Airlines HATE This Trick—How One Traveler Flew to Bali for $19 (And How You Can Too!)

A flight flew to Bali, one of the most scenic travel destinations in the world for hardly $19? Impossible, you say? Not to one intelligent traveler who had successfully pulled this off with a little-known travel hack that airlines dearly want to cover up. A full-fledged guide in which BlogFuel finally spills everything there is to know about travel the budget one, how it works, why airlines hate it, and how you can cash in on air travel at true giveaway prices.

$19 Flight to Bali: Too Good To Be True?

Like that of a recent viral post that cried foul in the travel world after a traveler, known only as James (like other online celebrities, his name was withheld for privacy), had bragged about booking a flight for only $19 from L.A. to Bali.

Most travelers shelling out anywhere from $600 to $1,200 for the same trip would call James just a little lucky under a loophole that airlines prefer not to advertise.

So what’s the trick? Here’s how it works:

The Secret the Airlines Don’t Want You to Know

James got about free because of hidden-city ticketing, airline award programs, error fares, and, of course, credit card points. Here’s how it works and how you can put them into effect.

Hidden-City Ticketing (Careful—A Loophole Airlines Deplore!) 

What is it?

The strategy consists of getting a cheaper fare ticket with an intervening stop at the actual destination, just to forgo the second portion of the trip.

Instance: 

Getting a direct flight from New York to Bali might set you back around a grand.

Getting to Bali while going from New York to Sydney stopover might just cost you around $600. 

That way, you just ditch the second leg of your ticket and skip the long flight.

Why Airlines Hate It:

It creates loopholes through different pricing algorithms the airlines are using where, at times, it could even be cheaper to fly multiple legs rather than a direct flight. Because so many airlines want to discourage ticketing of this type, they punish travelers who mostly use it.

Beyond-The-Horizon Secret Tips of Hidden-City Ticketing:

• Use the Skiplagged or Hacker Fare tools on Kayak to search under the-table routes. 
• Don’t check bags, or they will go to the ultimate destination. 
• Lay low with this trick; it is being tracked by airlines. 

Airline Reward Programs Exploitation

Another important account in this whole thing was running after maximizing potential from airline rewards programs for both earning and redeeming points.

Ways:

• Multiple Enrollments in Frequent Flyer Programs: Most major airlines offer free rewards programs that let you accumulate miles just for signing up with such programs.
• No flights? Do not fret. You can still be collecting miles.
• Welcome Bonuses: Some travel credit cards give you upwards of 50,000 bonus miles once you sign on, plus some additional spending within the first few months. James used to redeem his airline miles for most of his ticket cost, reducing the remaining taxes and fees to as little as $19.

Error Fare Hunting

What Are Error Fares? 

These fares arise primarily due to errors on the part of the airlines or booking sites. Price errors for low flights that last for a very limited time can crop up due to:

• Mistakes in currency conversions
• Errors catching human consciousness during price input
• Errors approximately in the airline’s internal inventory systems 

Finding Error Fares: 

• Keep using Secret Flying, The Flight Deal, Airfarewatchdog, and some other sites to find these error fares.
• Do not even think of any delays! Error fares are quickly rectified and are likely to vanish in no time; thus, book as soon as you spot one.
• Flexibility is the name of the game: have any travel date in mind, as an error fare usually won’t last that long.

James purchased himself a business-class ticket for $150 that should have cost quite a fortune, which he even went further to downgrade to an absurd $19 miles.

Credit Card Travel Tricks

Traveling credit cards are another trick that has helped James a lot. He fully leveraged the high-reward travel credit card, earning his maximum points for regular purchases.

Top Travel Cards to Consider: 

• Chase Sapphire Preferred: 60,000 points after $4,000 in the first 3 months.
• Amtrak Guest Rewards World MasterCard: Heavy lounge access and great reward points.
• Capital One Venture X: Points are redeemable on practically any travel purchase.

How James Past-Mailed a Ticket. 

• Points are accrued through daily purchases and travel purchases.
• Used most of the sign-up bonus for his ticket.
• The points were fairly redeemed for his booking of the ticket, which made him pay $19 out of pocket.

Is This Doable By 2025?

For sure – it’ll hold forever! Airlines always try to black-label loopholes, but it is 100 percent legal to do so when you comply with the legalities. Just a few caveats:

• Hidden-city ticketing is in popularity and invites peril, as some airlines will rob your mileage if they catch you overly abusing it.
• Error fares will be on tenders in no time; such speed is your friend.
• Travel card rewards use cashback only on responsible spending, without going into debt.

Stick to James, make those loopholes work, and this way you will ethically enjoy quite a few travels for almost free.

Final Words: You’re Off to Adventure for Less- 

Go on and try out all the things you have learned about the forbidden travel hacks the airlines won’t talk about.

James Flew to Bali for $19 Just Like So: 

• Hidden-city ticketing saved hundreds of dollars. 
• Ate away a chunk of free miles courtesy of airline reward programs.  
• Booked an error fare before the fare was corrected. 
• Used travel credit cards to pay for the remaining costs.

Not just one lucky traveler has been able to pull off these tricks-do it yourself! Check Skiplagged, error-fare sites, and travel-credit-card bonuses for unbelievably cheap air fares.

It’s about how not to slog it away; travel smarter with BlogFuel. Remember these hacks and what you dream about might give way to these hacks.