Latest news with #Skiplagged
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Travel + Leisure
5 days ago
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
Skiplagged Just Launched 2 New Tools to Help You Save Even More on Flights
From setting price alerts to using artificial intelligence, it's easier than ever to save on travel. And now one company is rolling out new tools to help passengers save even more with unconventional airline itineraries. Skiplagged, a travel company that offers discounted airline tickets through booking unconventional routes, recently rolled out new features: "Price Hacker," which issues refunds for price drops, and "Skiplagged Guarantee," which protects travelers' reservations if the airline cancels or changes a flight, a spokesperson for the company shared with Travel + Leisure . Passengers should be aware the company adds a service fee to cover the guarantee perks. "Skiplagged is always on the side of the traveler, showing all available options on flights to maximize savings for the consumer," the company said in a statement shared with T+L. "Skiplagged believes in providing transparency in pricing so travelers can make more informed decisions." When it comes to the "Price Hacker" feature, Skiplagged will automatically update the reservation if the price drops by $15 or more and issue the difference in an airline flight credit. The "Skipplaged Guarantee" allows travelers to file a claim if their flight is canceled, the route is changed, or a missed connection disrupts their travel. Customers have 24 hours to submit a claim. "Whether you book a hidden city ticket or a standard route, these tools ensure you're protected and getting the best deal possible," the company said. "Skiplagged stays with you the whole way and gives consumers peace of mind from booking to return." A sometimes controversial practice, the concept of skiplagging means booking a ticket with an extra stop and skipping the extra connecting flight (like booking a flight from Dallas to Memphis, for example, with a layover in Las Vegas when Sin City was the intended destination all along). This may result in a cheaper ticket, but airline policies explicitly prohibit the practice and any flight delays or baggage issues could end up throwing a wrench into your plans. Last year, American Airlines went after Skipplagged during which a federal court awarded the airline $9.4 million over revenue disgorgement and copyright infringement, according to Simple Flying . 'Airlines don't like skiplagging because it exposes the way they overpriced routes,' Skiplagged CEO Aktarer Zaman told T+L during an interview earlier this year. 'The reality is that if airlines wanted to eliminate this practice, they could simply adjust their pricing to make direct flights more affordable. Instead, they've chosen to enforce rules that benefit their bottom line while leaving consumers with fewer options.' Beyond skiplagging, there are other ways to score low airfare prices from setting price alerts to booking strategically, and more. Other companies also offer similar price guarantees, like Expedia, for example, whose "Price Drop Protection" service issues automatic refunds if a traveler's flight drops in value.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Yahoo
I Asked ChatGPT for 5 Legit Ways To Find the Cheapest Airline Tickets
With the general cost of living remaining high, who doesn't want to cut down on travel expenses so you can truly enjoy your downtime? In a high-tariff economy, however, costs are likely not coming down anytime soon. So how can travelers get the best deals on airline tickets? For You: Up Next: Without an immediate solution at hand, I thought to ask ChatGPT if it had some tips or tricks for legit ways to find the cheapest airline tickets — and it sure did. Some of these require a little creative planning and perhaps the airlines might not want you to know about them, but here are five AI-suggested ways to find cheap airfare. Use Hidden City Ticketing (Cautiously) ChatGPT suggested a sneaky little backdoor route known as 'hidden city ticketing' by using sites like Skiplagged to 'exploit pricing loopholes where flights with layovers are cheaper than direct routes.' Also known as skiplagging, here is how it works: You might book a ticket from Los Angeles to Atlanta with a layover in Dallas, but just get off in Dallas and pay less than if you'd flown direct to Dallas. There are cons and risks to this move, though. For example, you can't check bags and you can't do this for round trips. Additionally, airlines don't love this tactic and could cancel your future flights if you are caught doing it. They also might start raising prices to combat the trick. That's Interesting: Book With Points and Cash via Foreign Airline Portals If you've been using the same sites to book flights repeatedly or even through your own travel credit card site, you might be paying too much. ChatGPT suggested that sometimes international carriers (e.g., Turkish Airlines, ANA, Aeroplan) offer cheaper fares for the same flights. You can also try going direct to the airlines' websites. ChatGPT said, 'Some airlines offer lower prices on their home-country domains. Use a VPN to access those (e.g., Singapore Airlines Singapore site vs. US site).' Currency exchange rates can work in your favor, too. Also, try using tools like or AwardHacker to find 'award flight sweet spots.' Utilize Timing and Flex Tricks Timing and flexibility can go a long way toward a cheaper flight, ChatGPT suggested. You can try the following techniques: Book one-way tickets separately: Sometimes, it turns out that mixing and matching airlines can save more than round-trip tickets — especially on budget carriers, ChatGPT said. Use the 'cheapest month' or 'everywhere' option: Tools like Skyscanner can help you discover unexpected cheap destinations and dates. Set up alerts at offbeat times: If you don't mind rising in the middle of the night or early morning, tools like Hopper or Google Flights can score you some good deals, ChatGPT insisted. They work best when paired with alerts checked during off-peak hours (like 2-5 a.m.). Try Browser and Tech Hacks Another hack you might not know about is to open a 'clean' browser using Incognito mode, or initiate a VPN (or do both) so that you can fly under the radar of pricing manipulation that the search engines initiate as soon as you start searching for flights. Additionally, some sites specifically offer discounted flights for people who bought 'error fares' or who need to cancel a trip, such as: Going (formerly Scott's Cheap Flights) Airfarewatchdog Secret Flying Truly Out-of-the-Box Ideas If you really want to save money, ChatGPT suggested you can act like a travel agent and purchase ITA Matrix Software. This is the 'super-detailed flight search tool used by travel agents,' ChatGPT said. 