The Truth About Mistake Fares
When a $200 ticket to London is tempting—and risky
You're scrolling through flight search engines on a Tuesday morning when you spot it: a roundtrip ticket from New York to London for $89. Your heart skips. Your finger hovers over 'Book Now.' But before you click, pause.
These are mistake fares—pricing errors where airlines accidentally publish flights at a fraction of their real cost. They're real, they happen regularly, and yes, sometimes you can actually fly for that price. But here's what travel agents won't always tell you: airlines reserve the right to cancel your booking, and they often do.
What Exactly Is a Mistake Fare?
A mistake fare occurs when an airline (or more commonly, a third-party booking system) inputs incorrect pricing data. This might happen because:
- Currency conversion errors: A ticket priced in one currency gets converted incorrectly
- Decimal point mistakes: $500 becomes $50.00
- System glitches: Outdated pricing rules remain active when they shouldn't
- Third-party errors: Online travel agencies input wrong base fares
- Fuel surcharge miscalculations: A missing or multiplied surcharge creates massive gaps
These aren't rare—they happen several times a month across major airlines. In 2022, United accidentally released flights from San Francisco to Honolulu for $17 roundtrip. In 2019, Norwegian Air sold transatlantic fares to Europe for under $70 due to a system malfunction.
Where to Find Mistake Fares
Specialized Websites
If you're determined to hunt for deals, these communities track and share mistake fares:
- Frequent Flyer Talk and similar aviation forums: Where enthusiasts document errors in real-time
- Scott's Cheap Flights: A paid newsletter that alerts subscribers to mistakes and deals
- Secret Flying: Tracks global pricing errors and deep discounts
- Airfare Alert Blogs: Fan-run sites dedicated to catching computational errors
DIY Methods
Set up fare alerts on multiple platforms: Google Flights, Kayak, and Skyscanner have different data sources. Sometimes errors appear on one but not another.
Unusual routing combinations: Search for indirect routes that airlines haven't properly repriced. A mistake might affect New York to Tokyo directly, but not New York → Los Angeles → Tokyo.
Off-peak travel dates: Check Tuesday-Wednesday departures in September or January. These less-popular dates sometimes get caught in repricing errors.
International booking engines: Foreign versions of airline websites sometimes have different pricing. Thailand's booking engine might show different fares than the US version of the same airline.
The Pros: Why People Still Book Them
Genuine Savings
If the airline honors your booking (they sometimes do), you've scored 60-80% off a real ticket.
No Refund Risk If You Fly
Once you're on the plane with a boarded ticket, airlines rarely cancel. The battle is in the booking phase.
Media Attention = Leverage
Large, publicized errors sometimes get honored after social media pressure (see: Air Canada example above).
Travel Bucket List Moments
A $200 ticket to [Iceland](/resources/countries/iceland) or [Portugal](/resources/countries/portugal) suddenly makes that dream trip financially possible.
The Cons: Why Travel Agents Often Advise Against Them
Cancellation Without Recourse
Airlines can cancel your booking outright. You'll receive your money back, but no compensation, and you lose the low fare.
Emotional (and Financial) Rollercoaster
Booking a cheap ticket, getting excited, then having it cancelled days later creates real travel planning stress.
Hidden Liabilities
Some airlines have been known to demand payment from customers post-booking if the error is discovered before departure.
Credit Card Chargebacks Don't Help
If you attempt to dispute the refund after cancellation, you're essentially fighting an airline—and you'll likely lose.
Travel Insurance Won't Cover This
Most travel insurance policies explicitly exclude 'errors in pricing' from coverage.
Planning Uncertainty
Can't plan accommodation, time off work, or arrange connections confidently when your flight might vanish.
I booked a $76 roundtrip to London and was genuinely convinced I'd made an error while booking. Then the confirmation came through. Three days later, the airline cancelled it. The emotional investment in that trip made the cancellation hurt almost as much as a real loss.
The Legal Gray Zone
Laws vary significantly by region:
United States
The U.S. Department of Transportation ruled in 2022 that airlines are not obligated to honor mistake fares. However, they are required to refund your money promptly if they cancel.
European Union
EU Regulation 261/2004 covers flight cancellations, but does not treat pricing errors differently. Airlines can cancel mistake bookings without providing compensation.
Canada
Canadian regulations are similar to the EU. Pricing errors aren't considered the airline's breach of contract.
Australia and Other Regions
Most jurisdictions side with airlines. Consumer protection laws generally don't override 'clear error' clauses in terms of service.
The one exception: If the airline allows you to complete the purchase and receive a confirmation without obvious error indicators, some regulators have ruled they must honor it.
