How missing a flight on purpose could save you hundreds
Everyone has their own little ways of saving a few extra bucks on their holidays, but this trick has to be one of the strangest we’ve ever heard. An increasing number of travellers are choosing to deliberately miss their flights, claiming it saves them hundreds.
Known as “hidden city ticketing”, the idea was first popularised by website Skiplagged, which suggested passengers leave a flight during the stopover instead of continuing to the final destination.
As The Sun explains, someone wanting to fly from New York City to Chicago could buy a ticket taking them there directly for about $500. However, they could cut the price in half by booking a flight to Los Angeles with a stopover in Chicago for just $250. We know which one we’d choose!
But before you go crazy booking flights, there’s a catch. While it’s not illegal to do, airlines – and your fellow passengers – will hate you for it. Why? Two simple reasons. One, the plane would appear fuller, pushing up the seat prices for other travellers. Two, passengers on the connecting flight would be forced to wait around on the tarmac for late passengers, possibly causing a delay.
In addition, if you’re bringing checked luggage with you, it will most likely end up at the final destination and not the stopover, so you might get there cheaper, but your bag won’t.
Some airlines have banned the practice, so if you’re a frequent flyer or part of a loyalty scheme you might want to give it a miss, but if you’re desperate enough for those savings, then maybe it’s worth the risk.