Airlines loathe it, intrepid jetsetters swear by it, while some travel experts are hesitant to endorse it.
Skiplagging, also known as “hidden-city” or point-beyond ticketing, is the controversial travel hack that makes the headlines almost every travel season. Just earlier this month, a teenager in Florida was allegedly denied boarding and detained because of it.
Yet, while many airlines prohibit the practice, some passengers still use it anyway.
Here’s everything you need to know about skiplagging, the money-saving trick that could score you a deal on your next flight, or a trip to the airline dog kennel.
What is skiplagging?
“Skiplagging is basically an opportunity for travellers to save money by flying through a destination, but instead of continuing to their final destination, they get off at the stopover to take advantage of lower fares,” explained personal finance and travel expert Barry Choi.
Say, for instance, you’re looking to travel from Toronto to Calgary. A direct flight may cost $410, but a similar flight from Toronto to Vancouver, with a layover in Calgary, is $360. A hidden-city flyer would select the latter itinerary but skip the last leg, from Calgary to Vancouver, saving $50 on the fare.
It’s not always the case, but some hidden-city ticketing options could be cheaper than conventional itineraries. While that may sound counterintuitive, trips with layovers are typically cheaper than non-stop fares because they are less popular. Sometimes, an itinerary with a layover to a point that overshoots your intended destination could even be cheaper than a direct flight to your intended arrival point.
So, depending on the route, a hidden-city ticket where you throw away the last leg of your itinerary could still cost less than a direct flight to your intended destination.
How popular is skiplagging?
Skiplagging has existed for decades but has grown in popularity in recent years. Today, there are even travel websites like skiplagged.com that can help flyers search for cheap hidden-city fares.
“Many travellers that are doing this are forced to because of the airlines and insane pricing,” a spokesperson for skiplagged.com told the Star.
Choi noted, however, that skiplagging is more popular in the U.S. than in Canada because there are more airlines and major cities south of the boarder, resulting in more layover options for and itinerary options.
Is the practice even permitted by airlines?
Many airlines have disallowed the practice under their terms and conditions of carriage. Though it’s difficult to police, some carriers have gone so far as to crack down on suspected skiplaggers.
The teenager who was detained in Florida, for instance, was caught after a gate agent was skeptical of his final destination after checking his driver’s license.
The teen had a ticket from Gainesville, Florida to New York City with a layover in Charlotte, North Carolina. After the agent noticed his license was from North Carolina, the passenger was reportedly interrogated, where he admitted that his intended final destination wasn’t New York City but Charlotte. His ticket was cancelled and he was allegedly banned from the airline for three years, according to his family.
In Canada, the major carriers do not permit skiplagging. Air Canada explicitly lists hidden city/point-beyond ticketing as a prohibited practice.
WestJet, in a statement to the Star, said the airline also prohibits the practice: “A ticket is invalid if used for travel to a destination other than that specified on the ticket,” a company spokesperson told the Star in an email.
Should skiplagging be permitted?
Though Canadian airlines are allowed to prohibit skiplagging under their individual terms of carriage, Canadian air passenger rights advocate Gábor Lukács has “some beef” with it.
“If you pay for a full service, you shouldn’t have to use it all,” he said. “If you go to a restaurant and you order a set meal, you don’t have to eat the dessert or the soup.”
Are there any caveats?
Travellers who purchase hidden-city fares should be aware of some caveats before flying:
- Since all checked bags will end up at the final destination on the itinerary, skiplaggers should only bring a carry-on.
- You can only skiplag on a one-way ticket because you won’t be able to board your flight back halfway through your return itinerary.
- Check the terms and conditions of your carrier before skiplagging to ensure it isn’t prohibited.
Is skiplagging recommended?
“I personally wouldn’t do it,” said Choi. “I don’t think the risks are worth it, especially in Canada where you’ve only got a few airlines. Do you really want to be banned by one of the major airlines?”
Skiplagger.com, which helps passengers find hidden-ticket itineraries does not recommend flyers overuse the loophole: “You might upset the airline, so don’t do this often,” the company says on its website.
Joshua Chong is a Toronto-based staff reporter for the Star’s Express Desk. Follow him on Twitter: @joshualdwchong