Should You Actually Book a Mistake Fare? A Decision Tree
Book it IF:
- You're flexible and don't have time-sensitive plans (can rebook on short notice)
- The destination is somewhere you'd genuinely want to visit anyway
- You've got a secondary travel date as backup
- The error is massive (99% of normal price = extremely unlikely to be honored)
- You have the financial cushion to lose this money if cancelled
Skip it IF:
- You've already booked accommodations or activities
- You need to request time off work
- It's a once-in-a-lifetime trip with set dates
- You have family depending on the itinerary
- The savings only make sense if the fare sticks
- You can't afford a last-minute rebooking at regular prices
Real-World Examples: When It Worked (and When It Didn't)
The Win: United San Francisco → Honolulu ($17)
In 2012, United published roundtrip flights from San Francisco to Honolulu for $17. Thousands booked. Despite the massive error, United honored nearly all of them—partly due to overwhelming social media attention and partly because cancelling would have created a PR nightmare. Passengers flew for 99% off.
Lesson: High-volume errors with media attention sometimes get honored.
The Loss: Lufthansa Worldwide Pricing Error (2018)
Lufthansa's system accidentally discounted tickets globally by 50%. They cancelled over 13,000 bookings within 36 hours, refunding passengers. No compensation, no negotiation. The lesson: European airlines tend to act faster and more decisively on pricing errors.
Lesson: Major airlines have sophisticated error-detection systems and will catch and cancel quickly.
The Unexpected Win: Turkish Airlines Istanbul Routes (2016)
A routing error made one-way Istanbul fares cost less than the roundtrip. Turkish Airlines eventually honored these bookings, possibly because passengers had already flown out and cancelling mid-trip would've been logistically impossible.
Lesson: If you get on the plane before they catch it, you're usually safe.
Alternatives to Mistake Fares: Legitimate Ways to Save Big
If you're seeking the thrill of a deep discount without the risk, consider these legal strategies:
Set Up Proper Fare Alerts
Google Flights, Hopper, and Kayak track legitimate price drops on your target routes. You'll catch real sales faster.
Book Flights Strategically
Fly on Tuesdays-Wednesdays, in the early morning. Avoid Friday-Sunday and holiday periods. This can save 15-30% without risk.
Use Multi-City Bookings
Sometimes routing London → New York → Toronto costs less than London → New York, purely because of how pricing rules work. It's legal and it works.
Leverage Airline Credit Cards
Spenk $3,000 in three months, earn 50,000 miles = free flight across the US or Canada.
Book Long Layovers
A flight with a 12-hour stopover in Iceland costs less than a direct flight, and you get to explore Reykjavik. Win-win.
Book Through Error-Friendly Agencies
Travel agencies sometimes absorb losses from cancelled mistake fares as a customer service gesture. For high-value bookings, using an agency can provide a safety net.
Final Thoughts: Risk vs. Reward
Mistake fares exist in a legal and ethical gray zone. Airlines technically don't have to honor them. But sometimes they do. The question isn't really 'Can I book this?'—it's 'Can I afford to lose this money if it doesn't work out?'
If you're the type of traveler who can laugh off a $500 loss and pivot to a different trip, hunt away. If you're planning a meticulously coordinated, months-in-advance journey, the uncertainty probably isn't worth it.
The best deals aren't always the cheapest ones—they're the ones you can actually use without stress. Sometimes that's a mistake fare. Usually, it's a legitimately discounted ticket you booked strategically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an airline legally cancel my mistake fare booking?
Yes, in virtually all jurisdictions. Airlines have explicit language in their terms of service reserving the right to cancel bookings containing errors. The U.S. DOT, IATA, EU, and most other aviation authorities have ruled that pricing mistakes don't constitute binding contracts. If you book a $50 flight that should cost $500, the airline can cancel and refund your $50. Some exceptions exist (e.g., if you've already boarded), but they're rare.
Has anyone actually flown on a mistake fare?
Yes, thousands of people have. Major examples include the United San Francisco-Honolulu $17 flights (mostly honored) and Air Canada Toronto-Tokyo $128 fares (largely honored after media pressure). However, an estimated 30-40% of publicized mistake fares get cancelled before departure. Smaller, less-publicized errors have higher cancellation rates.
Will my travel insurance cover a cancelled mistake fare booking?
No. Standard travel insurance explicitly excludes pricing errors and airline mistakes from coverage. Some premium policies might offer a flight cancellation rider, but it would only apply if the airline actually cancels a route—not due to an error being corrected. Insurance won't help here.