What Are “Fifth-Freedom” Flights — and Why Are They Useful?

If you’re flying to an international destination, you’ll typically have a choice between airlines based in your home country or in the one you’re traveling to. For example, if you’re flying from Chicago to Paris, you can fly on American Airlines or United Airlines, which are based in the United States, or on Air France, the French flag carrier. But this is not always the case — thanks to a unique aviation quirk called the “fifth-freedom flight,” it’s sometimes possible to fly an international route on an airline that isn’t based in either country. Discover why these routes exist and why they can be useful for travelers.

Why Is It Called “Fifth-Freedom”?

As the air travel industry took off in the 1930s and ’40s, countries around the world came together to establish a clear set of rules and principles. The Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known as the Chicago Convention, took place in 1944 and set forth the “Freedoms of the Air.”

These include basic rights such as the right of one airline to operate scheduled flights through another country’s airspace (the First Freedom). The so-called “Fifth Freedom” refers to the right of an air carrier in one country to carry revenue passenger traffic or cargo between two countries it is not based in, given that at least one segment of the flight begins or ends in the airline’s home country. The airline technically operates this as a single flight with one flight number, and it requires approval from all three countries’ respective aviation authorities. 

The fifth-freedom right allows, say, a Germany-based airline to operate a flight from Frankfurt to Rio de Janeiro with a stop in Mexico City. The airline would be allowed to sell tickets on the Rio-to-Mexico City leg even though it’s not based in either country. 

Why Fifth-Freedom Flights Exist

In the past, fifth-freedom routes were often a necessity in order to operate long-haul flights, as airliners back then did not have the modern technology and extended range passengers are accustomed to today. Many older long-haul jets had a larger passenger capacity, so it wasn’t always profitable to operate these flights without stopping to pick up additional passengers along the route. Now, smaller, more fuel-efficient long-haul jets such as the Boeing 787 allow more routes to be profitably operated. 

While they are rarer today, many fifth-freedom flights still exist because of demand and aircraft utilization reasons. For example, Air Canada operates a fifth-freedom flight from Toronto to Sao Paulo, Brazil, with a continuing leg to Buenos Aires, Argentina. There is likely not enough demand for a nonstop flight from Toronto to Buenos Aires; plus, due to the preferred flight schedules of business travelers and crew rest requirements, the aircraft would sit for several hours in Brazil. Being able to operate a turn to Buenos Aires and sell tickets on that leg makes better use of the aircraft. 

In other cases, airlines take advantage of fifth-freedom flights when they can tap into high-demand markets along a particular route. For example, Emirates operates a popular fifth-freedom flight from New York to Milan, Italy, that continues to Dubai. But the airline also operates nonstop flights from New York to Dubai — in this case, the fifth-freedom flight exists because the airline thinks there is enough demand between New York and Milan to make such a service profitable. 

Why They’re Useful

Fifth-freedom flights often present a unique opportunity for travelers. In some cases, like the Air Canada example above, you’ll be able to fly a more comfortable wide-body aircraft on a short flight, like the two-hour hop between Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires. Otherwise, most flights on this route are operated by more cramped narrow-body aircraft.

These flights can also be a bargain. Often, the airline doesn’t have the same pricing power if it’s not operating flights in its home country, or if it only operates one route a day, it won’t have the frequency that business travelers demand. Additionally, the flights can be great opportunities to redeem frequent flyer miles or points, as airlines tend to release more availability to fill up the cabin, according to travel website The Points Guy.  

Unique Fifth-Freedom Flights To Book

Dubai-based Emirates operates several fifth-freedom flights from the U.S. — from New York JFK to Milan, Italy, and from Newark to Athens, Greece. There’s also a fifth-freedom flight between Miami and Bogota, Colombia. Emirates is known for its award-winning service and luxurious onboard experience, which makes these flights popular with travelers. 

Singapore Airlines, another award-winning carrier, operates a fifth-freedom route from New York to Frankfurt that continues to Singapore (in addition to its nonstop New York-to-Singapore flights, which are the longest in the world). Singapore also flies between Los Angeles and Tokyo, with a final leg from Tokyo to Singapore.

If you’re flying from Los Angeles to Paris, you can purchase a ticket on Air Tahiti Nui; if you’re going the other direction, you can fly on Air France between L.A. and Papeete, Tahiti. And United Airlines offers an “island hopper” service from Honolulu that stops on several islands in Micronesia.