Skiplagging is a practice where travelers disembark at their layover city instead of continuing to their ticket’s final destination to take advantage of cheaper airfare. While this method is technically not illegal, airlines strongly disapprove of it. They’ve started monitoring for such practices more closely, imposing strict penalties such as banning individuals from future flights or stripping them of loyalty benefits. Skiplagged, a website that helps identify such opportunities, defends the practice, likening it to consumer choice.
Key Points:
- Skiplagging capitalizes on the “hidden city” loophole to save on airfare by stopping at a layover city and not continuing to the final ticketed destination.
- Airlines have become vigilant, imposing sanctions like banning passengers and stripping loyalty points if they detect skiplagging.
- The website Skiplagged aids travelers in finding these hidden city opportunities, arguing it’s a way to counteract airlines’ monopolistic pricing strategies.
- While skiplagging, passengers shouldn’t check in baggage, as it would proceed to the final destination and they should book one-way tickets to avoid cancellation of the entire trip.
- Airlines argue that skiplagging can lead to problems like empty seats which could have been used by other travelers and issues with checked bags.
Source: https://www.mensjournal.com/travel/what-is-skiplagging
