Audio By Carbonatix
As folks try to get the most out of their summer travel before fall sets in, several are looking for ways to save money on their vacation. This can include booking Airbnbs instead of hotels, splitting activity costs among their group, or scouring for flight deals on sites like Booking.com or CheapOair.
For the latter, there’s a controversial trick that many seasoned globetrotters have used when booking flights. It’s called skiplagging. But as one TikToker warned, the hack may be in danger.
In a viral TikTok, Ronan (@ronaninbulgaria) questions, “Can someone please tell me why airlines are cracking down on people not going on the last leg of their flight when you bought the flight?”
He compares the act to buying a meal from McDonald’s but being kicked out of the restaurant if he doesn’t eat his fries.
“Make it make sense,” Ronan concludes.
What Is Skiplagging?
As Ronan explains, skiplagging refers to the travel trick where folks buy a flight with multiple stops because it’s cheaper than buying a direct flight to the destination. For example, a flight to Houston from Belize may be $780. But if a flight from Belize to Los Angeles with a stopover in Houston is $560, one will book that flight and disembark at Houston, skipping the connecting flight to LAX.
This is how travel site Simple Flying summarized it:
- Desired Flight: B (origin) to C (destination)
- Cheaper Flight: A (origin) to B (transit) to C (destination)
- Skiplagging: B (transit becomes origin) to C (destination)
People Think It’s The Airlines’ Fault
Ronan told BroBible he’s hoping his video promotes Skiplagged, a company he’s working with. On its site, Skiplagged says it’s “an airfare search engine for cheap flights, showing hidden-city ticketing trips.”
Several of Ronan’s viewers criticized airlines, claiming the companies force consumers to resort to skiplagging.
“I agree. it’s [their] own fault for being dishonest about pricing,” a top comment read.
Others called out airlines for the way they handle their flights.
“But then when your first flight is delayed and you miss your next flight they can’t help and don’t care??” one wrote. While another added, “They literally oversell flights anyway they’re making EXTRA money when you skip.”
One user who skiplagged their Hawaii trip shared the outcome of letting the airline know.
“We flew first class to and from Hawaii on Hawaiian airlines, we decided to miss our return flight and extend our trip, but we never canceled our tickets,” they wrote. “We called and let them know we wouldn’t be making the flight and they threw an absolute fit over the phone. So no it’s not about delays because we called 3 days prior. I really don’t know why they were so mad.”
Why Do Airlines Hate Skiplagging—And Are They Really Cracking Down On The Practice?
Skiplagging is nothing new. Travelers on a budget have been using this travel hack for years. However, as Ronan mentioned, the loophole is not without its criticisms.
In 2023, American Airlines filed a lawsuit against a ticketing website, Skiplagged, that encouraged customers to skiplag. The Australian Broadcasting Network reported that this came after the airline blocked a teenager from boarding a flight, knowing he would skip the last leg of his journey.
The news outlet spoke with aviation analyst Robert Mann about the reason airlines view it as lost revenue.
“…Or to put it another way, most people prefer to avoid stopovers so there is more demand for a direct flight from point A to point C, pushing the price up,” the site explains. “Since there is less demand to fly from point A to point C via point B, the price point is lower.”
In the lawsuit American Airlines filed against Skiplagged, it accused the website of “[deceiving] the public into believing that, even though it has no authority to form and issue a contract on Americans’ behalf, somehow it can still issue a completely valid ticket. It cannot. Every ‘ticket’ issued by Skiplagged is at risk of being invalidated.”
It also wasn’t Skiplagged’s only lawsuit. Orbitz, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines have all sued the company, claiming it was “unfair competition” and lost revenue. All suits were either settled or dismissed.
However, Skiplagged wasn’t so lucky when it came to American Airlines. The airline won the lawsuit, and Skiplagged was ordered to pay $9.4 million.
What Are Some Ways To Save Money On Flights?
If skiplagging is too controversial for you, there are also ways to save a few bucks when booking flights. Some experts at CNBC recommended:
Booking in advance, where domestic flights should be booked three to seven months out. International flights are four to 10 months.
- Purchase your flight 21 days before departure to get the best fare.
- Check one-way flights instead of booking roundtrip.
- Book nonstop, early morning flights and avoid checking in a bag.
- Get reimbursed by your credit card for delays and cancellations.
- Be wary of travel cards.
- Buy travel insurance.
Content shared from brobible.com.