What Is “Skiplagging” and Why Do Airlines Hate It So Much?

Have you ever heard of the controversial travel practice of “skiplagging”?

You may be familiar with some common flying hacks like shopping for flights at specific times or getting TSA PreCheck. But while many travel tips like those are sanctioned by airlines, others can get travelers in hot water. And that brings us to the controversial technique known as “skiplagging.”

“Skiplagging,” also sometimes called “hidden city ticketing,” is a technique used by some passengers to get lower fares. Here’s an example of how it works: Let’s say a passenger wants to travel from New York City to Charleston, but the nonstop route is expensive. So, rather than booking a direct flight, the passenger books a cheaper flight that takes them from New York City to Denver, with a layover in Charleston. Instead of flying all the way to Denver, the passenger simply gets off in Charleston, abandoning the rest of their ticket.

This isn’t a new practice, as travel agents have known about hidden city fares for decades, but it has gotten more attention in recent years with airline prices climbing. In fact, there are even websites that have further popularized hidden city ticketing, much to the ire of airlines. In 2023, American Airlines filed a lawsuit against Skiplagged, one of these websites, which American Airlines claimed used practices that are “deceptive and abusive.”

Skiplagged has survived multiple similar lawsuits in the past from companies like United Airlines and Orbitz, and even advertises as such on their site, saying “Our flights are so cheap, United sued us… but we won.”

The practice of skiplagging is not illegal. However, most major airlines, including American, Delta, Southwest, and United, don’t allow it and may take action against passengers caught using this technique.

A major reason airlines hate skiplagging is that they lose money on the practice. For one, non-direct flights have a lower price ceiling compared to direct flights. Also, when someone skips out on the final leg of a trip, airlines can’t fill the empty seat they would have otherwise sold. On top of losing money, passengers skipping connecting flights can cause confusion and issues at the gate, as airlines don’t want to leave people behind.

If an airline determines that a passenger is skiplagging, it may cancel your ticket or even ban you from flying with it. Also, if a passenger does it repeatedly, an airline might attempt to recoup money from the passenger for breaking the company’s policies.

Even if a customer is initially successful in their skiplagging attempt, it will likely only work one-way, as airlines often cancel return trips once they realize a customer didn’t make it to their ticketed destination. Also, any checked baggage would obviously continue to the final destination.

Even though it isn’t illegal, most major airlines have banned skiplagging and will take action against passengers they catch attempting it. If you’re in search of ways to make your vacation cheaper, we’ve got some tips and suggestions that won’t put you in hot water along the way!

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Had you heard of “skiplagging” before reading this? Let us know in the comments!

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