Miniumum Savings Needed - Hidden City
May 25, 2018, 8:12 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: SW RR
Posts: 59
Miniumum Savings Needed - Hidden City
What is everyone's minimum savings needed in order for you to book a hidden city since there are some risks involved.
I have only completed 1 hidden city flight. I've reserved it many times but have always reverted back to a nonhidden city booking when prices were close to comparable.
Anyway I have been researching CLE-LAS for my October trip. Currently it is $258 or 17,689pts for CLE-LAS. I can get it for $211 or 13,641pts in a hidden city. Difference of $47 or 4,048pts
For the LAS-CLE, it is $198 or 13,392pts. I can get a hidden city for $176 or 11,392pts. Difference of $22 or 1,943pts.
I have only completed 1 hidden city flight. I've reserved it many times but have always reverted back to a nonhidden city booking when prices were close to comparable.
Anyway I have been researching CLE-LAS for my October trip. Currently it is $258 or 17,689pts for CLE-LAS. I can get it for $211 or 13,641pts in a hidden city. Difference of $47 or 4,048pts
For the LAS-CLE, it is $198 or 13,392pts. I can get a hidden city for $176 or 11,392pts. Difference of $22 or 1,943pts.
May 25, 2018, 9:15 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,699
It really depends on the markets and how WN is trying to market (exploit) it likely due to competition or the lack of. You might be better off overall in the absence of opportunities.
May 25, 2018, 9:18 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
WN does not prohibit hidden city ticketing so there is no associated fraud risk.Other carriers, there are risks which run from don't do this to don't do this often. With WN, it truly does not matter whether you do this once, all the time, or never.
The sole question is whether the time you spend looking for the opportunity exceeds the value of the savings. You can do this for $1 savings and it's worth it if you have nothing better to do with your life.
You don't check bags, you board flight #1 and you disembark at what would have been the connection point and leave the airport rather than heading to flight #2 . You have paid for the ticket to flight #2 's destination which is less than the cost of the ticket to flight #1 and you are done with it. WN does not care and you have saved money.
The sole question is whether the time you spend looking for the opportunity exceeds the value of the savings. You can do this for $1 savings and it's worth it if you have nothing better to do with your life.
You don't check bags, you board flight #1 and you disembark at what would have been the connection point and leave the airport rather than heading to flight #2 . You have paid for the ticket to flight #2 's destination which is less than the cost of the ticket to flight #1 and you are done with it. WN does not care and you have saved money.
May 25, 2018, 9:36 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: SW RR
Posts: 59
Biggest risk is that flight that stops in LAS is canceled. SW will only try to find a flight for me to whatever destination I originally made the reservations for. Most likely it will NOT have a layover in LAS.
May 25, 2018, 10:26 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
You can go into any of the airline forums on FlyerTalk and try Advanced Search on 'hidden city' or 'hidden city ticketing'.
A lot of risk will depend on the route network - do they have lots of ways to route you XXX-ZZZ as ticketed without going through your desired destination YYY? Then, do you feel lucky?
As for the question what it's worth, that makes no more sense than asking us how much we would pay for pearl/tri-coat paint on a new car. It's your money. It's your risk tolerance.
A lot of risk will depend on the route network - do they have lots of ways to route you XXX-ZZZ as ticketed without going through your desired destination YYY? Then, do you feel lucky?
As for the question what it's worth, that makes no more sense than asking us how much we would pay for pearl/tri-coat paint on a new car. It's your money. It's your risk tolerance.
May 25, 2018, 10:27 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,699
Good point although I don't think they do anything for you automatically, you need to call in and work it. Worst case you take the same flight the next day? Really hard to plan around a possible (remote) cancellation,
May 25, 2018, 12:26 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DFW
Posts: 1,249
Explicit permission for hidden city is no longer in T&C. Not prohibited but not explicitly allowed.
Don’t know actual WN policy on irrops rebooking but worst case with a hidden city points reservation with irrops is they could insist you fly to ticketed destination or consider you a no show and refund points. You would then need to rebook at current point cost.
Don’t know actual WN policy on irrops rebooking but worst case with a hidden city points reservation with irrops is they could insist you fly to ticketed destination or consider you a no show and refund points. You would then need to rebook at current point cost.
Last edited by AFAM-DFW; May 25, 2018 at 12:42 pm
May 25, 2018, 2:45 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: WN F9 HA UA AA IHG HH MR
Posts: 3,305
May 25, 2018, 11:36 pm
#11
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
For cash I would pay the higher price and earn RR points. (Hidden city cash tickets earn zero points.)
For points I would probably book the hidden city ticket.
For points I would probably book the hidden city ticket.
May 26, 2018, 1:32 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,073
Explicit permission for hidden city is no longer in T&C. Not prohibited but not explicitly allowed.
Don’t know actual WN policy on irrops rebooking but worst case with a hidden city points reservation with irrops is they could insist you fly to ticketed destination or consider you a no show and refund points. You would then need to rebook at current point cost.
Don’t know actual WN policy on irrops rebooking but worst case with a hidden city points reservation with irrops is they could insist you fly to ticketed destination or consider you a no show and refund points. You would then need to rebook at current point cost.
OOOPPPSSSS
Missed the word IRROP in your post. Yes, in an IRROP, it could be a big problem.
May 28, 2018, 4:27 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: at 35,000 feet
Programs: WN A-List; Hyatt Glob: CC/HH Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 1,473
I'd only do this if it's a continuing flight, that way you'd still earn the points (if that is still the case since 1 year ago). You'd scan your boarding pass only at the departure city and let FA or GA know you are not continuing on so they have an accurate head count. Agreed that this is easier with a points booking, if anything goes wrong you'd still get your points back after the flight.
May 28, 2018, 7:23 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,485
For $47, I'd do it. For $20, maybe not. Also I don't do it too often.
I would say, don't forget that one of the pitfalls is if something happens and then they re-route you, you'd end up in the hidden city instead of the one you wanna be in!
I would say, don't forget that one of the pitfalls is if something happens and then they re-route you, you'd end up in the hidden city instead of the one you wanna be in!
May 30, 2018, 4:25 pm
#15
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: EY
Posts: 852
Is there any way to get the baggage checked to the hidden city only? Presumably we would have to go to the full service counter, not the kiosks, and if the agents ask, tell them you need some items from your bags during your layover? Obviously that wouldn't make sense if you are on the same plane continuing onwards and not changing planes, but I'm sure both you and the agent can do a wink and a nod to figure it out. Or that you need to give the luggage to someone who will meet you at the hidden city airport