I was trying to change my flight to a later date next week, and it ends up I can just get a one way ticket a lot cheaper than actually changing the flight. Can I do this and just not show up to my earlier flight?? Has anyone done this??

Welcome to FT..
There are some threads on this if you search.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forums/show...kipping+flight
If your original flight was a oneway you are fine but if there are more legs you are trying to use from the original itinerary you are not.If you don't show up all of the later flights will be canceled. You will have to refare if you want to use the later legs of the trip.

u mean i would have to buy a new ticket for my return flight if i dont show up to my departing flight?

Yea if you don't show up for the first flight the entire itinerary is canceled. You would be considered a no show.

thanks, would this would work if i wanted to change my return flight, only since there would be no more flights to cancel in my itinerary?

The rule of thumb is that if you don't show up for a flight and the airline doesn't know about it, they will cancel the rest of your itinerary. If you don't show up for the last flight in an itinerary, there is nothing left to cancel. So if it's cheaper, go ahead and book that one way.

Once in a while is OK, but if you do this on a regular basis the airline will probably give you trouble about it.

Dropping the last leg is ok but not the first.
When you change your flights the airline is giving you credit from the old ticket price - a change fee and applying it to the new ticket. You would be free to change both legs if you wanted but the refare may not save you any money. You may be best just purchasing a new ticket. It depends on the airline and the change fee. If you were flying united and the original flight cost under $150(if there is a flight under $150) you would receive no credit because the cost of the flight would be less the the change fee. If the flight cost $300 and the new flight costs $450 you total out pocket expense is is $600. $300 for the orignal ticket-$150 change fee=$150 credit. The new flight costs $450-$150 credit= $300. Total cost $300 orignal ticket + $300 new refare ticket cost= $600.

thanks hoops and joseph for the info.

No big deal hope it helps...