Southwest Rapid Rewards - Southwest Hidden City Flight - 1st Time, Looking for advice

Hello Flyertalkers,

I am a brand new member (referred by a poster at fatwallet) looking for some advice on a 1st time "hidden city" trip via Southwest Airlines.

Here's the situation:
I am looking to fly with my wife from St. Louis (STL) to Las Vegas (LAS) leaving Aug 10th and returning Aug 13th. I have a 15% off discount code for Southwest to use on this flight, but I am still trying to do this as inexpensively as possible. Here are the three best scenarios I've found to do so (all depending on the riskiness of Hidden City flights):

Trip 1 (The "Plane"-Jane)
8/10 - 6:00am Nonstop STL-LAS - $224/person
8/13 - 6:15am Nonstop LAS-STL - $234/person

Total trip cost (using the 15% off on the whole package) - $778.60

Trip 2 (One-way Hidden City)
8/10 - 6:00am STL-LAS-SJC (change planes in LAS) - $140/person
8/13 - 6:15am Nonstop LAS-STL - $234/person

Total trip cost (using the 15% off on the 8/13 return flight) - $660.80

Trip 3 (Two-way Hidden City)
8/10 - 6:00am STL-LAS-SJC (change planes in LAS) - $140/person
8/13 - 6:15am Las-STL-MSY (change planes in STL) - $181/person

Total trip cost (using the 15% off on the 8/13 return flight) - $587.70


What I know about HC flying:
-Carry-on only for luggage and I have to get an early boarding group # and to get to the airport early to make sure of space in the overhead bins.

My Concerns:
-Never flown hidden city, what are your recent experiences doing this on SW
-My wife is not one to "break the rules" or handle adversity well, and should something go wrong, I would be in hot water for trying these "shenanigans"
-What are the possible consequences from SW should something go awry and I have to fess up?

Please advise on your thoughts about this trip and any tips you have for HC travel in general. I guess the biggest question is: Should I take the risk and book the HC travel both ways?

Thank you again for your help, I'm excited to be a new member of the FT community!
AJ

I can't really comment on the hidden city but as far as arriving early
I dont think you really need to get to the airport early,just check in early at T-24 or pay an extra $10 for EB

While hidden city ticketing is no longer explicitly allowed on Southwest, it's not disallowed either.

Your early STL-LAS-SJC is a good choice since your main concern should be the flight getting cancelled and getting reaccommodated via another city. Even if it is cancelled, you have some control on which flights you are changed to if you rebook via the website.

The LAS-STL-MSY flight is somewhat riskier since there are no other published LAS-MSY connections via STL that day.

As a courtesy you should ask a gate agent to delete your remaining boarding passes once you arrive at your (hidden) destination city but there's no need to explain why. I just tell them I won't be taking this flight. This frees up your seats for standbys and they won't need to call out looking for you during boarding.

The odds of this working out are well in your favor, probably one of the best gambles you can take on a Vegas trip.

For some background on hidden city ticketing on WN:

Here's the Hidden City Ticketing portion of the FAQ (http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Southwest_Rapid_Rewards#Can_I_use_hidden_ city_and_back-to-back_tickets.3F).

Here's a thread: Is Hidden City still explicitly allowed? (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-rapid-rewards/1269840-hidden-city-still-explicitly-allowed.html)

Here's another thread: Book hidden city with RR points (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-rapid-rewards/1358067-book-hidden-city-rr-points.html)

Some additional thoughts:


As you mentioned, don't check any luggage.
Understand that delays, MX issues, WX issues, etc. may result in a re-routing to the scheduled final destination
As sigma1104 mentions, many folks will turn-in their not-used boarding pass for the 2nd flight to the GA in the hidden city

A concern: if you are flying r/t's on the same confirmation number, hidden city on the first leg might get the returned cancelled. Not sure though. I hidden city frequently but only one ways with no luggage. Anyone else comment?

A concern: if you are flying r/t's on the same confirmation number, hidden city on the first leg might get the returned cancelled. Not sure though. I hidden city frequently but only one ways with no luggage. Anyone else comment?

Excellent reminder - hidden city ticketing should be on OW tix only.

Since most of the folks on this forum buy only OW tix (the only major exception is for coupon codes/sales that require R/Ts) for a multitude of reasons anyway, we probably assumed someone doing hidden city was buying 2 OW fares.

Really appreciate the advice. Booked the STL-LAS-SJC leg already. Getting ready to book the return trip.

With doing this twice on one trip, what is the advice on adding our RR accounts to these flights. I've read many places of possible retribution from the airlines to your accounts for frequent HC flights. In your experiences/opinions, do you get some leeway on your first few or should I leave those #s off these reservations?

