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FAQ: Skipping Segment, Hidden City / Point Beyond / Throw Away Ticketing (master thd)

Old Apr 18, 2013, 9:20 am
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FAQ: "Missing" or "Skipping Segments": Hidden City, Point Beyond and Throw Away Ticketing
Q. What will happen if I "skip" a segment?
A. Skipping an intermediate or end segment is most often referred to as "Hidden City / Point Beyond Ticketing" by American Airlines, and skiplagging by others; doing so invalidates the contract you have with AA regarding your ticket. AA will at least cancel the remaining segments. If the reason for missing a segment is to drop the last segment to save money on a more expensive ticket to the intermediate destination, it is called a "Hidden City / Point Beyond" ticket. American Airlines states, in the Conditions of Carriage (and more existentially in Tariff Rule 100AA):

American specifically prohibits the practices commonly known as:
Hidden City/Point Beyond Ticketing: Purchase of a fare from a point before the passenger's actual origin or to a point beyond the passenger's actual destination.
Link to American Airlines Conditions of Carriage, Ticket Validity.

Q. What about buying a round trip and not flying the return?
"Throw away" ticketing, that is purchasing a less expensive round trip ticket with the intent of not flying the return segments ("throwing away" the return tickets) is similarly frowned upon, but may be acted upon - particularly if this becomes frequent or a pattern

Q. Do American Airlines Corporate Security / AAdvantage Fraud have people and algorithms running in the background that check for these?
Assuredly, yes. Can people be found liable for fees and/or lose their accounts / status / miles? Yes, we have had many reports on FT, and the risk increases for repeaters. Can people be criminally or civilly prosecuted? Doubtful. (Link to article on Contract Fraud.)

Q. Would I get in trouble skipping the final segment?
A. Possibly not, if you don't do this on other than the rare occasion, but there is risk.

Q. Can I short check my baggage?
A. In most cases, you may find it difficult, unless you have an overnight connection, must retrieve your baggage for customs or because your connection does not offer interlining of baggage.

Q. Will I get my EQ and Award Miles.
You will likely accrue miles for the segments you actually flew. But skiplagging could result in miles confiscation and potentially account closure.

Q. Can I claim the residual value for the unused segment?
Au contraire; with a hidden city / point beyond ticket, you owe AA money under their rules. United and Lufthansa have billed skiplaggers, AA may have.

Q. What has AA said they can do to me about hidden city or throwaway ticketing?
Passengers who attempt to use hidden city tickets may be denied boarding, have the remainder of their ticket confiscated and may be assessed the difference between the fare paid and the lowest applicable fare.
A highly recommended article on this topic is 3 Words on Hidden City Ticketing: Dont Do It (link) from ExpertFlyer, 27 Feb 2019.

Archived older posts may be read here.

For Conditions of Carriage - Ticket Validity and Letter used by AA:
AA Hidden City and Point Beyond Ticketing:

Skipping an intermediate or end segment is referred to as "Hidden City / Point Beyond Ticketing" by American Airlines, and doing so invalidates the contract you have with AA regarding your ticket. AA will generally cancel the remaining segments, and if it is dropping the last segment to save money on a more expensive ticket to the intermediate destination, it is called the "Hidden City" ticket.

The entire Conditions of Carriage, the contract that governs your ticket (in additon to the Detailed Fare Rules attached to your fare class and readable prior to purchase), are here: CONDITIONS OF CARRIAGE.

