hidden-city

American  

[hid-n-sit-ee] / ˈhɪd nˌsɪt i /

adjective

1. relating to or engaged in the practice of purchasing an air ticket for a flight with a layover at one’s true destination, getting off at the layover point, and skipping the last leg of the flight in order to avoid paying a higher fare for a direct flight to one’s destination.

   The website helps travelers find hidden-city itineraries.

   Hidden-city ticketing is explicitly banned by some airlines’ terms of use.

   Hidden-city travelers do not disclose their intentions even when booking through a third party.

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Etymology

Origin of hidden-city

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

In a practice called skiplagging and hidden-city ticketing, travelers book a flight that includes at least one stop, but they leave the plane during a layover.

From Washington Times • Aug. 18, 2023

These terms and conditions also often explicitly forbid hidden-city ticketing and lay out a raft of consequences should travelers circumvent the rules.

From New York Times • Aug. 8, 2023

Airlines say that exploitation of hidden-city fares results in empty seats that could have been booked by others.

From New York Times • Aug. 8, 2023