TRIP REPORTS Dec 25, 2025 Ghost Networks: The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Fifth-Freedom Flights Fifth-freedom flights — routes where an airline flies between two countries outside its home base — have always lived in aviation's twilight zone. We chart their rise, their near-disappearance, and the surprising markets where they still thrive today. Then we take you on board a special Seoul-Tokyo fifth-freedom flight to show how the experience stacks up against a typical regional carrier. Read More →

INFORMATIONAL Dec 31, 1969 A Guide to Fifth-Freedom Flights Fifth-freedom flights are flights between two cities that are not the airline's home base. For example, an airline is based in city A, and it flies to city Y with a stop at city X. In a fifth freedom flight, passengers can fly the airline based in city A from city X straight to city Y without a stop in city Y. Read More →