Ever use a layover as a destination?

[TCups4Me]

Not Disney related but you guys offer up good info and I'm in a pinch so here goes:

Dh needs to fly to Detroit from Kansas City for his uncle's funeral. Likely needs to leave Sunday. Will find out today. Flights range from $478-$1100 rt. I have also checked flights to Chicago, Cleveland and Flint, which would include a car rental.

I found a Delta flight on Kayak from Kansas City to Chicago Midway for $264. This flight includes a layover in Detroit (crazy). Can he use Detroit as his final destination? The flight back also includes a layover in Detroit. Can he board in Detroit if he was not on the original Midway flight?

Thanks!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

"Hidden City/Point Beyond Ticketing" is a violation of the terms of the tickets.

If he skips a flight segment, Delta Air Lines will cancel the rest of his itinerary and his remaining tickets will become invalid.

Delta could also try to collect the fare difference between what he paid for and what he flew, but this only seems to happen in rare cases.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Take a look at Delta's Ticket Rules & Restrictions: http://www.delta.com/content/www/en...es-and-tickets/ticket-rules-restrictions.html

Scroll down to "Prohibited Practices," read the definition of "Point-beyond ticketing," and then read how Delta can deal with violations.

It's not worth the risk.

The other legacy carriers (United, American, US Airways) have essentially the same rules about prohibited practices.

 

[TCups4Me]

Thanks for the quick reply. I appreciate it! Looks like we'll fork over the$500 and not look back.

 

[winthropf]

Contact the airline directly and ask if they have a bereavement fare available. This is sometimes available for much less than full fare.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Good point! Delta is one of the few airlines that still has bereavement fares: http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/special-travel-needs/bereavement.html

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Bereavement fares are usually no bargain.

The only way you can get off at a stop where you change planes and not continue to the final destination is on your way home, providing you haven't checked bags. If you try this on your originating flight, your return ticket home will be canceled.

No, you're not supposed to do this, but if you don't make a habit of it, nothing will happen.

And no, if your ticket is for (example) IAD-IAH-SAN, you can't board in Houston. Your ticket would have been cancelled when you didn't board at Dulles.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Why not use priceline. I have used them for several funerals where I needed a last minute flight and got great deals!

US air goes into Toledo Express

 

[LBIJim]

You coud try booking two separate one way tickets. One the cheap fare from KC to Chicago via Detroit. The second from Detroit to Kansas City. That combo might be cheaper than the KC-Detroit round trip. Just get off in Detroit and throw away the Chicago boarding pass. Yes, it's against Delta's rules but it's extremely unlikely that anything bad will happen.

Jim

 

[supersnoop]

Bereavement fares are usually no bargain.

Bereavement fares usually come with more flexibility, but aren't usually less expensive. If you don't know which day you'll need to return, they make a lot of sense.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Bereavement fares usually come with more flexibility, but aren't usually less expensive. If you don't know which day you'll need to return, they make a lot of sense.

Bereavement fares are typically a small percentage (such as 5%) off the full unrestricted coach price. This can be good deal if only last-minute unrestricted coach tickets are still available and or if uncertain plans make the flexibility worth the extra cost.

Bereavement fares are going away. I think American eliminated them yesterday. Delta might be the only airline that still has them -- so watch for Delta to get rid of them too.

 

[MarthaJr.]

I agree with getting one way tickets. This is what I would suggest. Try kayak.com and you can see fares for multiple airlines, times and days all on the same screen. Sorry for your loss and best of luck to you in finding a flight that works best for you.

 

[MarthaJr.]

oops! one more thing... you wont find Southwest Airlines on kayak. I'm not sure about spirit airlines or jet blue.