Thanks again!
AJ

In your experiences/opinions, do you get some leeway on your first few or should I leave those #s off these reservations?


Unlike other airlines, WN does not explicitly forbid hidden city ticketing (although, it used to be explicitly allowed). Others can chime in; but, I haven't ever heard a report of retaliatory RR account action taken by WN in response to HCT. Some GAs may give a hard time (and there has been at least 1 report of this that I recall); however, mentioning that the contract of carriage (PDF available here (www.southwest.com/assets/pdfs/corporate-commitments/contract-of-carriage.pdf)) does not forbid hidden city ticketing may quiet the GA (or, simply walk away since you are likely already at your intended destination anyway).

If this was a legacy carrier, I would leave the FF # off; but, on WN, I'd leave it on.

In addition to earning RR 2.0 points, I think you will get a small ~$10 TTF back for the leg not taken.

Unlike other airlines, WN does not explicitly forbid hidden city ticketing (although, it used to be explicitly allowed). Others can chime in; but, I haven't ever heard a report of retaliatory RR account action taken by WN in response to HCT. Some GAs may give a hard time (and there has been at least 1 report of this that I recall); however, mentioning that the contract of carriage (PDF available here (www.southwest.com/assets/pdfs/corporate-commitments/contract-of-carriage.pdf)) does not forbid hidden city ticketing may quiet the GA (or, simply walk away since you are likely already at your intended destination anyway).

If this was a legacy carrier, I would leave the FF # off; but, on WN, I'd leave it on.

In addition to earning RR 2.0 points, I think you will get a small ~$10 TTF back for the leg not taken.

Thanks @FindAWay, Added the RR#s (had to do it over the phone b/c SWA had auto enrolled me and assigned a new number to the flight). Hopefully that didn't set off any alarm bells, but from the sound of it, there's not much they can do even if they do learn of a flyer's HC intentions.

I'll update with any issues that arise during the trip, hopefully it's smooth sailing!

There is no reason to be secretive about this, many GA know this is done and why ($$).

If you want to earn points for your trip you'll have to cancel your ongoing boarding pass that makes the $10.80 fee available and then USE those funds. Only then will the points post. Best is to wait until the end and combine the two in a cheap OW placeholder ticket. Only drawback is that you commit fresh funds to WN and if you're a once a year flyer that may not be a good thing. Funds expire 1 year from first purchase and are tied to the name.

You can generally get away with it if you don't make a habit of it. It is possible, but unlikely, that you will get away with it on the outbound but only to find your trip home is voided. I would risk it, the odds are really in your favor overall.

Just don't do it ALL THE TIME! They tend to catch onto those folks, especially those with RR accounts who do this several times a month.

Sorry to sound stupid, but could someone please explain to me (in a nutshell) what hidden city is?

Sorry to sound stupid, but could someone please explain to me (in a nutshell) what hidden city is?

Google has all the of life's answers. Same with the search button on this forum.

I do like reading these forums and all the creative minds in reards to travel.....

My 2 cents on hidden travel and this is just for me

I travel sea to smf often

HC for smf is large, las, lax, sna, etc

The cost is sometimes half to go sea-smf-lax. Vs sea-smf

Here's what I choose to live by

1. Always book OW
2. Always book these on points
3. Always tell a fa and ga that you will not be continuing
4. Always be polite

If SWA truly has a problem, They can call me, I would kindly explain how I'm trying to save the money and it makes no sense to have it be twice as much to smf vs lax etc, with a stop in smf.


Booking with points is key, IMO

Google has all the of life's answers. Same with the search button on this forum.

Thanks for the thoughtful, helpful response.

Sorry to sound stupid, but could someone please explain to me (in a nutshell) what hidden city is?

The quick answer is

When you are looking to fly

Chicago to las Vegas. Fare is 245

Chicago to LAX is currently at 99. But this makes one stop. And it's Vegas

So you book Chicago to lax for 99. Save 146. And get off in Vegas and don't continue to lax

There's endless possibilities, hope my example helps a little

Sorry to sound stupid, but could someone please explain to me (in a nutshell) what hidden city is?

Well, when an airline has a non-direct flight somewhere and stops on the way in the city you want to go to, you secretly get off at the stop rather than take the flight all the way to the last city. This is usually done to save money.

Example: You want to go to PHX from OKC. There is a direct flight for 400 dollars, but then you see that the same airline has a flight from OKC to SAN with a stop in PHX for only 200 dollars. So you book the 200 dollar flight to SAN, but when you get to PHX you simply never board the second flight to SAN. You just saved yourself good money. On WN you can do this on non-plane change stops. To WN you were a "thru pax", but you just get off with the non-thru pax. You will screw up their head count of course.

