All You Need To Know About Skiplagging And Why Airlines Are Cracking Down On It

As airline ticket prices soar due to the post-COVID-19 travel boom and passengers become weary about extra charges on a flight ticket, a travel hack of many years past is making a comeback despite travellers ostensibly swearing it off at the beginning of 2024: skiplagging.

Also known as hidden city ticketing, this is a travel practice where passengers book a multi-city flight but disembark at the layover city and bypass their final destination in order to save money. Say you want to travel to Delhi from Mumbai but the airfare is expensive. So, you book a flight from Mumbai to Shimla with a layover in Delhi, which is cheaper than a direct flight. This tactic can save you money compared to booking a direct flight because flight pricing doesn't always follow the logical assumption that a longer trip should be more expensive. Instead, the cost of a journey is often based on how popular the destination or route is—particularly if it's nonstop—and the price at which the airline has decided people will buy tickets.

Pros And Cons

Skiplagging is primarily popular in the United States. However, airlines have brought the hammer down on this practice since they lose money on being unable to fill an empty seat and because a missing passenger can cause confusion and delays during boarding time. In 2023, American Airlines filed a lawsuit against a controversial ticketing website that allowed customers to skiplag. Skiplagging is not illegal and while this exercise can be cost-effective, it comes with many risks too.

An airline has the right to invoke financial penalties, revoke frequent flyer benefits and ban those caught engaging in the practice from flying with them. Schedule changes can disrupt skiplagging plans and leave travellers stranded. Additionally, any checked-in luggage will reach the final destination on your ticket without you. Frequent skiplaggers could also face legal repercussions as some airlines now employ advanced technology to detect and penalise those who take part in the practice.

There are less risky ways to secure a cheap flight ticket. Consider being flexible with your travel dates, fly into smaller or less popular airports, use airline miles and credit card points to redeem ticket costs, and use an incognito browser window to search for flights.

(With inputs from multiple news sources)