'You can filter for specific airlines, routing codes, layover durations, and even fuel surcharges.' Better yet, if you're able, connect with local or regional travel agencies in the places you want to go, particularly internationally. ChatGPT just cautioned that you 'verify they're legit and accept foreign cards.' If you do this successfully, however, you might end up being the go-to booker for your friends and family. While many travelers could probably find these suggestions themselves, ChatGPT's helpful aggregation makes for a good to-do list of strategies the next time you need to book an airline ticket. More From GOBankingRates 3 Luxury SUVs That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Summer 2025 10 Genius Things Warren Buffett Says To Do With Your Money 7 Luxury SUVs That Will Become Affordable in 2025 This article originally appeared on I Asked ChatGPT for 5 Legit Ways To Find the Cheapest Airline Tickets
Skift
16-06-2025
- Business
- Skift
Skiplagged Ordered to Pay $9.4 Million to American Airlines – 'They Want to Take Us Down,' CEO Says
It's probably not the only issue at play, but if Skiplagged wasn't issuing hidden-city tickets, it might be a lot easier to get American's permission to use the airline's logo. American Airlines said it will appeal a Texas federal court ruling that sided with Skiplagged's use of the airline's name — the ruling, however, still left the flight-booking site on the hook for $9.4 million in copyright damages for use of American's logo. The ruling is the latest step in a long-running feud over Skiplagged's promotion of so-called hidden-city ticketing, which has stoked the ire of airlines for disrupting their operations. Under this scenario, flyers score cheap tickets by booking a connecting flight and departing at the connecting stop rather going on to the ultimate destination. About 30% of the flights booked on Skiplagged are for hidden-city tickets. The court ruling, which took up post-trial motions following a jury decision in October 2024, came down in early May. "We are pleased the District Court has affirmed the jury's award of $9.4 million, plus pre- and post-judgment interest, and a permanent injunction against Skiplagged for its unlawfu
Travel Weekly
26-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Skiplagged founder Aktarer Zaman on selling hidden-city tickets
The metasearch site Skiplagged has been irritating airlines for more than a decade by promoting hidden-city fares that violate airline policies. In October, the practice caught up with Skiplagged in the form of a $9.4 million judgment to American Airlines for copyright infringement for using the American logo. Airlines editor Robert Silk caught up recently with Skiplagged's founder, Aktarer Zaman. Aktarer Zaman Q: Has the judgment changed anything for Skiplagged? A: It's a big number, especially when you look at what it's for. It's definitely sad because it's for a narrow issue -- just the American logo, which we had used since our beginning because we thought we had permission to use it. I respect trademark law, etc., but here was a pretty innocent mistake on our part, and this was our penalty as a result. But that aside, everything else we won. About a year ago we stopped showing the logo for American; [it had] no effect on our business. Q: Can you explain the Skiplagged business model? How do you find these hidden cities? A: What's valuable is when a hidden city leads to a drop in the price. That's what we search for. When you want to go from A to B, we find all the Cs and Ds that lead to A to B being cheaper. We built a system that does this efficiently and well. You just search like you would anywhere else, A to B, and we just show you everything else. And we only show the ones that give you actual value. On average it saves about 50%, or about $180. Q: What percentage of your bookings involve an unused hidden city leg? A: It's only about 30% of the bookings. We're still a great platform for finding all your options, A to B. From our archives: Skiplagged's Aktarer Zaman is In the Hot Seat Q: Why do you irk airlines so much? A: Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that we are saving consumers a lot of money. Airlines hate us for this reason. Q: American lost with its claim of trademark infringement, which if successful could have prevented you from showing flights and prices. You've said that's more important than the logo display issue, right? A: It is a huge victory if you look at the big picture. The $9.4 million is a hefty fine. But at the end of the day this is a short-term obstacle. We can carry on. We can continue showing flights and prices. So this doesn't end the business. Q: The judge, in dismissing American's claim of trademark infringement due to the statute of limitations, wrote, "American got wind of Skiplagged's stinky business practices, but it waited a little too long to extinguish the stench." Not exactly an endorsement. A: What mattered from the summary judgment was that a big important part of the case fell apart. While it's not the nicest of comments, I'd like to think that as the court got to know us they got to thinking that we're not actually a stinky business. We're actually helping a lot of people. Q: I imagine not many travel advisors use you because they'd risk the airline coming down on them. What would you encourage an advisor to do? A: I would encourage them to look at the actual risks versus what they hear as rumors. We have an almost 100% success rate with hidden city. This is from hundreds of thousands of customers. You hear about airlines banning people or miles being revoked. But this almost never happens. In all of 2024, we're not aware of any occasion of this. The actual risks of anything else is super low. My advice for travel advisors is informing customers of their options is always a good thing. Tell them what the real risk is and let them make a decision.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Flight Hack Airlines Don't Want You to Know About
Airlines are facing a lot of headwinds these days--from falling consumer demand and higher costs to air traffic control issues. Now, the industry has another problem on the horizon-- the upstart Skiplagged. It's a controversial website that uncovers airfare hacks, like skipping the last leg of a flight in order to get a cheaper price. Aktarer Zaman, Skiplagged CEO joined Bloomberg Open Interest to talk about the business model. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
