This Airline Hack May Score You Cheaper Fares and Better Seats

Looking for a luxurious (and sometimes cost-effective) way to travel between the U.S. and Europe? You may want to opt for an airline based in Asia or the Middle East. 

First, let’s get into some industry lingo. A fifth freedom flight denotes a route whereby an airline from one country transports passengers between two other countries. Although fairly unique, leveraging fifth freedoms can be a savvy way for travelers to experience an airline they otherwise wouldn’t be able to — while also possibly nabbing a deal. 

Let’s take Emirates, the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East. Of course, the airline flies numerous routes between the U.S. and Dubai. However, did you know Emirates also flies U.S. passengers between New York and Milan; Newark and Athens; and even an upcoming route between Miami and Bogota? These unique flights are opportunities to fly in opulent first-class suites synonymous with Emirates. 

“For travelers with credit card points and airline miles, the upside is even bigger,” Kyle Potter, a travel expert and executive editor at Thrifty Traveler, tells Travel + Leisure. If sipping Dom Perignon and nibbling on blinis topped with caviar is on your wish list, these fifth freedoms also provide the ability to redeem fewer Emirates miles than the longer-distance flights from the U.S. all the way to Dubai. 

“I'd say the fifth freedom route between New York and Milan is the single best way for most travelers to catch a flight with Emirates — whether they're in economy, sitting at the onboard bar in business class, or showering off in first class,” says Potter. 

Emirates is certainly not the only carrier that offers fifth freedom flights. Singapore Airlines, for instance, a longtime T+L favorite, flies a popular route from New York to Frankfurt, as well as a Houston to Manchester service. Travelers can sometimes spend their points and miles on these routes at a fraction of the cost of an ultra-long-haul flight from the U.S. to Singapore. 

Many other international carriers also fly fifth freedoms in various parts of the world. Those routes include Hong Kong and Bangkok (Ethiopian Airlines and Emirates); Nassau and Grand Cayman (British Airways); Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires (Air Canada, Ethiopian Airlines, Swiss, and Turkish Airlines); and many more. Fares, either paid in cash or in miles, are often extremely competitive. 

Potter adds, “Air travel in the jet age has opened up the world, and fifth freedom routes open up the airline world just a little bit more to all of us.”