for transporting.
American Airlines did make a statement about the incident to WJZY saying, “Purchasing a ticket without intending to fly all flights to gain lower fares (hidden city ticketing) is a violation of American Airlines terms and conditions and is outlined in our Conditions of Carriage online. Our Customer Relations team has been in touch with the customer to learn more about their experience.”
In 2013, a website called Skiplagged.com was created and it shows what hidden cities are available instead of searching the old-fashioned way like I did. United Airlines and Orbitz both tried to get it shut down but failed. However, Skiplagged does have a disclosure on their website that states:
“This [hidden city ticketing] is perfectly legal and the savings can be significant, but there are some things to be aware of:
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 final ticketed destination!
Don’t associate a frequent flyer account — If you do, the airline might invalidate any miles you’ve accrued with them.
Some airlines may require proof of a return ticket during check-in. If this happens to you, just buy a refundable return ticket directly from the airline and cancel it ASAP after boarding.
Do not overuse hidden-city itineraries. Do not fly hidden-city on the same route with the same airline dozens of times within a short time frame.
In rare times of irregular operations such as bad weather, your itinerary may change at the discretion of the airline (2% chance).
You might upset the airline, so don’t do this often.”
The takeaway from this story is if you are going to use the hidden-city money-saving hack, you better know the game. It can’t be done often (at least not on the same airline), has to be one-way, you can’t check luggage and don’t input your frequent flyer number because the airlines will catch you.
Unfortunately, Hunter’s son learned this lesson the hard way.
KEEP READING
• How to Save Money With a Secret Third Carry-On
• How to Use Your Wireless Headphones to Watch In-Flight Movies
• 10 Airport Security Hacks Every Traveler Should Know
• How to Get the Best Coach Seat on the Plane
• The Sleep Hack Every Traveler Needs to Know
• Never Get Your Valuables Stolen on the Beach
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Was the teenager a minor? If he was and I was the father, I would be having a field day with lawyers!
Hey JohnnyJet, the kid had his driver’s license as an ID, so he was at least 15 and maybe older. I also have read that since his ticket was connecting in Charlotte, there was a possibility that the kid/teen would miss the connecting flight for whatever reason. I am guessing that when presented with the connection issue, the kid/teen simply volunteered that there was no issue since he was getting off in Charlotte and not continuing. Was there really a “security room” and “interrogation”? And there are no supporting tiktok videos or such, so I seriously doubt this were AA storm troopers and intense interrogation as seems to be implied here. Dad is at fault here – he booked the ticket, and since his son got caught, Dad has been making this everyone else’s fault but his. Airlines have warned against this practice for years and what would happen if caught.
Agreed
The airline should be sued. Detaining someone against there will is actually called false imprisonment.
Why was the gate agent checking his driver’s license/ID? Once you bought through security, I’ve never been asked to show my ID again. Something odd there.
If an airline really wanted to be a major pain about this, they probably have enough leverage to make a claim of ticket fraud and force you to deal with the local US attorney.
Flying to and from Charlotte is so much more than anywhere else. I live in West Palm Beach and my friend lives in Charlotte. When we traveled to Seattle, my flight ( layover in Charlotte ) was $250 cheaper then my friends flight to Seattle, same flight.
Most likely he didn’t have a seat yet and they called him up, so he can be assigned one at the gate. His trips for that day would be on the same reservation number, so they saw it once they asked for ID to confirm it was him that came to the counter.
The kid got what he deserved.
The airlines should not be allowed to charge one passenger more money for the same exact seat and service on the same exact flight. Congress is worried about credit card late fees. This is the shit that needs to be fixed.
Oh, but it’s ok when the tables are turned and They overbook a flight so you are not allowed to get on your connecting flight. I had to get a rental car and drive to the next state over because They said they were all booked up and it could be a few days before they could get me a seat.
“skiplagging” is morally corrupt, and is theft. People need to stop thinking they’re entitled to cheap air travel, because they are not. Continuing to scam airlines like this will just cause all ticket prices to rise for all flyers.
I have been using Skiplagged for years. I don’t see what the Airlines problem is. They overcharge, deliver less and treat Passengers worse than i have seen in years.
If you want to get off half way through your flight…isnt that up to you, not the Airline.
He should have used a passport, no home address.
Keep on doing bs and at the end there will be no more free rides