---
source_url: "https://www.cntraveler.com/story/skiplag-flights-cheap-booking-trick-1?utm_source=openai"
title: "What is Skiplagging? The Controversial ‘Hidden City’ Flight Hack That Airlines Hate | Condé Nast Traveler"
mirrored_at: 2026-08-08T03:37:46.926Z
host: www.cntraveler.com
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mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/www.cntraveler.com/story/skiplag-flights-cheap-booking-trick-1__q__utm_source_openai"
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> **Original source:** https://www.cntraveler.com/story/skiplag-flights-cheap-booking-trick-1?utm_source=openai

With airfare costs rising, some price-conscious travelers are getting creative—and risking disrupted travel plans—to nab [cheap flights](https://www.cntraveler.com/story/how-to-get-cheap-last-minute-flights). One of the more controversial hacks used by budget fliers today is called “skiplagging,” also known as hidden-city or beyond-point tickets. They all mean the same thing: booking a multi-city flight [with a layover](https://www.cntraveler.com/story/airlines-with-free-stopovers) in your desired destination, and skipping the second leg of the trip.

Why would this be cheaper than booking a direct flight? “Airlines make more money off pricing by market as opposed to distance,” Aktarer Zaman, who created the site [Skiplagged](https://skiplagged.com/) in 2013 to help travelers find these fares, tells _Condé Nast Traveler_. The savings can be significant; according to Zaman, travelers who use Skiplagged save an average of 47%, or about $180 per flight.

While the tactic is not illegal, airlines are against the practice. Many ban it in their contract of carriage, which is a [legally binding contract](https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/common-terms-air-travel) between an airline and its passengers that you automatically agree to whenever you purchase a ticket.

If you're caught skiplagging, “some airline terms and conditions state that passengers could be permanently banned from flying in the future with that airline, or that the airline might take legal action against the passenger," says [NerdWallet](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/sally-french) travel expert Sally French. “Someone who flies once a year might try this tactic, but be unaware of the risks or nuances."

According to Zaman, Skiplagged's [data](https://skiplagged.com/insights) shows that less than 0.1% of travelers have encountered issues with airlines. However, it’s still a [possibility](https://www.qcnews.com/news/local-news/father-says-son-was-detained-at-airport-before-having-to-purchase-a-new-ticket/).

If you do decide to take the risks associated with skiplagging, Zaman suggests a few strategies to avoid complications: First, book one-way tickets so the return trip doesn’t get canceled when you skip the second leg. Second, if you book a flight with an international destination, be sure to bring your [passport](https://www.cntraveler.com/story/worlds-most-powerful-passports) even if you don’t intend to get off abroad, as it may get checked during boarding. Third, if you can, only travel with a personal item in case the airline starts gate-checking [carry-on bags](https://www.cntraveler.com/story/best-carry-on-luggage), which would then be routed to the final destination. Finally, he advises not to use the practice too often in a short time frame with a single airline to avoid being flagged.

“At the end of the day, we believe travelers deserve full transparency when booking flights,” Zaman says of his site, Skiplagged. “Airlines will always try to maximize profits, but we’re focused on helping consumers find the best deals and keep more money in their pockets by showing all possible routes to a destination.”

With the practice being prohibited by most major carriers, we reached out to [US airlines](https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/best-airlines-in-us) to get their official policies on hidden-city booking, summarized below. If you're considering skiplagging or purchasing a hidden-city fare, it’s a good idea to read through your airline’s contract of carriage to understand possible repercussions and legal risks at the time of your purchase, as their policies may be updated.

_Condé Nast Traveler does not endorse the practice. Breeze, Frontier, JetBlue, and Spirit Airlines have not responded to our inquiries._

## Alaska Airlines

Highlighting [Rule 7](https://www.alaskaair.com/content/legal/contract-of-carriage/rule-7) of its [contract of carriage](https://www.alaskaair.com/content/legal/contract-of-carriage/rule-7), the Seattle-based carrier tells _Traveler_ that it “prohibits practices such as throwaway, hidden city, and beyond-point ticketing.” If discovered, the ticket will be invalidated, with remaining flight segments canceled or confiscated, including previously refundable tickets.

Additionally, the airline can assess “the actual remaining value of the ticket,” which will likely be even more than the difference between the multi-city fare you paid and a direct flight to your intended destination. Alaska also says it can delete points from its Atmos Rewards frequent flyer program, and [terminate the traveler’s participation](https://www.atmosrewards.com/content/legal/terms\)). It goes as far to say the carrier could “take legal action with respect to the passenger,” noting that once a prohibited ticketing tactic is used, the airline is no longer liable for getting you or your bags to your final destination.

## American Airlines

The carrier says it prohibits skiplagging because it “can lead to operational issues with checked bags and prevent other customers from booking a seat when they may have an urgent need to travel,” leading to an “all-around bad outcome.”

According to American's [conditions of carriage](https://www.aa.com/i18n/customer-service/support/conditions-of-carriage.jsp), if there is evidence of a passenger using prohibited ticket booking practices like hidden-city ticketing, they reserve the right to cancel any unused part of the ticket, charge you for what the ticket would have cost if skiplagging was not used, and refuse to let you or your bags on board the flight.

## Delta Air Lines

The Atlanta-based carrier tells _Traveler_ that it prohibits skiplagging (which it refers to as hidden-city or point-beyond ticketing), as outlined in its [contract of carriage](https://www.delta.com/us/en/legal/contract-of-carriage-dgr/#3de) under “fare rules.”

If it discovers a hidden-city purchase, Delta “reserves the right to cancel any unused portion of the passenger’s ticket" and charge the passenger the direct route's full fare. If you booked a skiplagged flight as part of a roundtrip ticket, for example, you may not be allowed to board your flight home.

## Southwest Airlines

Southwest referred us to its [contract of carriage](https://www.southwest.com/swa-resources/pdfs/corporate-commitments/contract-of-carriage.pdf?clk=GFOOTER-CoC)'s policy on stopovers, which calls skiplagging a “prohibited booking practice." In addition to canceling the ticket and refusing boarding, the airline also says it can “charge the customer for what the ticket would have cost if the customer hadn’t engaged in a prohibited practice.” Additionally, the passenger would be held responsible for any fees incurred, like delivering bags, the airline notes.

## United Airlines

United pointed _Traveler_ to Rule 6 of its [contract of carriage](https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/contract-of-carriage.html#rule-6), which outlines “prohibited practices," including hidden-city ticketing. The carrier reserves the right to invalidate the ticket and cancel the remaining portions (without letting the passenger know) and can also permanently ban the passenger or refuse boarding "unless the difference between the fare paid and the fare for transportation used is collected prior to boarding,” it says.

In addition, United can charge the passenger for having blocked that seat from being sold, as well as delete any mileage, points, or credits that were being used. United may also “take legal action with respect to the passenger," the carrier says.

_This story has been updated with new information since its original publication date._