What is "skiplagging?"
Skiplagging, which is sometimes known as a "hidden city fare," is when someone books a cheap flight from one destination to another with a layover in the middle. However, the stopover point is actually the traveller's intended destination and they don't board the second flight.
For example, if someone was looking to fly from Vancouver to Toronto, there may be a cheaper flight option for a flight from Vancouver to Montreal with a layover in Toronto. The passenger would arrive in Toronto and leave the airport rather than boarding the second flight to Montreal.
Dan Gellert, chief operating officer at Skiplagged.com, a flight-booking website that shows routes where you may be able to save money by using hidden city fares, told Narcity that people choose to skiplag because they can save hundreds of dollars on flights.
However, despite saving a lot of money this way, the controversial practice doesn't come without risks.
Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst at Atmosphere Research Group, told Narcity that the practice can also create issues for airlines.
"The airline has sold that itinerary with the expectation the passenger would fly all the way through so that means that the airline isn't able to sell that seat... It complicates the way airlines sell and this is one reason why airlines sometimes oversell their flights," he explained.
How does skiplagging work?
With hidden city routes, there's a few considerations that passengers will need to consider too.
"You really need to book one-way tickets. The airline will cancel any leg after the leg that you miss so if you have a round trip flight and you skiplag on the outbound leg, the airline will actually cancel the return trip," Gellert explained.
Another thing to bear in mind is that travellers will only want to bring a small piece of luggage that fits under the seat of the plane, he continued.
With skiplagging, travellers aren't able to check in luggage as it will be routed to their final destination but even a bag that fits in an overhead compartment could be tricky.
"A bag that fits in the overhead bin can be risky because sometimes, they may have to check all of those overhead bags. So that overhead will obviously go to your final destination," he added.
However, one workaround that Gellert recommends is filling a pillow case with your own personal stuff as usually pillows aren't counted as a personal item when you board the plane.
Why are some fares so expensive?
Airline pricing is a complicated issue and you'd expect shorter flights to cost less and longer flights more. However, it doesn't always work that way.
According to Gellert, airlines often operate a "hub and spoke" model at certain airports which can determine how much airlines charge for flights.
"In many cases, it gives them an overwhelming amount of market share of flights leaving in and out of that city. And it also creates situations where the airline often has to route people through that airport in order to aggregate enough demand to fill an aircraft to go off to one of the spokes from that airport," he explained.
If an airline has a lot of competition on a certain route, they have to be able to compete on price which is why some fares can be a lot lower, even if the end destination is further away. On routes where airlines have little to no competition, they can charge what they'd like.
Skiplagging is not without its risks
While snagging some super cheap flights might seem like a dream, it's a risky business for passengers who could find themselves being punished by airlines.
Harteveldt explained that while skiplagging isn't necessarily illegal under the law, it is against many airlines' contract of carriage and as a result, airlines could choose to take action if they catch you.
"They could tell you, 'hey, you owe us the additional money for that local fare.' If you are a repeat offender, they could not only ask for the money but they could terminate your frequent flyer account. If you have a co-branded credit card, they might take action to close that credit card. Depending on how vindictive the airline is, they could even tell you that you're no longer allowed to fly the airline," he explained.
There has in the past been legal action taken against passengers who have skiplagged. In 2019, Lufthansa tried to sue a passenger who it said had deliberately bought a ticket with no intention of flying the final leg of the trip, according to The Independent. However, the court ruled in the passenger's favour and gave the airline the chance to appeal.
Skiplagging could also prove to be an issue if, for some reason, your flight details change due to weather or other circumstances as airlines will be focusing on rebooking your flight to your intended ticketed destination, he added.
If you repeatedly try to get your flight rebooked for that middle destination, it could alert airline employees to the fact that you're intending to skiplag.
"They are probably going to flag your reservation of a hidden city booking which could lead to an investigation. The agent could even summon a member of the airline's management to the gate or to the ticket counter, if you are insisting on going to that intermediate point, rather than the original destination," Harteveldt explained.
While Harteveldt said he understands why people might turn to skiplagging due to "extremely expensive" flight costs, the practice is very risky and as a traveller, you will need to know what those risks are and be prepared to face any penalties if you're caught.
While skiplagging sounds like the money-saving travel hack of your dreams, it could end up costing you big, so it's important to weigh the risks and consider the potential repercussions before deciding to use this strategy.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
