Most Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions on /r/travel (and /r/flights):Flights and Airlines
Can I buy a flight A–B–C and only fly the A–B leg?
This is known as “hidden-city ticketing”. Doing this is against the contracts of carriage for most airlines, but it is possible. However, do note the following caveats:- If A-B-C is actually just A-B-A (a round-trip), then this is called throw-away ticketing. You can definitely just fly the A-B leg and not fly the return leg B-A.
- Once you miss the B–C flight, any remaining flights on that itinerary are cancelled. So this would only work on a one-way flight, or on the return journey of a round-trip ticket.
- Ideally, you should only travel with carry-on bags. Bags will usually be tagged all the way through to the final destination City C, making it hassle to pick up bags at City B. Note that there are times when you would need to retrieve bags at City B anyway (e.g. in countries, like Japan, Canada, and the U.S., where you must clear customs at the first airport). Alternatively, on very long layovers, you may be able to ask the airline to “short-check” your bags.
- The airline has the right to reroute you away from City B. If, for example, your A–B flight has been severely delayed or canceled, they might reroute you through another City D (A–D–C), skipping your desired Destination B altogether.
- You will need to meet any entry requirements for City C. For example, if you are flying from Toronto to Moscow via Frankfurt, you must still have a Russian visa (or meet Russian entry requirements) even if you plan to disembark at Frankfurt; otherwise, you may be denied boarding in Toronto.
- If you have an interruption of greater than 24 hours at B, you will have to pick up checked bags anyway, and the airline will not reroute you away from B as it is considered a stopover, not a layover. Further, entry requirements for C would likely not be checked at A (rather, only B would be checked) in this scenario.
Can I buy a flight A–B–C and only fly the B–C leg?
No, you cannot. Once you miss the A–B flight, the remainder of your itinerary is cancelled.What if A–B and B–C are on separate airlines?
Still no.When is the best time to book flights?
It’s not an exact science. Studies suggest the best time to book is between three and ten weeks prior to departure, but this is not always true, especially during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season.See the guide to airfare search engines for more information.
I recently booked a flight, and the price went down. Is there a way to recoup the difference?
Since the start of the pandemic, some airlines have made their fares less restrictive. Resultingly, on some airlines, even at cheaper fares, there may be no fees for changing flights. Although you would be responsible for the price difference on a higher-priced flight, this would also mean that you could change your flight to a lower-priced one and recoup the difference as a credit. Note some airlines do not permit you to "change" to the exact same flights and recoup the difference.Further, some online travel agencies, and some airlines were certain countries’ laws (e.g. in the U.S.), may allow a grace period of about 24 hours, during which flights may be cancelled without penalty.
I booked a flight and it has a layover of [insert time here]. Is that enough time to transfer?
The airline is not going to allow you to book a connection you cannot possibly make. It may not be ideal, and it may not leave you much time to saunter, but it should be enough time assuming an on-time arrival of your inbound flight. If there are delays that cause you to miss your connection, the airline(s) will re-accommodate you.Note that this advice only applies to flights bought on a single ticket, i.e. as one transaction. When booking a journey as two or more separate tickets, you may be on your own (e.g. responsible for any change fees) if you miss your connection.
What happens when I fly on multiple airlines?
With these types of questions, the more important factor is whether you are on separate tickets. Many airlines partner with other airlines, especially for long-distance travel.On a single ticket, except in very uncommon circumstances, what you will do at every layover point is exactly what you'd do if you were on the same ticket. You'd only check in once, although you may need to retrieve and recheck bags somewhere where customs is required. Baggage allowances and fees would be based on the entire journey put together.
Gaps of greater than 24 hours will break up your journey and require you to retrieve any bags and check-in separately.