Skiplagging trend at RSW; Is it worth the risk for cheaper flights?

Author: Esly Davis
Published: Updated:
FILE: Airport flight status board showing canceled flights at RSW. (Credit: WINK News)

The cost of air travel is rising, and some travelers are turning to a controversial method called “skiplagging” to save money.

This trend involves intentionally skipping the last leg of a connecting flight to take advantage of cheaper fares.

The website Skiplagged.com helps travelers find these cheaper flights by booking a multi-city trip and only flying to the layover city.

For instance, a flight from Southwest Florida International Airport to Illinois may appear $95 cheaper when skipping the final leg to New York.

Audrey Kohout, CEO of Luggage Forward, warned about the risks of skiplagging.

“They can ban you from the airline, they can sue you for some of the money back and they are likely going to cancel any other legs that you have booked with them at the time,” said Kohout.

Travelers like Lisa Garon have concerns about the practice affecting others.

“I think other people they’re trying to get on flights, probably could lose out on a seat,” said Garon.

Checked luggage can also present challenges, as Kohout explained.

“The bag will go all the way to your final destination. If you end up having to gate-check your bag, your bag is going to go to the place that your ticket is,” said Kohout.

Some airlines actively monitor for skiplagging patterns. Garon thinks banning passengers is harsh.

John Batchelor, another traveler, questioned the enforceability of such bans.

“I don’t know how it’s enforceable. I don’t know how they would know that you intended to do that all along. You could have just missed the flight for a variety of reasons,” said Batchelor.

Passengers at Southwest Florida International Airport cite airfare pricing as a root cause of skiplagging.

“I don’t do it myself. I don’t see why the airlines would have an issue with it. The airlines do some underhanded things themselves, and so I don’t know what their beef is,” said traveler Doug Stowers.

Batchelor suggested a solution.

“They should offer more affordable and equal fares so that you don’t even need to do that,” said Batchelor.

While skiplagging isn’t illegal, it goes against airline policies. Although it might save money in the short term, it could result in losing future flight privileges.

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