Hidden city ticketing (skiplagging) is a way to find a cheaper ticket: you buy a flight with a connection and get off at the connecting city, skipping the final leg. Sometimes such a ticket is cheaper than the direct flight. Let's look at how it works and what risks it carries.
How hidden city ticketing works
Imagine you want to reach Istanbul. A direct Tbilisi → Istanbul ticket costs $145, but a Tbilisi → Istanbul → Athens ticket (connecting in Istanbul) is only $100. You get off in Istanbul and simply don't board the flight to Athens.
This happens because prices are tied to demand, not distance — sometimes a longer route is cheaper than a part of it.
Why it's sometimes cheaper
- Airlines set fares by route popularity, not by kilometers
- Demand for direct hub cities (e.g. Istanbul) is high — so are prices
- On connecting routes the airline competes harder and lowers the fare
- On the same flight, taking the connection can often save 20-40%
The main risks — read before you decide
This trick goes against airline rules and carries a number of risks:
- Checked baggage goes to the final city — you can only fly carry-on
- If you skip one leg, the airline cancels the rest of the ticket (including the return)
- The airline may block your loyalty account or charge a fee
- The connection can change — and you could end up in a completely different city
- It only works on one-way tickets — not round trips
Never use your real name with a loyalty card when skiplagging — airlines can close the account and void your accumulated miles.
When you might try it
- Only when traveling carry-on — checked baggage will be lost
- Only on a one-way ticket
- Don't do it repeatedly with the same airline — it stands out
- Always have a backup plan in case the route changes
Safe alternatives to save money
Before turning to a risky trick, try the legal methods. Read "10 Tips to Find a Cheap Ticket" and "Error Fares: Mistakenly Cheap Tickets and How to Catch Them". If you fly into one city and return from another, the legal option is "Open-Jaw Tickets: Fly Into One City, Return From Another".
Travel365's price calendar and flight search help you find a cheap date and route without any risk.
Often shifting your date by a single day gives the same saving as skiplagging — but with no risk at all.
Conclusion
Hidden city ticketing can save money, but it breaks airline rules and carries real risks — from lost baggage to a blocked account. In most cases the legal methods are better, delivering nearly the same saving without the headache.
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