Are open jaw flights always a little more expensive than booking a round trip to just one city? Example - Atlanta to Munich and then London to Atlanta. Right now there is about a $20 difference between the two, which isn't a deal breaker for us, but I was just wondering.
Thanks!
Karen
I'd say in general, buying two one-way tickets is more expensive than buying a round-trip to/from one city. Even domestically. on Expedia, Orbitz and the like, sometimes you can get deals on open jaw but if you factor in the time and money you save not having to backtrack, then it's no contest in most cases I'd bet.
Please !!! you are NOT buying two one way tickets. You are buying a round trip ticket called open jaw. A very common ticket. And, yes, it can vary and something significantly. Last summer we saved $200/person flying into Rome and home from Zurich. And can be more expensive. $20 is not a big deal.
An open jaw to Amsterdam and out of Rome will be more expensive than round trip to Amsterdam and less expensive than a round trip to Rome. Rome is an expensive round trip and Amsterdam is a relatively inexpensive round trip. To get the best price try different departure and return airports, different days and different times.
To take it a little further, if all else were equal, you could estimate the cost of an open jaw as the sum of half the round-trip tickets to each city, so something between the two costs. But things are not always (maybe rarely are) equal. Both cities need to be well served by the same airline or alliance to get the best price. The existance of specials or discounts will distort prices as well. Keep in mind the reason for doing open jaw is to eliminate the need to backtrack, adding travel cost on the ground. If your itinerary does not benefit from this, then round trip is probably best.
I booked on American last wee open jaw Nashville to Paris and return Frankfurt to Nashville. Cost was $203 cheaper than in and out of Paris. Just depends on where you are going but I found mostly that open jaw was much cheaper.
We just returned from Europe and used a double open jaws ticket. Boston to Paris. Madrid to Seattle for a little under $900. Open jaws can be a money saver if you do your research and know what you are getting. Have a great trip either way!
We just returned from Europe and used a double open jaws ticket. Boston to Paris. Madrid to Seattle for a little under $900. Open jaws can be a money saver if you do your research and know what you are getting. Have a great trip either way!
