Why You Should Care About Fifth Freedom Flights

As in the Singapore Airlines example above, fifth freedom flights enable you to try a new carrier and also give customers more flight options to choose from. In many cases, these carriers offer better products, departure times, and overall service than their U.S. based competitors on these routes. Especially in instances, where you can choose an airline like Singapore or Cathay Pacific who regularly top the best airline awards over a local carrier's offering.Cheap Flights from Osaka to Shanghai

When all prices are equal, I know I’d much rather fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR) on an Air Zealand’s 777 with Skycouches and free-checked baggage than an American Airlines aircraft on the same route with less leg room and a $60 one-way fee for a piece of checked luggage.

Fifth freedom routes can also connect underserved markets, like the previously mentioned Houston to Manchester flight. Before Singapore introduced the service there was no other option to fly between the two cities without a connection.

Similarly, Emirates began offering a year-round nonstop option from Newark (EWR) to Athens (ATH) last year, before continuing to its base in Dubai (DXB). Home to a large Greek population, Emirates saw an opportunity in the New York/New Jersey market and exercised its fifth freedom rights to start service on the route, much to United Airline's chagrin. While the Emirates move drew the ire from some U.S. based airline higher-ups, it also provided customers with a new connectionless option and has brought healthy competition into the market where United routinely calls the shots. Now, flights to Athens are hundreds of dollars less on average than what was being listed several years ago.

For frequent flyers and travelers with stacks of airline miles in their accounts, fifth freedom flights can also serve as an attractive redemption option. In some instances, flying on these routes will you not only get better service, but you'll be able to find "sweet spots" and availability when redeeming miles with partner airlines of the fifth freedom carrier; costing fewer miles for a better award value and an in-flight experience.

A favorite redemption being Cathay Pacific's daily nonstop flight from New York (JFK) to Vancouver (YVR), where travelers can experience the Hong Kong-based airline’s award-winning Business and First Class products without even having to leave North America. Since Cathay Pacific and Alaska Airlines run an interline partnership, flyers only need to redeem 25,000 Mileage Plan miles for Business one-way or 35,000 miles to live the luxurious life in Cathay's top-notch First Class.