Looking to snag a cheaper flight? Of course you are. A travel hack called ‘skiplagging,’ ‘hidden city ticketing,’ or ‘throwaway ticketing’ has been making the rounds on TikTok and can save you money on your next holiday abroad – but it’s not a hit with airlines. It involves booking a cheap flight with a layover, but instead of continuing to the final destination, you disembark at the layover airport. Since a layover flight further afield is often cheaper than a direct one closer to home, many seasoned travelers use this method to bag a bargain. It’s so popular, there’s even a website dedicated to it called Skiplagged.com, which alerts users to deals. They claim they’re ‘exposing loopholes in airfare pricing to save you money’.
However, there’s been some controversy surrounding this practice. United Airlines and Orbitz attempted to sue Skiplagged CEO Aktarer Zaman, although he maintains his company’s legality. In a separate lawsuit, American Airlines claimed the site ’employs unauthorized and deceptive ticketing practices,’ adding: ‘Every “ticket” used by Skiplagged is at risk of being invalidated.’ In another instance, Lufthansa attempted to sue a passenger who skiplagged after paying £600 for flights he didn’t board the final leg of. The airline claimed he should have paid £2,769, but the court ruled in the passenger’s favor.
As a result of these legal battles and growing awareness of skiplagging, airlines have become increasingly strict on this practice. Passengers caught skiplagging could be fined, have their loyalty air miles removed, or even banned from future flights.
It’s important to note that skiplagging only works if you don’t have checked baggage as hold luggage is moved between planes automatically. You also can’t skiplag with a return ticket; if one portion of the flight is skipped, the rest of the flight reservation gets canceled. If you’re planning to take a round trip using this method, you’ll need to book two separate one-way tickets.
Travel blogger Cassie Aran shared her experience with skiplagging, stating that her first attempt was smooth sailing. However, her second attempt resulted in a less-than-ideal outcome. As she was walking to the departures lounge, she was called over to the check-in desk and told she’d be blacklisted by the airline for life if she didn’t get on the onward flight. ‘I didn’t know the consequences would be that serious,’ she said. ‘The whole situation really scared me.’
While skiplagging can potentially save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars, the risks involved should be carefully considered. Airlines are cracking down on the practice, and the consequences for being caught can be severe.
