I always like to find the best deal on travel, whether it’s with miles and points or cash. So, even though I booked Premium Economy seats on American Airlines from Shanghai to DFW, I’m still looking to see if I can get any better deals. I love the nonstop flight to my home airport, but I don’t love that each ticket was 91,000 AA miles.
The other day, while I was looking for a better deal to perhaps a different city, I stumbled across some fares that really tempt me to practice skiplagging for this journey home.
What is skiplagging?
I’ve written about skiplagging before, and occasionally I see a news story about someone who was busted for it. In case you’re not familiar with the term skiplagging, it also goes by “hidden city” and “throwaway” ticketing. Basically, you pay for a cheaper flight that has your desired destination as a layover, and then you get off at the layover city and skip flying the final flight segment. There is even a website to find these lower-priced skiplagged tickets.
While skiplagging isn’t illegal, most airlines prohibit the practice in their ticket terms and conditions. And, there are risks involved, including:
- Airlines could change your flight schedule, resulting in a layover in a different city instead of your intended destination
- There isn’t enough room for your carry-on baggage and you’re forced to check it, sending it to the wrong city
- Airlines could charge you more money if they realize you’re skiplagging
- If you’re caught skiplagging, airlines could ban you from flying with them in the future or prohibit you from participating in frequent flyer program
Skiplagging home from China
Currently, my daughter and I are booked from Shanghai to DFW on AA in Premium Economy for 91k AA miles each:
However, as I was searching for cheaper award availability, I discovered that I could book that exact same flight with a layover in DFW and another leg to a nearby city for half the price. The flight from Shanghai to DFW to Houston is only 45k miles:
If I was ok with skiplagging, I could book us on these flights to Houston and save 92,000 AA miles. That’s a lot of miles!
However, skiplagging is too risky for me in this situation. I fly on American Airlines so much that I’d hate to be banned or prohibited from earning miles in the future. Plus, I’m planning to enter mainland China under the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, and having a flight home to a different city might arouse suspicion.
An alternative to skiplagging
Rather than skip the final leg to Houston, my daughter and I could always fly to Houston and then book another flight back home. Due to the time of day, we’d have to spend the night in Houston and return to DFW the next morning.
The bargain hunter in me is really tempted to do this in order to save the miles for a future trip. However, I’m reminding myself that this flight is at the end of a 2-week trip to Japan and China. We will likely be exhausted. Flying straight home is going to feel much better than adding another unnecessary night to our trip.
Final Thoughts
The lower fare to Houston makes me tempted to try skiplagging or add a hotel and flight from Houston back to DFW on our trip. I even put the fare on hold to think about it, but AA canceled it because it was considered a duplicate flight.
The struggle between price and convenience is an ongoing battle, even with using miles and points. What are your thoughts on this?
Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
They let you check your baggage to the 2nd destination?!
Hi Nancy. I don’t know your travel date, but with flights from Houston to Dallas typically somewhere around $50.00, and AA miles valued at 1.5-1.7 cents, you’d be effectively spending $100.00 + $72.20 in fees for the both of you (an increase of just $11.20 from the other flight) to save 92,000 miles (with a value between $1,380.00 and $1,564.00). Personally, I’d take the lower-miles flight, splurge with guilt-free abandon on a really nice hotel room for the night, have a lovely dinner, and head back to Dallas in the morning- approximately $1,000.00 “richer” without any fear of being banned by AA.
@MaryT hat sounds like a good plan! Now I just need to find that fare again. I waited too long to decide, and all the prices are higher now.
There’s another aspect to this but in reverse.
My company booked a ticket for me when I lived in Ankara for a Monday morning.
Ankara- Istanbul – New York
With family in Istanbul I decided to drive on the Friday and spend the weekend with them, but when I arrived at IST on the Monday my ticket had been cancelled because I hadn’t flown the first leg.
Perfect if you only have hand luggage.
I’d skiplag in a heartbeat !
I do it all the time, using oldmatrix to force routes via where I want.
Then I just check my baggage to my desired destination, not the theoretical end destination.
I do this from Europe to Asia in business when it makes sense.
The airline saves fuel and has a spare seat to upgrade or resell.
I’d be too afraid of the consequences if something went wrong. Definitely wouldn’t want to be banned from the only airline (and its partners) that I fly on since I live near Atlanta, its hub – Delta!
You decided to stay in DFW because:
– your partner was picking you up.
– you get sick on the flight and decided to go home the next day.
Shall I go on? Be creative.
BTW, when you land in DFW, you have to reclaim your bag. Wink 😉
Unfortunately, I waited too long to book this lower award ticket. Today, award prices for my date increased to over 100k+ for all cities. You snooze, you lose. I’ll keep checking.
@Pan I’d love to know!
why such a big diff in points?
As it was so nicely put by Christian, stuff happens, and if you get as far as DFW and things go south.. oh well. It’s a one off and that’s the end of that.
You’ve lost me on why China would have an issue with you returning back to Houston rather than DFW. There is nothing wrong with an open-jaw, especially a small one. Perfectly normal.
@Rufuss Good point.
There’s a good chance AA is late and you miss your connecting flight to IAH.
@rjb Very true!
@Christian LOL
You have to do you. That said, it would be terrible if you or your daughter happened to develop a stomach bug at about the time you arrive in DFW. A bug that scrambled your plans to visit aunt Martha in Houston (I hate it when that happens – she was SO looking forward to seeing you).If this only happened once or twice then it’s just rotten luck though and airlines are pretty understanding if it’s not an ongoing thing as I may or may not have experienced myself. Right?
@Christian Ha!
what about a closer connecting city where you may be able to uber or drive home afterward? College Station, Waco?
@Jason Waco is ideal but the connection includes a layover in DFW so I’d have to go back to the airport in the morning.
Patrick if no add number and airlines don’t fly that is fine but personally I would never do it on an awards ticket which can be easily traced and may result in having account closed and miles taken away (it has happened).
BTW customs and immigration is at point of entry so she would clear at DFW in any event
A one time skip lag? I would say no problem. But how would customs work in a situation like that?
@Patrick We would go through customs and immigration in DFW.
I wouldn’t skiplag on an airline I fly a lot (especially on a mileage award). However, I definitely would fly to Houston, spend the night and buy a cheap ticket back to DFW. Net pickup of 92,000 miles is just too much to not get.
Understand I do positioning flights all the time and a couple of years ago my wife and I canceled AA business class tickets home from Rome, flew on ITA to Frankfurt, spent 2 nights in Frankfurt (after 2 weeks in Italy) then flew AA business home from Frankfurt because it was 80,000 miles cheaper to fly home in business from Frankfurt instead of Rome.
@Retired Gambler Thanks for your input. Maybe I’m not so crazy for considering flying to Houston and coming right back.