QUICK TIPS: The risks of 'hidden city' fares

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Do you know about the airfare deal that can actually land you in court? Michael Finney has another 7 on Your Side Quick Tip for you!

We're talking about so-called "hidden city" fares. That's when you tell an airline you're going to one town but you're really going somewhere else. Here's how it works. Let's say you want to go to Houston, but it's cheaper to go to New York. Well, you book a flight to New York, but you have a stopover in Houston, so you just get out in Houston. So you have the cheaper fare, everyone's happy, right?

Not at all. The airlines hate this. Some of them will actually tell you it's illegal. Now travel hackers will tell you it's not - but do you want to be the one who ends up in court fighting over this? It could cost you a fortune.

And not only that, but a lot of airlines will no longer let you fly with them if they catch you using a hidden city fare. So -- leave the hidden city fares for the hard core hackers. Just buy a flight!

Take a look at more stories and videos by Michael Finney and 7 On Your Side.