Image Credit: Yair Haklai

In the airline industry, they’re called secret flights.

Well, they’re not exactly secret. But they’re not well known.

They certainly are, in most cases, a surprise.

I’m talking about airlines that have the right to fly between two international cities, neither of which is their main hub or country.

Los Angeles to Paris? Air Tahiti Nui.

Sao Paolo to Buenos Aires? Turkish Airlines.

New York to Milan? Emirates.

In March, Emirates is adding another secret flight: Athens to New York.

The flight starts in Dubai, stops in Athens, and then becomes the only nonstop service between Greece and the U.S.

These flights don’t always show up on websites, but they are published in schedules.

They’re perfectly legal, and in many cases, they offer better service—and better fares.

For more information about air travel, check out:

• How Uncertainty Over Travel Ban is Hurting U.S. Travel Industry
• Airline Mergers Could Affect Flights & Ticket Prices
• Feeling the Pinch? Space on Airplanes Continues to Shrink

Keep reading for more travel tips.