Can I get off at my second layover? (low cost, Paris, airlines)

[southkakkatlantan]

I found a flight into Europe with 2 layovers to the inbound destination I want...however I'd be willing to get off at the 2nd layover city instead.


Reason being to have a day in the layover city...if I spend the night there it will sortof "break up the trip" for me and make it less daunting than going through the entire flight with 2 layovers straight to my destination.


Does this pose any risks come time to fly back to the US? My inbound city is a different one than my outbound city if that makes any difference....

[flyonpa]

Some Airlines allow a "Free" layover in there "Hub" city. But it needs to be booked that way.

If you just get off the plane on its 2nd stop (Assuming you have no bags checked), and don't continue to the Final Destination. They will cancel you ticket back to the US (Return Ticket), and they are allowed within the Fare Rules to Recalculate your fare a One-Way Walk-up Fare from the origination point to the 2nd city (could be $5-7K ??)

[flyonpa]

Most Airlines do allow a "Open Jaw"

Where you can get off at 2nd city, and return from 3rd city on a Round Trip Ticket.

But it as to be ticketed that way.

[barneyg]

As others have said, the airline will likely cancel your return ticket if you don't show up on all segments on the outbound.

What's the price when you try to book the 2nd layover city as the destination on the outbound flight?

[Aredhel]

Originally Posted by southkakkatlantan

I found a flight into Europe with 2 layovers to the inbound destination I want...however I'd be willing to get off at the 2nd layover city instead.


Reason being to have a day in the layover city...if I spend the night there it will sortof "break up the trip" for me and make it less daunting than going through the entire flight with 2 layovers straight to my destination.

What the others have said. What you are proposing is known as "hidden city" ticketing, and it will void the rest of your ticket if you do this. You also wouldn't be able to check a bag, since the bag would be sent on to your final destination on your ticket; you wouldn't be able to retrieve it in the layover city.

Also, where are your connecting/layover cities? Specifically, is the second city inside the US, or outside the US?

The reason I'm asking is that on a single ticket, domestic connections must be under (I believe) 4 hours in length - but a domestic to international connection can be up to 24 hours long. So if, for example, I wanted to fly Omaha - Phoenix - Los Angeles - Hong Kong, I couldn't spend any real time in Phoenix, but I could book the ticket so I arrived in Los Angeles in the evening, spend the night in LA, then fly out to Hong Kong the next day. The airline would consider that a standard connection (since the time between the arrival of the Phoenix to LA flight and the departure of the LA to Hong Kong flight is under 24 hours), not a true layover, and I wouldn't have to use the multicity tool to book the ticket or pay extra for a "layover" in that case.

Edited to add: If you want to try to book a ticket similar to the sample one I showed above, where you can spend the night in City #2 and have that count as a connection, try selecting a departure flight from your home airport that leaves in the afternoon, and see what the airline's or online travel agency's website gives you in terms of connections and price. Or just call the airline and ask a booking agent for details.

[southkakkatlantan]

Some more helpful details:


There would be two tickets, both booked with miles:


First ticket:


Chicago>London>Lisbon>Madrid: I want to get off at the second layover in Lisbon.


Second ticket:


Barcelona>Chicago

[Douglas Dakota]

If it is two seperate tickets, it may work. But it's getting complicated if you want to check luggage, because usually they check it right to the destination. Years ago I used a cheap fare on miles on YYZ-CDG-SAW and left at CDG, however it was difficult to persuade the gate people to check the luggage to Paris only, even though I had a whole day (11 hours) in Paris and told them that I need some clothes to change.

[lepoisson]

I think Iceland Air did this to increase tourism. You'd have a day or two in Iceland before getting to your final location. I'd love to do it.

[Aredhel]

Originally Posted by southkakkatlantan

There would be two tickets, both booked with miles:


First ticket:


Chicago>London>Lisbon>Madrid: I want to get off at the second layover in Lisbon.

Which frequent flyer program? Some might allow a stopover in Lisbon, but the programs I'm most familiar with would require that to be booked as two separate tickets: Chicago>London>Lisbon, then Lisbon>Madrid. And of course, being two tickets, it would cost more miles. Most frequent flyer programs have either eliminated stopovers entirely on award tickets or have made the rules regarding stopovers very restrictive.

You might want to consider booking a Chicago>London>Lisbon award ticket, then using a paid ticket on a cheap European low cost carrier for the Lisbon>Madrid segment. I'd check on momodo.com to see what your options are for a cheap Lisbon>Madrid ticket before booking any award travel.

[IonRedline08]

You can definitely find cheap flights from Lisbon to Madrid or visa versa.. I would do that instead, less risky for sure.. A quick search for a random day in January yielded flights on TAP Portugal for 36 dollars.