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Thread: Would this be illegal?
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Old Feb 24, 2017 | 10:27 am
  #7  
GUWonder
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Originally Posted by KidWithDream
Sorry if this isn't the right forum for this, feel free to move if it's not.

So I'm buying a "hacker fare" to get from Pittsburgh to Chicago. To go from Pittsburgh to Chicago direct is $134. But from Pittsburgh to Miami with a layover in Chicago is $69. So I'm going to book that flight and then get off on my layover and just leave. Of course I'll only have a carry-on bag so I don't lose any of my luggage.

So far I'm okay, as people frequently do this. BUT, here's the thing. I now have a one way ticket from Chicago to Miami that's being unused. Could I give this ticket to a friend to use? What we would do is this. My friend buys a refundable ticket to wherever to get through security. He then cancels that flight and I hand him the ORD -> MIA portion of my ticket. Since they don't check ID's when boarding planes, he can simply take my ticket and go to MIA while I exit ORD and go home.

So it seems like this would definitely be doable, but would it be illegal?
It's still do-able. But it's likely a violation of the airlines' contracts -- whether or not it violates a state or federal law. It's easier if you share the same name in large part on the IDs and ticketed booking.
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