So we’re heading to Italy. We had a problem with our dog sitter and wanted to fly out of another city instead of our original originating city. We tried to re-book our tickets with the different city but it turns out we booked our flight at an incredible price and got first class tickets. When we went to change it, the price had nearly tripled.
A friend of ours had a bright idea. Just buy another ticket and then meet up with your plane before it heads to Europe. It was significantly cheaper that way. So we did it.
About a week before our flight, I decided to call my airline to see if I could cancel the two flights I wasn’t using so someone else could have the seats. They said there’s no way to make any changes without paying the additional fees, which were even more at that point, and that if I didn’t show up for my originating flight, all the subsequent flights would be canceled. We just about freaked out at this point. I googled the situation and found this is actually a commonly known flight hack called “skip lagging.” And yes, the airlines are in on it. They know the hack and they have rules to avoid it. Turns out my buddy is an idiot.
You might have heard it whispered in travel forums or seen it popping up in news headlines called names like “hidden city ticketing,” “throwaway ticketing,” or sometimes the mistaken term “skipjacking.” It sounds like the ultimate travel cheat code: getting a cheaper flight by outsmarting the airline’s pricing algorithm.
But is it legal? And more importantly, is it worth the risk?
Here is everything you need to know about the controversial practice of skiplagging.
What is Skiplagging?
Skiplagging is the practice of booking a flight with a layover, where the layover is your actual intended destination. You then skip the final leg of the journey.
The Classic Example
Let’s say you want to fly from New York to Charlotte.
- Direct flight: The airline charges $400.
- “Hidden City” flight: The airline sells a ticket from New York to Dallas (with a layover in Charlotte) for $250.
The Hack: You buy the $250 ticket to Dallas. You board the plane in New York, fly to Charlotte, and simply get off. You never board the connecting flight to Dallas. You just saved $150.
Why Do Airlines Hate It?
Airlines claim this practice costs them millions in lost revenue. Their pricing models are complex—direct flights often cost more because they are more desirable (convenience has a premium). When you skiplag, airlines argue you are:
- Undercutting their direct-route pricing.
- Occupying a seat on the first leg that a full-paying customer could have bought.
- Leaving a seat empty on the second leg, which messes with their weight-and-balance calculations and standby lists.
Is It Illegal?
No, it is not illegal. There are no federal laws in the U.S. (or most countries) that make skipping a flight a crime. You will not go to jail for getting off an airplane.
However, it almost certainly violates the airline’s Contract of Carriage. When you buy a ticket, you agree to these terms. Virtually every major airline (American, United, Delta, etc.) has a clause specifically prohibiting “hidden city ticketing.” By skiplagging, you are breaching a civil contract.
News Stories: When The Hack Goes Wrong
Airlines have moved from ignoring this practice to actively hunting down offenders.
- The Teen Detained in Florida (2023): A North Carolina teenager was detained and interrogated at an airport in Florida. His family had bought him a ticket from Gainesville to New York City with a layover in Charlotte (his actual home). American Airlines spotted the pattern, cancelled his ticket, and banned him from flying with them for three years.
- Lufthansa Sues Passenger (2019): In a rare move, Lufthansa sued a passenger who booked a business class ticket from Oslo to Seattle via Frankfurt but got off in Frankfurt. They demanded ~€2,000 in compensation. A German court ruled in favor of the passenger, but the lawsuit proved how aggressive airlines are willing to be.
- United Airlines vs. Skiplagged.com: United Airlines sued the founder of the website Skiplagged (which helps users find these fares). The lawsuit was dismissed on procedural grounds, but the legal battle highlighted the industry’s fury.
Other Risky Skiplag Hacks
Scenario 1: The “Reverse Skiplag” (Most Dangerous)
The Plan: You want to fly from City A to City B (via a layover). You find a cheaper flight that starts at a different airport (City C) but connects through City A (e.g., booking Chicago -> New York -> London when you actually just want to board in New York).
Can I just skip the first flight from City C and hop on at City A? The Answer: NO.
* The Rule: If you miss any segment of a flight itinerary, the airline’s computer automatically cancels all remaining segments of the trip.
* The Result: When you try to check in or board at the connecting airport (City A), your ticket will no longer exist.
Scenario 2: Overlapping/Duplicate Bookings
Say you already have a ticket. You found a cheaper one from a different airport for the same dates. You want to book the new one but keep the old one “just in case” or because you forgot to cancel.
So is it okay to hold two tickets for the same timeframe without cancelling the first? Logic and reasoning say sure, because you paid twice to fly when you’re only flying once so that airline is making more money off you, right?
The Answer: Risky (if on the same airline). Airlines have software that scans for “Duplicate Bookings” or “Impossible Travel” (e.g., you are booked on two flights departing at the same time from different cities). If the airline detects this, they may unilaterally cancel one or both reservations without asking you, usually assuming the earlier booking is the valid one, or maybe both are errors.
If you don’t cancel the original ticket, you will be marked as a “No Show.” For most economy tickets, this means you forfeit the entire value of the ticket (you won’t even get e-credits).
Missing the first leg voids the whole ticket.
Holding two conflicting tickets on the same airline risks having them both deleted.
Plus, if you don’t cancel the original flight before departure, you lose the money/flight credits.
If you want to change your flight to the cheaper one, you must cancel the original ticket, get flight credits, and then book the new one.
Never skip the first leg of a flight itinerary; it does not work.
The Disadvantages & Risks
If you decide to try “skipjacking,” you need to know the very real risks involved. It is not as simple as walking away.
1. You Cannot Check Bags
If you check a bag, it will be tagged to the final destination on your ticket (e.g., Dallas), not your layover city. If you get off in Charlotte, your bag is going to Dallas. You can only travel with a carry-on that fits under the seat.
2. Your Return Ticket Will Be Cancelled
This is the rookie mistake. If you skip any leg of your itinerary, the airline’s computer automatically cancels all remaining legs of your trip. And, for round-trip situations, if you skiplag on the way there, you have no ticket home.
3. Re-Routing
Imagine you book a flight from New York -> Charlotte -> Dallas because you want to go to Charlotte. On the day of travel, there is a storm in Charlotte. The airline decides to reroute you through Chicago instead to get you to Dallas. Since your ticket says your destination is Dallas, the airline is contractually obligated to get you to Dallas, not Charlotte. You are now stuck in a city you never wanted to visit.
4. Lifetime Bans and Stripped Miles
If an airline catches you, they could:
- Invalidate your frequent flyer miles
- Revoke your status.
- Ban you from flying with them ever again.
Bottom Line
Skiplagging is a high-risk game.
- Pros: Massive savings (sometimes 50%+ off).
- Cons: inability to check bags, risk of being banned, risk of being stranded if the flight is rerouted.
Advice: If you do it, do it rarely, never check a bag, buy a one-way ticket only, and don’t attach your frequent flyer number to the reservation.
Me? I ended up keeping my original flights and figured out another situation with my dog. I didn’t wanna pay three times what I paid for my original ticket and it just wasn’t worth changing everything or risking my flights being canceled. I was able to get a refund on the second set of tickets I bought so that’s a good thing.
