In the intricate world of airline ticketing, various booking options cater to the diverse needs of travelers. One such option is the “open jaw” ticket, a versatile and often cost-effective choice for those with complex itineraries. This article explores the concepts, their advantages, and practical examples to illustrate their utility.
What is Open-Jaw ticket?
An open-jaw flight is a ticket where you fly into one city and leave from another, without a flight between those cities. This creates an “open” segment in your trip, like an open jaw.
Why is it important for a Traveler?
When you’re setting off on a vacation, the last thing you want is to retrace your steps. Open jaw flights offer a perfect solution, allowing you to start your adventure in one city and end it in another, creating a seamless travel experience
Example: Exploring Vietnam Itinerary
Fly from Mumbai (BOM) to Hanoi (HAN), travel overland, and fly back from Da Nang (DAD) to Mumbai.
- Maximize Destination Coverage: Explore both the historical and cultural richness of Hanoi and the coastal beauty of Danang without backtracking.
- Save Time and Reduce Travel Fatigue: Avoid unnecessary travel by flying into Hanoi and out of Danang, making your trip more efficient.
How to book this type of ticket?
When booking flights, we typically opt for one-way or return options without exploring multi-city itineraries. The beauty of open jaw flights lies precisely in this flexibility, allowing travellers to seamlessly connect multiple destinations an option exclusively available through the multi-city booking feature.
Several airlines, like United Airlines, offer open jaw award flight bookings at the same mileage cost as a round-trip ticket. United Airlines provides a convenient ‘multi-city’ option in its advanced search.
For instance, booking a round-trip from Mumbai to Singapore typically costs 45,000 miles. With United’s multi-city option, you can fly from Mumbai to Singapore and return from Kuala Lumpur to Mumbai, all for the same 45,000 miles, consolidated into a single booking.
When booking flights through platforms like Google Flights or Skyscanner, you can opt for open jaw tickets using cash. However, if the flights are not part of the same alliance, they may be issued under separate Passenger Name Records (PNRs). It’s essential to verify this before finalising your booking.
Bottomline
Exploring the flexibility of open jaw tickets allows travellers to craft bespoke itineraries that maximize exploration and minimize backtracking, whether booking through cash or miles. Always check alliance affiliations to ensure seamless travel arrangements.