Hidden City Ticketing: Saavy Traveler or Airline Rule Breaker?

I’ve been hearing a LOT of buzz lately about whether certain travel tips are “wrong” or even “cheating.” Don’t worry, I’m not here to debate the ethics of it.

Instead, I want to dive into two ticketing tricks that have some people clutching their pearls: hidden city ticketing and throwaway ticketing.

Let’s break these down because they’ve got me thinking...

What Is Hidden City Ticketing?

This is when you buy a ticket that connects through your actual destination, but instead of going to the final stop, you get off at the connection.

Example: You book a flight from San Antonio to New York with a connection in Philadelphia. But your real destination is Philly, so you just “miss” your connecting flight to New York. Why? Because, weirdly, that San Antonio–New York ticket is sometimes cheaper than flying directly to Philadelphia. Go figure.

And Throwaway Ticketing?

This is when you buy a round-trip ticket because it’s cheaper than a one-way, but you don’t use the return flight.

Example: You book Dallas to Vegas round trip but skip the return to Dallas because you’re, well, staying in Vegas—or heading somewhere else.

Why Do People Do This?

The short answer: because airline pricing makes no sense!

Here’s the thing:

• Airlines price tickets based on demand in each market. Maybe San Antonio to Philly is always packed, so they price it high, but San Antonio to New York has more competition, so it’s cheaper—even with a connection in Philly.

• Or maybe routing through hubs is more cost-effective for airlines, so they incentivize connections.

Bottom line: these pricing quirks create opportunities for travelers to get creative.

Is It Cheating?

Hidden city and throwaway ticketing aren’t illegal, but they DO violate airline policies. If you’re caught doing it often, airlines might take action, like:

• Canceling your frequent flyer account.

• Charging you the fare difference retroactively.

• Blocking you from booking future flights.

My Thoughts:

If you plan to do this, here are my BBD Tips:

1) I would not enter my frequent flyer number as it could flag your account.

2) Don't check a bag as it will go to your final destination.

3) Don't make this a habit unless you like to get your account banned from that airline.

That said, this isn’t a black-and-white issue. While I’ve never used these methods (I prioritize timing and convenience as a business traveler), I don’t necessarily see them as “cheating.” You’re playing the game airlines themselves created. Love to hear what your thoughts on this issue..is it fair game?