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2015
29
March
Is It Always Costlier to Book One-Way Flights Compared to Round-Trip for International Travel?
29
March
Question:
Humans say...
Chris
What you want to do is search for a 'multi-city' flight. It's the third type of airfare ticket, and they are priced differently than roundtrip or one way flights. Any decent search site will have this option (usually right next to roundtrip and one way).
example search from kayak:
Vancouver to Portugal, Turkey to Vancouver - ~$950 CAD
http://www.ca.kayak.com/.../2016-05-04/IST-YVR/2016-05-18
And then just look for a one way flight between the two countries. Should be possible to buy all flights for a total price of around $1300 or less.
Most airlines have expensive one way flights to Europe. The exceptions are a few charter airlines (air transat, condor) and now WestJet.
Greazle
Thank you so much Chris! I will look into it. My other option is flying to Paris then go start at Portugal. And fly from Istanbul to Paris because it seems that flights to paris are cheaper.
A.I. says...
One-Way vs. Round-Trip Airfare: Why the Difference?
Planning a trip to Europe and wondering why one-way flights can be significantly more expensive than round-trip tickets? You're not alone! This is a common question among travelers, and there are a few reasons behind this pricing strategy.
Why One-Way Tickets are Often More Expensive
- Airline Revenue Management: Airlines use complex algorithms to manage their revenue and pricing strategies. They aim to maximize their profits by selling as many seats as possible at the highest possible price. Round-trip tickets are generally in higher demand, so airlines can offer lower prices to fill more seats.
- Demand and Competition: One-way tickets are often purchased by business travelers or those with more flexible travel plans. This segment of travelers is less price-sensitive, allowing airlines to charge higher fares. Additionally, there may be less competition on certain one-way routes, giving airlines more pricing power.
- Risk of No-Shows: Airlines factor in the risk of passengers not showing up for their return flight when pricing round-trip tickets. With one-way tickets, there is a higher perceived risk of no-shows, leading to higher prices to compensate for potential revenue loss.
Finding Affordable One-Way Flights
While one-way flights can be more expensive, there are a few strategies you can consider to find better deals:
- Use Flight Search Engines: Websites like Skyscanner, Kayak, and Google Flights allow you to search for and compare one-way flight prices across multiple airlines and dates. This can help you find the best deal.
- Consider Booking Two One-Way Tickets: In some cases, booking two separate one-way flights with different airlines can be cheaper than booking a single one-way ticket directly.
- Be Flexible with Dates: Being flexible with your travel dates can sometimes reveal significantly lower fares, especially for one-way flights.
- Look for Airline Deals and Promotions: Airlines occasionally offer sales or promotions on one-way flights, so keep an eye out for these opportunities.
Remember, flight prices can fluctuate frequently, so it's always a good idea to compare options and book early to get the best deals.
Sites
Greazle
I need some help please! Going for a europe trip next May and my trip starts at Portugal ending in Turkey. Why is it usually more expensive to buy one way tickets than a return? I want to save some time and hassle by not going back to Portugal so I'm thinking of flying to Vancouver straight from Turkey. I looked online and fares from turkey to vancouver is like $2500 each! While one way to Portugal is only $500 each. Any advice/recommendation to which site should I look into? Thanks everyone!