The money-saving hack that airlines hate

A money-saving loophole known as “skiplagging”, the dark art of sneaking out of an airport before your ticketed journey is complete, is on the rise.

The hack has gained traction on social media sites, where travel bloggers boast of making big savings by exploiting the loophole. There are even dedicated skiplagging websites, assisting travellers who wish to bend the rules to save money on their flights.

However, airlines are unhappy with the practice, which contravenes their terms of contract and can lead to empty seats on flights. 

Here is everything you need to know about skiplagging, also known as “hidden city ticketing”, and whether or not it is advisable.

What is skiplagging?

Skiplagging is a money-saving loophole where air passengers exit an airport at their layover (their actual final destination) rather than completing their ticketed journey. They do so because booking a flight with a layover can be cheaper than flying nonstop.

For example, a nonstop flight from London to Atlanta might cost £700, but a flight from London to Los Angeles stopping off at Atlanta might cost £600. A skiplagger would book the cheaper layover ticket and end their journey at Atlanta.

How do people find these flights?

With a bit of time and determination, and lots of open tabs on your desktop, you will be able to find your own skiplagging routes on flight comparison sites. However, when The Telegraph attempted to find examples, we only found savings of £20 or less. There are also sites dedicated to seeking out even bigger skiplagging savings.

For example, one site lists a Delta flight from Chattanooga (Tennessee) to Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta on December 5 for £96, if you book a ticket to Boston with a layover in Atlanta. The nonstop Delta ticket from Chattanooga to Hartsfield is listed as £222, meaning that by skiplagging you would save £126.

It would be false to suggest skiplagging is a consistent, sure-fire way to make savings on flights. For the vast majority of routes, a skiplagging alternative will not be possible or the savings are so small that it would be pointless to bother.

Is skiplagging legal?

Skiplagging is not illegal in the sense of violating governmental laws, but it breaches the terms of carriage of many airlines including British Airways, United and Emirates. Airlines often describe skiplagging as “hidden city ticketing” in their terms and conditions, and some say that if a passenger breaks the contract by disembarking a journey early, this can result in the cancellation of loyalty points or an outright ban. 

Passengers may also be asked to pay for the listed price of the journey they ended up taking. If the passenger refuses, airlines have on occasion taken those passengers to court. In 2016, Lufthansa filed a lawsuit against a customer who didn’t travel on the final leg of their flight. An initial court case came down in the passenger’s favour in December that year, and Lufthansa attempted (and failed) to appeal the decision in 2019.

United Airlines sued the website, Skiplagged.com, in 2014, filing for $75,000 in lost revenue and claiming that the website violated fare rules. However, the lawsuit was dismissed due to jurisdiction issues. On the Skiplagged website it says: “Our flights are so cheap, United sued us… but we won.” 

In 2018 the Spanish carrier Iberia tried (and failed) to penalise customers for skiplagging. Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that the practice is legal.

What are the other pitfalls of skiplagging?

Despite the fact you are breaking the airline’s terms of contract (see above), there are some practical pitfalls of skiplagging. One is that as soon as you terminate your A–B–C journey at point B, your entire ticket will automatically be cancelled, including your return leg. So skiplagging does not work for return tickets.

Another common mistake is that passengers might book a ticket from A–B–C and attempt to board the journey at B. By missing their departure at A, the ticket would automatically be cancelled and the customer would have to buy a new ticket.

Another consideration is that skiplagging does not allow for checked baggage. As far as your airline is concerned, your bag is going all the way from A–B–C. There won’t be anybody on hand to quietly dig out your suitcase at destination B, even if you have a well-rehearsed story explaining why you have had to terminate your journey. There is the additional risk that your carry-on bag might be placed in the hold if there is no space in the overhead compartments, in which case that too could end up all the way at the final destination.

Why do airlines dislike skiplagging?

Airlines hate skiplagging because it costs them money, as seats are being filled for below their market value. Skiplagging also means airlines have empty seats which could otherwise have been sold – and of course planes flying with empty seats is no good for the environment, either. In addition, skiplagging can cause delays and stress for staff, as they might delay closing their doors if a passenger goes AWOL during a layover.

Why are flights priced differently?

Airlines operate at small profit margins and consider many factors when pricing their tickets. Nonstop business routes between major hubs, for example, are often priced higher than leisure routes. Whether or not an airline has the monopoly on a route, or if there’s competition against other airlines, is another factor. The bottom line is that layover flights are less desirable than nonstop flights, so they are naturally priced lower.

Should I give skiplagging a go?

Skiplaggers will argue that they are simply gaming a system that is there to be gamed. Some will argue that it is highly unlikely you would get caught. And if you do, they would argue, a simple explanation as to why you have had to end your journey should get you out of any trouble. They might point to the Iberia and Lufthansa cases as precedent that airlines have little muscle to sue passengers for skiplagging.

Airlines, on the other hand, will argue that skiplaggers are breaking the terms of the contract. They might point out that – given that skiplagging has existed for more than a decade now – they are growing increasingly savvy to the travel hack. Unusual itineraries may raise red flags, meaning you may be monitored during your journey. Eventually, it could be the case that airlines have to increase ticket prices to account for the lost revenue due to skiplagging, punishing those who follow the rules.