A fifth freedom route is a flight between two foreign countries operated by an airline from a third country as an extension of its own network.
A fifth freedom route is a flight between two foreign countries operated by an airline from a third country as an extension of its own network.
Also called: Fifth freedom flight.
How it works#
These services exist as continuations of a long-haul rotation and are sold locally. They interest travellers because a short sector suddenly gets a long-haul aircraft with a better cabin, often at a price set by local competition. The traffic rights rest on bilateral agreements between states and can disappear with a schedule change.
Not to be confused with#
A fifth freedom route is not the same as a codeshare: here the airline genuinely operates the flight, simply between two countries that are not its home.
In German#
The German term is Fünfte-Freiheit-Strecke. German version of this term
Related terms#
- Cabin class: Cabin class is the physical section of an aircraft, economy, premium economy, business or first, each with its own seating and service.
- Airline alliance: An airline alliance is a grouping of carriers that credit each other’s miles, recognise each other’s status and allow award bookings across the group.
- Sweet spot: A sweet spot is a redemption where an award chart asks for far fewer miles than the cash price of the route would suggest.
Articles that use this term#
TopicEvery article and term onBooking and flight search.