Airlines hate this because no-shows make operations a bit less smooth and they miss out on the maximum revenue, which they hate even more. They have to make last calls, some will even wait to pushback (not WN though), and then they start over booking to compensate which becomes a pain for other pax and for GA staff who have to deal with them. They also have to make sure you didn't check luggage all the way through but got off early, as this can be a security issue.

Generally most airlines will not be too concerned about one offs, but if someone does this all the time they may start to take notice and attempt to reel in the worst offenders by sending cease and desist letters or cancelling their membership in the FF program.

The quick answer is

When you are looking to fly

Chicago to las Vegas. Fare is 245

Chicago to LAX is currently at 99. But this makes one stop. And it's Vegas

So you book Chicago to lax for 99. Save 146. And get off in Vegas and don't continue to lax

There's endless possibilities, hope my example helps a little

So is this only on flights that have stops? What about change plane tickets where everyone gets off you just don't catch the next plane?

So is this only on flights that have stops? What about change plane tickets where everyone gets off you just don't catch the next plane?

Same.

Same.

but in that case probaby just tell the GA right? I doubt the FA on your flight cares

but in that case probaby just tell the GA right? I doubt the FA on your flight cares

If it is a direct flight, no plane change, the FA needs top know or the count will be totally messed up and they may even have to take the roll to see who left.

If it is a plane change you only need to go to the desk and tell a GA. It does not even have to be your gate. Best is the gate you would be going to, but unnecessary except to be polite. You do this so that they will not get on the PA system and tell you your flight is leaving and get there right now.

Total trip cost (using the 15% off on the 8/13 return flight) - $587.70


The 15% codes I've seen require round trip purchase. That means you'll have to book a dummy return and use those funds later.

First time poster, my apologies if I am missing any etiquette.

I really want to book a last minute hidden city, but the WN FAQ states that it is not possible to book a flight, and skip the first leg only.

My example is I want to go PHX-LAS-FLL, and just take the LAS-FLL leg because it will save close to $100 in points. The FAQ says that the system will automatically convert the second leg or something along those lines.

I'm wondering if anyone has done this.

Should I post this in a new thread?

Thanks in advance!

Edited to add: This is a RR reservation, and a companion will be travelling too.

First time poster, my apologies if I am missing any etiquette.

I really want to book a last minute hidden city, but the WN FAQ states that it is not possible to book a flight, and skip the first leg only.

My example is I want to go PHX-LAS-FLL, and just take the LAS-FLL leg because it will save close to $100 in points. The FAQ says that the system will automatically convert the second leg or something along those lines.

I'm wondering if anyone has done this.

Should I post this in a new thread?

Thanks in advance!

Edited to add: This is a RR reservation, and a companion will be travelling too.
Welcome to FlyerTalk!

That will not work. See the fourth bullet here: http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Southwest_Rapid_Rewards#Can_I_use_hidden_ city_and_back-to-back_tickets.3F

Oh, there is one other thing I've not seen mentioned, but it is a risk. In an IRROP (irregular operation for weather, etc.) WN's responsibility is to get you to where your ticket says and your new route may not include your hidden city. I do not know how they would handle it if you were trying to reschedule and said "Just get me to LAS and I will be happy."

Oh, there is one other thing I've not seen mentioned, but it is a risk. In an IRROP (irregular operation for weather, etc.) WN's responsibility is to get you to where your ticket says and your new route may not include your hidden city. I do not know how they would handle it if you were trying to reschedule and said "Just get me to LAS and I will be happy."

Great point! I just booked the direct flight instead, didn't want to gamble too much before I got to vegas.

First time poster, my apologies if I am missing any etiquette.

I really want to book a last minute hidden city, but the WN FAQ states that it is not possible to book a flight, and skip the first leg only.

My example is I want to go PHX-LAS-FLL, and just take the LAS-FLL leg because it will save close to $100 in points. The FAQ says that the system will automatically convert the second leg or something along those lines.

I'm wondering if anyone has done this.

Should I post this in a new thread?

Thanks in advance!

Edited to add: This is a RR reservation, and a companion will be travelling too.

As Qwerty mentioned, your scenario will not work. As soon as you fail to board the plane in PHX, WN figures you probably will not make the second leg and will cancel your entire reservation. HC flying only works on the first leg of a trip.

Oh, there is one other thing I've not seen mentioned, but it is a risk. In an IRROP (irregular operation for weather, etc.) WN's responsibility is to get you to where your ticket says and your new route may not include your hidden city. I do not know how they would handle it if you were trying to reschedule and said "Just get me to LAS and I will be happy."

I guess YMMV but a friend was put on a flight to the hidden city no problem.

I guess YMMV but a friend was put on a flight to the hidden city no problem.

This will help me rest a little easier... flight is tomorrow, hope all goes well.