The specific language regarding Hidden City and Point Beyond Ticketing is here:
TICKET VALIDITY - COMPLIANCE WITH TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE

Tickets are valid for travel only when used in accordance with all terms and conditions of sale. Terms and conditions of sale include but are not limited to:
  1. The passenger's itinerary, as stated on the ticket or in the passenger's reservation record,
    • Any requirement that the passenger stay over a specified date or length of time (for example, Saturday night or weekend) at the destination specified on the ticket.
    • Any special purpose or status (for example, age in the case of senior citizen or children's discounts, military status in the case of a military fare, official government business in the case of a government fare, or attendance at a qualified event in the case of a meeting or convention fare) that entitles the passenger to a special or reduced rate, or
    • Any other requirement associated with the passenger's fare level.
Unless a ticket is reissued by American or its authorized agent upon payment of applicable charges, or an authorized representative of American waives applicable restrictions in writing, a ticket is invalid:
  1. If used for travel to a destination other than that specified on the ticket,
    • If the passenger fails to comply with applicable stay-over requirements,
    • If the passenger does not meet the purpose or status requirement associated with the fare category on the ticket, or
    • If American determines that the ticket has been purchased or used in a manner designed to circumvent applicable fare rules.
American specifically prohibits the practices commonly known as:
  • Back to Back Ticketing: The combination of two or more roundtrip excursion fares end to end for the purpose of circumventing minimum stay requirements.
  • Throwaway Ticketing: The usage of roundtrip excursion fare for one-way travel, and
  • Hidden City/Point Beyond Ticketing: Purchase of a fare from a point before the passenger's actual origin or to a point beyond the passenger's actual destination.
  • Duplicate and Impossible/Illogical Bookings: Duplicate or impossible/illogical American Airlines bookings are prohibited without prior authorization from American Airlines. A duplicate or impossible/illogical booking includes, but is not limited to, bookings for the same passenger on flights traveling on or about the same date between one or more of the same or nearby origin and/or destination (such as JFKDFW and LGADFW or DFWLAX and DFWONT), or bookings with connections that depart before the arrival of the inbound flight.
  • Fraudulent, Fictitious and Abusive Bookings: Fraudulent, fictitious and/or abusive bookings are prohibited. These types of bookings are defined as any bookings made without having been requested by or on behalf of the named passenger. Additionally, creating bookings to hold or block seats for the purpose of obtaining lower fares, AAdvantage award inventory, or upgrades that may not otherwise be available, or to circumvent any of American Airlines' fare rules or policies, is prohibited without prior authorization from American Airlines.

Where a ticket is invalidated as the result of the passenger's non-compliance with any term or condition of sale, American has the right in its sole discretion to:
  1. Cancel any remaining portion of the passenger's itinerary,
    • Confiscate unused flight coupons,
    • Refuse to board the passenger or check the passenger's luggage, or
    • Assess the passenger for the reasonable remaining value of the ticket, which shall be no less than the difference between the fare actually paid and the lowest fare applicable to the passenger's actual itinerary
Sample letter from American Airlines on Hidden City Ticketing:

Dear ,

Let me take the opportunity to clarify American Airlines position on hidden city or point beyond ticketing. Purchasing a ticket to a point beyond the actual destination and getting off the aircraft at the connecting point is unethical (sic). It is tantamount to switching price tags to obtain a lower price on goods sold at department stores. Passengers who attempt to use hidden city tickets may be denied boarding, have the remainder of their ticket confiscated and may be assessed the difference between the fare paid and the lowest applicable fare.

Because we compete with other airlines with different route structures, we sometimes find it necessary to give a traveler who is traveling beyond a connecting point a better price than travelers who are just traveling to the connecting point. For example, a passenger who is traveling to Austin, Texas from Los Angeles can go on one airline via Phoenix for a price that is lower than the cost of traveling on American between Los Angeles and Dallas. If we want to offer the same price to Austin as the other airline, but the only way we can get travelers there is via Dallas, we find ourselves charging the Austin passengers less than the Dallas passengers.

Although the issuance and usage of hidden city tickets is not illegal in the sense that one could be fined or sent to jail by the government, it is unethical and a breach of a passengers (sic) contract with AA. Both tariff rule 100AA and American's Condition of Carriage, which are incorporated into every ticket sold by American as part of our agreement to carry the passenger named on the ticket, bar hidden city ticketing. In addition, it violates the agencies' contract to act as an agent for American Airlines.

