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“If you are serially abusing hidden-city fares, the airlines will at some point catch you-and they will take action.” Where can I find my airline's rules? “Don’t say it can’t happen to you, because it could, and it doesn’t matter what route, what cabin class of service, what your frequent-flier status is or anything else,” Harteveldt says. He notes that if the itinerary changes, “the airline has every right to rebook you on one of those different flights.” “Hidden-city is a risky move to make it is not without some potential risks to the traveler,” says Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst and president of San Francisco-based Atmosphere Research Group. Offering to go to Chicago anyway through another itinerary could raise suspicion that you are purposely intending to get around that carrier’s fare rules. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles with a stop in Chicago, but the airline would prioritize getting you to Los Angeles before putting you on another itinerary that happens to stop in Chicago. For example, you could be on a flight between New York’s John F. While some airlines can gate-check bags, others might check it to the final destination if there’s not enough room.Īnother downside of traveling with hidden-city tickets is the risk of weather-related or logistical issues throwing a wrench in your plans. Skiplagged tells customers not to check bags, but notes that even carry-ons could pose an issue if there’s not enough space on the aircraft. One of the biggest reasons why it might be a good idea to look elsewhere for travel deals is that traveling on hidden-city tickets requires you to remember a lot of little rules.įor starters, flying on a hidden-city itinerary requires being extra careful about your baggage.
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What are some possible trip complications?
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But regardless of the possible legal interpretations of hidden-city ticketing around the globe, there are still consequences and considerations that could affect your trip and relationship with airlines. Skiplagged says on its website that these hidden-city flights are “perfectly legal.” It looks like this is now the case for those traveling on Iberia due to a recent Spanish court decision.
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