Lots of people who read travel blogs are those who are interested in the nitty-gritty of travel. They’re pros at getting the most frequent flyer miles or hotel points from credit cards. They can easily differentiate an Airbus from a Boeing with a quick glance (Psst! Here’s how!). They pride themselves on status, lounge access, etc.
And then there’s the rest of us.
I’ve said more than once that my husband is the points and miles person in the family. I’m happy to enjoy the fruits of his labor, and I’ve admittedly learned some travel stuff along the way, thanks to osmosis. But deep down inside, I’m just a typical traveler, not any sort of frequent flying superstar.
So when my fellow “typical traveler” writes in and asks a question, I take it to heart. That’s what happened the other week, when one of our readers wrote in and asked:
“Is it better to book two one-way tickets or one round-trip ticket?”
Generally speaking, it’s better to book two one-way tickets nowadays than one round-trip one. The general point of view is that if you have a round-trip reservation and need to make a change to one part of it – because the price changed, because you need an earlier/later flight after all, because the airline changed one leg and that gives you just cause to make your own changes, etc., it’s going to be easier to change just the one leg than dealing with the hassle of changing one leg while keeping the other intact.
One-way flights are also good if you know when you’re going somewhere but aren’t sure when you’ll return. (what day, what time, etc.). If there’s a sale, at least you can get a good price for one leg of the trip.
Except when…
No advice is ever 100% right 100% of the time. There are always caveats such as these:
International trip – If you’re booking an international trip, the country in question may require you to book a round-trip fare. That way they know you have plans to return to your country of origin. Note: Some countries may be OK with just proof of a return trip, not necessarily a round-trip ticket.
Good sales – There could be a good sale on a round-trip flight. If it works for you and the price is worth any of the potential hassles you may experience by booking an R/T ticket, go for it.
You’re skiplagging – Airlines don’t like skiplagging (just ask this guy!). When they’ve discovered you’ve skipped out on the second leg of your trip going in, you can be pretty sure they’re going to cancel your return leg of a R/T ticket (frankly, if you plan on skiplagging, I’d recommend flying out on one airline and back on another).
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
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