If American Airlines continues to lose revenue as a result of hidden city transactions, the fares we charge must inevitably rise.

Sincerely,
In August 2020 AA went after user HappyInTheAir561 for Hidden City Ticketing, demanding payment of $2,500 or permanent closure of his AAdvantage account and loss of 600,000 miles balance. Below is the letter (missing is the 2,500 quote), and there is an entire thread about it here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...rmination.html The user says he ultimately paid the money.
Mr. XXXX,

As an analyst with American Airlines, one of my responsibilities is investigating violations of the General AAdvantage Program Conditions. An audit of your AAdvantage account, determined that you have engaged in the practice known as Hidden City ticketing; the purchase of a fare to a point beyond your actual destination. Hidden city ticketing is explicitly defined in AAs Conditions of Carriage as a violation of ticket validity. The Terms and Conditions of the AAdvantage program further state that compliance with the Conditions of Carriage is compulsory for participation in the AAdvantage program. As such, AAdvantage account XXXXXX is restricted, pending the outcome of our investigation. You may review the terms and conditions of the AAdvantage program (several parts of the terms and conditions are noted below) by clicking the link below or by copying and pasting it into your browser.

The audit of your account XXXXXwas completed on August xx, 2020. The following reservations were not issued in compliance with the AAdvantage Terms & Conditions, Conditions of Carriage or AA.com Site Usage policy:

52 HIDDEN CITY TICKETS (Included each one of the flights they believe is a hidden city ticket)

Not unlike other commodities, airline seats are market priced. A seat on a non-stop flight is a premium product and commands a higher price. Seats in connecting markets must be priced competitively and hence can be substantially cheaper. The ill-effects of point beyond ticketing are two-fold; the customer receives the flight for a price for which they arent entitled and a seat is spoiled on the separate connecting flight. An airline ticket constitutes a contract and the terms of that contract are stated explicitly in the Conditions of Carriage. Please see excerpts below.

Mr.XXXXX, these actions have resulted in clear and considerable losses to American Airlines. In addition to our loss for the travel provided, tickets booked through prohibited practices are considered fraudulent, and therefore not eligible to accrue mileage. In this case, our loss is further compounded through the Elite mileage accruals, benefits, and services used that were not otherwise available. Generally, violations of this nature subject the AAdvantage account to termination. However, we are willing to provide you with an opportunity to restore an equitable relationship through restitution for the loss on your identified travel.

You may respond to this message by 3pm, CST, Friday, August 31, 2020 stating you would like to bring your account back to good standing. At that time, the segments will be re-priced based on your intended travel and we will send you the information so that you may make the appropriate reimbursement for the travel provided. Failure to return the account to good standing or to reply, will result in the termination of your AAdvantage membership and all its benefits, including all remaining AAdvantage miles in your account and any award tickets issued from it.
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FAQ: Skipping Segment, Hidden City / Point Beyond / Throw Away Ticketing (master thd)

Old Apr 6, 2019, 10:16 am
  #406  
 
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Miami,FL
Posts: 240
You're/Were an AA Platinum and don't know that ? Yes it will be flagged. You're bypassing their fare rules.

The question is do you want to fly them again. If you do, I would suggest not doing this.
MIAman3 is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2019, 10:20 am
  #407  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
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Is it against the rules? Yes. Do people do this? Yes. Just don't make a habit of it. And consider deleting your post. AA has lurkers here.
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Old Apr 6, 2019, 10:22 am
  #408  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Programs: AA Gold
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Originally Posted by MIAman3
You're/Were an AA Platinum and don't know that ? Yes it will be flagged. You're bypassing their fare rules.

The question is do you want to fly them again. If you do, I would suggest not doing this.
95% of my AA flying is domestic... And the international travel I do on AA is typically for work with a generous travel budget so I don't have incentive to play games...
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Old Apr 6, 2019, 10:31 am
  #409  
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So your plan is to book US-EU as a one-way mileage ticket and book a separate EU-US-EU ticket? That should work to get you back into the US. How you end up using or not using the US-EU flight coupon(s) of the EU-US-EU ticket is up to you. The risk that AA goes after you as an individual passenger for this kind of practice is very low, but it can be made even lower.

