One of the newer trends in air travel stirring debate is known as skiplagging, also called throwaway ticketing or hidden-city ticketing.
People use it to reduce airfare expenses. If a direct flight to their intended city is pricey, they book a cheaper itinerary to a different city that includes a connection in the city they actually want to reach. Then they simply don’t board the onward leg and disembark at the stopover.
Aktarer Zaman, the founder and CEO of Skiplagged.com, stumbled on the loophole after searching for flights from New York to Seattle. He realized it cost half as much to book New York to Seattle with a San Francisco layover than to fly straight to San Francisco.
In fact, Dan Gellert, COO at Skiplagged, reported that travelers save an average of 47%, or roughly $180, by booking skiplagged itineraries through the site.
That said, throwaway ticketing carries notable hazards — for example, getting barred from flying with that carrier. Below we outline how those savings might come with significant drawbacks.
Save Money Without Resorting to Throwaway Tickets
Your ideal getaway could be within reach — if only the airfare were slightly cheaper. We understand wanting to cut travel costs, and if you’re not willing to gamble on throwaway ticketing (a sensible choice), there are alternative ways to trim expenses and boost your travel budget.
Are the Savings From Throwaway Ticketing Real?
In certain scenarios, Gellert noted, the savings can be substantial. One family of four booked a vacation to Alaska and reportedly saved $1,000 per person. Another user relied on the site to travel abroad multiple times a year for IVF appointments.
“This tactic can often prove more economical than purchasing direct flights to a target city and has therefore grown increasingly popular with travelers worldwide,” said Alonso Marly, a travel specialist at Skylux Travel.
Because airline pricing is fiercely competitive, fares are frequently set by destination demand rather than mileage. As a result, it can sometimes be cheaper to end your trip at a layover rather than the final stop. Marly added that fares can be up to 50% lower when using throwaway ticketing.
The practice has seen considerable uptake over the past year, with nearly 300,000 travelers completing their partial segments successfully and saving a combined $51 million, according to Skiplagged.com.
The Downsides of Throwaway Ticketing
It might sound simple to leave the airport during a layover and not return, but there are real risks to consider.
First, you cannot check baggage — checked luggage is routed to the itinerary’s final destination. You might think using only a carry-on solves that, but frequent flyers know checked-carry-on situations can happen unexpectedly.
More importantly, skiplagging — while technically lawful — breaches the terms and conditions most airlines require you to accept when buying a ticket, Marly said. That gives carriers the right to revoke frequent flyer miles, bar you from future flights with them, or cancel your return segment. Efforts to locate a passenger who won’t show up can also disrupt other travelers.
American Airlines recently banned a passenger after detecting skiplagging, apparently because the itinerary showed he was “connecting through” his home city based on his driver’s license. The airline has also sued Skiplagged.com, alleging copyright violations and unfair competition. A jury awarded American $9.4 million in October 2024 — yet Skiplagged.com remains active.
“Airlines are naturally frustrated by the rise in throwaway ticketing, which leads to lost revenue from seats that could otherwise have been sold,” Marly said. “At the same time, skiplagging raises ethical questions and affects the wider travel ecosystem.”
There’s no criminal penalty, and Skiplagged.com asserts most users travel without incident. Ultimately, it’s a personal decision whether to take the chance.
Alternative Ways to Cut Travel Costs
If you’d rather not risk skiplagging (I personally do not recommend it, though it can be tempting), there are safer strategies to save money.
One of the top methods is using travel rewards credit cards. By charging usual purchases to these cards, you can accumulate points or miles that can be redeemed for flights, hotels, and rental cars.
Jen Ruiz, author of “12 Trips in 12 Months,” says she saves by signing up for flight alerts that notify her about flash sales, promotions and mistake fares. She also takes advantage of budget carriers like PLAY and FrenchBee, which run sales with $99 transatlantic fares (at the time of reporting, you could fly from New York to Reykjavik via PLAY for $111 each way, or Baltimore to Paris for $152 one-way). Just be sure to follow our tips on flying with low-cost airlines so you don’t get surprised by fees.
Savinly contributor Danielle Braff is a Chicago-based writer who focuses on consumer tips and budget shopping. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Real Simple and other outlets.
