How to Save by Booking Two One-way Tickets Instead of a Round-trip
Booking two one-way tickets instead of a round-trip flight can get you greater savings at times, but it can be tough to know when to make this move.
That's why Kayak has released its first Flight Hacker Guide, highlighting 10 international cities and 10 domestic cities where travelers can save as much as 16 percent on a ticket by booking two one-way fares.
The cities highlighted are those that provide the biggest savings for bookings, based on searches conducted on Kayak's U.S. site from June 15, 2017 through June 14, 2018 for travel during those dates.
The search platform also took a look at median fares each month in these cities to let you know when you can expect to book the best deal.
For international trips, Florence, Italy offered the biggest savings, of at least 16 percent. The lowest median airfare for booking two one-way fares in Florence was $720.
Frankfurt, Germany came in second place, offering savings of at least 15 percent, following by Bangkok, Thailand, where travelers can save at least 14 percent when booking two one-way fares.
Within the U.S., Colorado Springs, Colorado came out on top with savings of at least 12 percent.
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the top 10 international and domestic destinations for saving on airfare when you book two one-way tickets. You can see monthly median fare breakdowns for these destinations on Kayak's site.
International Destinations Where You'll Save by Booking Two One-way Fares:
1. Florence, Italy: Savings of at least 16 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
2. Frankfurt, Germany: Savings of at least 15 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
3. Bangkok, Thailand: Savings of at least 14 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
4. Prague, Czech Republic: Savings of at least 14 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
5. London, England: Savings of at least 13 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
6. Tokyo, Japan: Savings of at least 13 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
7. Edinburgh, Scotland: Savings of at least 13 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
8. Munich, Germany: Savings of at least 12 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
9. Barcelona, Spain: Savings of at least 12 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
10. Manchester, England: Savings of at least 12 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
Domestic Destinations Where You'll Save by Booking Two One-way Fares:
1. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Savings of at least 12 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
2. Cincinnati, Ohio: Savings of at least 11 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
3. San Antonio, Texas: Savings of at least 11 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
4. Madison, Wisconsin: Savings of at least 11 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
5. Ontario, California: Savings of at least 11 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
6. Memphis, Tennessee: Savings of at least 11 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
7. Miami, Florida: Savings of at least 11 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
8. Omaha, Nebraska: Savings of at least 10 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
9. Des Moines, Iowa: Savings of at least 10 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
10. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: Savings of at least 10 percent compared to booking a round-trip ticket
Generally, travelers will see the greatest savings when booking one-way fares during the winter for domestic destinations, and during off-season periods for international trips, though the data found that deals tend to stay fairly consistent throughout the year.