I have had lots of Europe-US-Europe tickets where I sometimes havent made use of the entire ticket as originally booked. I havent had any problems because of that.
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Old Apr 6, 2019, 10:47 am
  #410  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Hoboken, NJ
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
So your plan is to book US-EU as a one-way mileage ticket and book a separate EU-US-EU ticket? That should work to get you back into the US. How you end up using or not using the US-EU flight coupon(s) of the EU-US-EU ticket is up to you. The risk that AA goes after you as an individual passenger for this kind of practice is very low, but it can be made even lower.

I have had lots of Europe-US-Europe tickets where I sometimes havent made use of the entire ticket as originally booked. I havent had any problems because of that.
Yes... That is/was the essence of my plan.. However, I think I found a better solution... Fly 77W F on the way there... Fly LEVEL in economy on the way back and then buy a one-way ticket from EWR to DFW Contrasting styles of travel but whatever works!!
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Old May 20, 2019, 4:00 pm
  #411  
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Programs: AA EP, SPG Ambassador (lifetime plat)
Posts: 247
Hidden City ticketing?

Friend told me about hidden city ticketing -- if I get a hidden city ticket and use my FF # and get out on the plane layover / but not the full flight -- will this cause problems? (I'm an elite-level flyer)
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Old May 20, 2019, 4:22 pm
  #412  
 
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It will definitely cause you problems if you have a round-trip ticket. If you're ticketed to fly AAA-BBB-CCC then CCC-BBB-AAA on the return, you staying at BBB on the outbound itinerary will invalidate the rest of the ticket. You won't have a BBB-AAA ticket to go back to your original starting point.
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Old May 20, 2019, 4:24 pm
  #413  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
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Programs: AA Lifetime Gold but PlatPro thanks to LPs
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Originally Posted by azoomee
Friend told me about hidden city ticketing -- if I get a hidden city ticket and use my FF # and get out on the plane layover / but not the full flight -- will this cause problems? (I'm an elite-level flyer)
Once you no-show for any flight segment, the entire ticket is cancelled. Be aware, as well, your bag will be checked to your final destination. You can't short-check your bag.

Conventional wisdom states:

1. Abandon only the final segment of the ticket.
2. Take carry-on luggage only.
3. Don't make a habit of it.

There are reams of debate on this forum about hidden city ticketing. Some say it's OK to fly something other than your paid-for ticket, thus saving some money. Those folks can cite countless false analogies. (Six-packs of Coke, bundled cords of wood, etc) Others say that is, essentially, theft of services from the airline. There have been instances where a person gets a bill for the true value of their past tickets, negating any savings from what the airline defines as fraud.

Personally, I'm pretty much neutral on the subject. I like to sleep well at night, so wouldn't do it myself. YMMV.
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Old May 20, 2019, 4:38 pm
  #414  
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Originally Posted by QueenOfCoach
Once you no-show for any flight segment, the entire ticket is cancelled. Be aware, as well, your bag will be checked to your final destination. You can't short-check your bag.

Conventional wisdom states:

1. Abandon only the final segment of the ticket.
2. Take carry-on luggage only.
3. Don't make a habit of it.

There are reams of debate on this forum about hidden city ticketing. Some say it's OK to fly something other than your paid-for ticket, thus saving some money. Those folks can cite countless false analogies. (Six-packs of Coke, bundled cords of wood, etc) Others say that is, essentially, theft of services from the airline. There have been instances where a person gets a bill for the true value of their past tickets, negating any savings from what the airline defines as fraud.

