Most of us don’t think much when we start our flight search. The “Round Trip” box is already checked and seems to be the easiest option, one booking, one confirmation, ideally the best price. However, with today’s dynamic airline pricing, that assumption is not always true, as fares change constantly based on demand, competition and timing. Additionally, airlines often price each leg of a trip individually, so two one-way tickets can be lower than round-trip fares.
Also, booking two one-ways will allow you to expand the different flight times (meaning that there will be more options for both departure and return), and have a better opportunity to maximize your points and miles. Still, strategy is not for everyone. Two one-way tickets are more risky as they may have fewer loyalty perks and will have to cancel or reschedule your return flight if your outbound flight is cancelled. Here are some things you need to know when considering booking two one-way tickets and a round trip.
When one-way tickets make sense
Booking two one-way tickets gives you a clearer situation than traditional round-trip tickets. There is one cost. Pairing two one-way flights to Europe and Buck saves travelers up to 35% compared to round-trip flights across the pond, according to Jesse Neugarten, CEO of Dollar Flight Club, a subscription service that helps travelers find the best flight deals.
On an open jaw trip, you fly to one city and another from another, but there is another strong reason to book two one-way routes. Another one-way, positioning flight booked to reach the departure city with a cheaper fare, could also be rewarded if they allow sufficient buffer time. Also, as mentioned above, if you really need or need a specific departure and return time that isn’t offered on a single round-trip flight, you can split your journey into two one-way flights to get more options that suit your needs.
Strategies work even better on award travel. “When using points, booking two one-way routes is almost always better,” explains Tiffany Funk, co-founder of Point.me, as a reward search that helps travelers find and book flights with points. Award fares are generally their own prices, allowing travelers to mix and match airlines without additional costs.
Quinn English agrees to help travelers maximize their personal and business points and miles through his company Freequinnt Flyer. “99% of the time I book two one-way routes. It’s much easier to put together award flights this way, and it opens up a lot of options.”
Potential drawbacks of booking two one-way tickets
Booking two one-way flights instead of a round trip is usually not too big, especially for leisure travelers with flexible schedules. “I don’t think there’s really any risk in booking two one-way flights,” says English. Still, you can pay to check the price carefully.
“We heard earlier this year that airlines tested inflating one-way (domestic) fares for a single traveler,” said Katy Nastro, a travel expert at Flight Deal’s tracking site Going.com. “There’s definitely been rage over this tactic, and for the most part, the airline has retreated.”
The warning comes down to timing and confusion. If your trip is well scheduled – for example, fly off for the same day meeting. If one direction is booked with a different airline and the first flight is cancelled, the second airline does not need to support. You may also need to cancel your return flight or buy a new flight entirely.
Loyalty programs can also complicate some equations. To keep customers within the ecosystem, “airlines prefer to buy round-trip flights,” Nastro said. “But sometimes you need to stay true to flights cheaper than one airline.” Neugarten reflects this, and note that for the average leisure traveler, saving 25-40% on airfares usually outweighs the value of a few miles of extra miles.
Smart Safeguard
By taking some wise precautions, you can prevent risk from escalating to the main issue. To that end, Nastro recommends booking directly on the airline, via the phone, on the website, or via the app. In the latter, she said, “Airline apps have come a long way. Many of the things you might need can now be done within them, such as seating and flight changes.”
For financial protection, Neugarten suggests booking with a credit card that offers strong travel. “If your flight is delayed or cancelled, these benefits can make all the difference.” He also recommends travel insurance to cover cancellations, illnesses, or other curveballs. This will result in much less stress in locking in savings from two one-way tickets.”
Conclusion
With a little planning, two one-way tickets can unlock significant savings. This is unless you are willing to trade small airline royalties for greater value. At the very least, it’s worth comparing flight options before booking.
