How to Save with Spare Multicity Ticketing

A spare multicity flight is a cheaper ticket with an extra journey to a different city. It is a powerful form of throwaway ticketing, as the range of options you can scan for is virtually endless. Unlike a spare return ticket, where only the cheapest return date can be optimized, a spare multicity let's you also optimize by destination. This strategy also helps you avoid the risks and pitfalls associated with hidden-city ticketing.

What is a spare multicity flight?

Say you plan on traveling from New York to Los Angeles.

Instead of booking a one-way, you book a multicity trip that flies to San Diego afterward, saving $100. You may decide to use it or not, the fare is lower regardless.

Is spare multicity different that hidden-city ticketing?

This strategy differs from a layover exit flight. While still part of the same ticket, the extra flight in this case is a separate journey leaving at a later date - e.g. several month later in the above-mentioned example. This approach allows you to check a bag, avoids the risks associated with itinerary changes, and isn’t typically frowned upon by airlines.

See our Guide to Airglitch Booking Strategies to learn about other strategies covered by Airglitch and how they work.

Why would I book a spare multicity ticket?

The main reason is to save money. However, the extra journey can serve another travel plan. If you are unsure about a future trip but your next flight gets cheaper anyway, you can try to have the extra leg set for a date and destination that you might want to use later. Another reason might be to avoid the pitfalls of hidden-city ticketing. If you hesitate between two of these options and the spare multicity is only slightly more expensive, it might be worth the extra cost.

How can I book a spare multicity ticket?

Airglitch automatically finds spare multicity tickets for you. Search for your desired itinerary, and if a cheaper spare multicity option is found, the platform will show you instructions on how to book it directly with the airline.

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If you are interested in the extra destination, you can try with a different date that suits you better - you are likely to still get a cheaper fare. You can also search for spare multicity options manually on the flight search engine of your choice. Look for the multicity search option, and try several destinations at once on the extra leg while shuffling through different dates.

Can I get in trouble for a spare multicity flight?

Virtually not. Unlike hidden-city ticketing, spare multicity ticketing has no record of being frowned upon by airlines. The latter is also perfectly safe in most cases, but airlines have been known to take action against passengers who use hidden-city flights frequently - even if it remains largely anecdotal. In the case of a spare multicity, you are completing either all or none of the segments from a given journey, you won't be checked in on the flight you drop. It is equivalent to a no-show, which is a common practice.

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