This hidden city stuff has significant applicability for US domestic routes.

For example, I tried to fly an employee on a one hour flight from Atlanta to Charlotte. Fare: $800+ CDN. Aeroplan points don't work -- the flights on United airlines are actually on US Airway metal, so the only way to use points are convoluted and long routings.

Option to consider: Hidden City ticketing. Fly ATL-RDU (Raleigh Durham) via, you guessed it, Charlotte CLT, the fare is $161 CDN one way. Fly CLT -- Chicago/Midway via Atlanta, one way, fare is about $200 CDN. These fares are inevitably available when discount carriers are on the city pair routes. So we have the flexibility of one-way tickets for less than half the price of the 'standard return' business trip.

Never mind, the employee said. "Just rent me the car and I'll drive. I'll get there in about the same time as a non-stop flight." Thankfully, my employees understand it is never wise to waste the company's money on vastly overpriced 'conventional' airline tickets!

[This message has been edited by marbuck (edited 09-26-2003).]