Personally, I'm pretty much neutral on the subject. I like to sleep well at night, so wouldn't do it myself. YMMV.
You missed step 4 - dont tell anyone about it. And certainly dont post it here.
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Old May 20, 2019, 8:06 pm
  #415  
 
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Thanks, will it create any problems for my elite status?
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Old May 20, 2019, 8:12 pm
  #416  
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Originally Posted by azoomee
Thanks, will it create any problems for my elite status?
It most definitely can. Don't do it.

Or, do it, but then don't come back complaining if you get caught.
JonNYC is offline  
Old May 20, 2019, 8:31 pm
  #417  
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Ok, thank you.... not worth the effort....
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azoomee is offline  
Old May 20, 2019, 9:43 pm
  #418  
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
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Originally Posted by JonNYC
It most definitely can. Don't do it.

Or, do it, but then don't come back complaining if you get caught.
Or, do it, and then after the missed flight, tell AA (at prefunds.aa.com) "hey, you know the unflown segment sitting out there in open status where the flight was delayed (or where the flight had a sched change or where the flight had an equip change or or or) - will you refund it?"

and when you get the refund back for the value of the segment (calculated roughly based upon distance) on your credit card in a few days, sleep comfortably that it was all done it plain sight, open and notorious
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Old May 29, 2019, 1:40 pm
  #419  
 
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Hidden City Feedback

It's been a few years since I've booked a hidden city ticket so would appreciate some feedback on the viability of my scenario.

I ended up booking a one-way award ticket to Argentina this summer and needed to get back to LAX. However, one-ways were pricey to purchase so I ended up buying EZE-LAX / LAX-JFK-EZE. The "return" leg is several months later and I actually need the LAX-JFK leg of the ticket. I intentionally booked the LAX-JFK-EZE flights with a 6.5hour connection in New York.

I guess the worst case scenario is some sort of IRROPS where I get re-routed from LAX to a different connection point. In the eventuality, I've purchased a fully refundable ticket LAX-JFK on JetBlue and will just abandon the AA ticket.

However, a couple of points that I'd appreciate some feedback on:

1. Is it an issue to do this on an international itinerary, abandoning the international segment? I'll have my passport (actually leaving for LHR a few days later from JFK not on AA) and am fully able to enter Argentina (no visa issues, etc). I won't have checked bags.

2. Do I have a strong argument to not be re-routed given that I booked a long New York connection and would make the argument that I have business to conduct there?
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Old May 29, 2019, 1:50 pm
  #420  
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Originally Posted by OskiBear
It's been a few years since I've booked a hidden city ticket so would appreciate some feedback on the viability of my scenario.

I ended up booking a one-way award ticket to Argentina this summer and needed to get back to LAX. However, one-ways were pricey to purchase so I ended up buying EZE-LAX / LAX-JFK-EZE. The "return" leg is several months later and I actually need the LAX-JFK leg of the ticket. I intentionally booked the LAX-JFK-EZE flights with a 6.5hour connection in New York.

I guess the worst case scenario is some sort of IRROPS where I get re-routed from LAX to a different connection point. In the eventuality, I've purchased a fully refundable ticket LAX-JFK on JetBlue and will just abandon the AA ticket.

However, a couple of points that I'd appreciate some feedback on:

1. Is it an issue to do this on an international itinerary, abandoning the international segment? I'll have my passport (actually leaving for LHR a few days later from JFK not on AA) and am fully able to enter Argentina (no visa issues, etc). I won't have checked bags.

2. Do I have a strong argument to not be re-routed given that I booked a long New York connection and would make the argument that I have business to conduct there?
1) No issues, doesn't matter if its int'l or domestic, and you have your bases covered re: passport, no bags, etc.

2) Absolutely. People make a stink on here all the time when this question comes up, saying "AA's only obligation is to get you to your final destination" etc. etc. While this is certainly technically true it's not how things work in reality IME. If you were to have irrops it's not as if AA will hold a gun to your head and force you onto another routing. Just call or speak to someone at the airport and you will have zero issues keeping the routing through NYC.
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