The simplest round-trip airfare consists of flying to one city and then flying back from the arriving airport to your origin airport. An example would be flying from New York JFK to London Heathrow and back.
Two dots on a map and a single line connecting them.
What is an Open-Jaw Flight?
Sometimes, a round-trip ticket can involve a bit more flexibility. When the return trip either departs from or arrives at a different airport, it’s called an open-jaw flight.
An open-jaw flight is defined as a trip in which an airline passenger flies into one destination and returns from another.
For instance, you might fly from New York to Paris and then return to New York from Frankfurt. As long as the origin or destination city changes, it’s an open-jaw itinerary. (Note: Flights between airports in the same city, like London Heathrow and London Gatwick don’t count as an open jaw.)
Examples of Open-Jaw Flights
To make the concept more tangible, here are a few real-world examples:
Around the World Adventure:
- Outbound: Los Angeles → Cairns (via Sydney) on Virgin Australia
- Return: Tokyo → Los Angeles (via Taipei) on China Airlines
- Separate ticket: Australia → Japan
This was the route we took on our $25,000 trip halfway around the world. Adding a stop in Japan was a dream come true, especially with the ramen bowls we had in Tokyo.
Southeast Asia Exploration:
- Outbound: Seattle → Bali (via Taipei) on EVA Air
- Return: Bangkok → Seattle (via Tokyo) on Thai Airways and ANA
My dad and his wife took this trip to explore Bali and Thailand. They raved about the beaches in Bali and the street food in Bangkok. Hearing about their adventures made me realize how valuable open-jaw itineraries can be for visiting multiple destinations.
Why Should You Book Open-Jaw Tickets?
Open-jaw tickets can save money and miles. For instance, some airlines, like Delta (in the past), priced round-trip awards more favorably than one-way awards. By booking an open-jaw itinerary, you could combine two destinations for the price of a single award.
For example:
- ½ cost of a round trip to Australia
- ½ cost of a round trip to Japan
This flexibility allowed travelers to stretch their miles and explore multiple destinations without breaking the bank. I vividly recall calculating the savings for our trip to Australia and Japan and feeling like I had cracked some secret travel code.
Open-jaw tickets are also a great option for those using airline programs like ANA Mileage Club, which offers excellent award pricing to Asia but only allows round-trip bookings. By combining destinations, you can explore more while sticking to program rules.
Open-jaw tickets can also work the other way. For example, when Sharon and I visited London one time, our trip looked like this:
London Vacation:
- Outbound: New York → London Heathrow
- Return: London Gatwick → Orlando
When my wife and I visited London, we used an open-jaw ticket to save on taxes. By booking a round trip instead of one-way tickets, we avoided a hefty surcharge. We even celebrated our savings by having an extra fancy afternoon tea.
Limitations and Double Open-Jaw Tickets
While open-jaw itineraries are widely accepted, most airlines restrict you to a single open jaw on a round-trip award. A “double open jaw”—where both the origin and destination differ—is often not allowed.
For instance:
- Outbound: New York → Paris
- Return: Frankfurt → Orlando
Most frequent flyer programs won’t permit this as a single round-trip award. However, you could book it as separate one-way awards:
- New York → Paris (one-way award)
- Frankfurt → Orlando (one-way award)
Be aware that splitting your ticket this way might increase costs in miles and taxes.
Final Thoughts
Once you understand the concept of an open-jaw ticket, a whole world of travel possibilities opens up. These tickets are not just a clever way to explore multiple destinations; they’re a cornerstone of smart award booking. Whether you’re maximizing miles, minimizing costs, or simply planning the trip of a lifetime, open-jaw itineraries can be a powerful tool in your travel planning toolkit. Ready to take your travel hacking to the next level? What’s the most creative open-jaw flight you’ve ever booked? Share in the comments!
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
Cover Photo: Edwin Leong – Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.0
All maps created with Great Circle Mapper
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