One Way or Wait for Roundtrip

amanda14 · Aug 19, 2015

Hi.

I am looking to book a flight in 2016 on AA from JFK to STT. The date I want to leave will open up in the next couple of weeks and I was wondering if it has any cost impact to book one way flights when the dates become available or wait until their calendar can accommodate a round trip?

Thanks!

SMHarman · Aug 19, 2015

Round trip non stop runs $400.
There is limited RT NON STOP capacity. So if one way prices the same then book it.
I'll be flying via somewhere when I book. Waiting for a sale. Got this set on my skyscanner widget on my phone.

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MichaelColey · Aug 19, 2015

I don't know about that particular route, but it all depends on the route. Sometimes one way tickets are way more expensive than round trip. Other times, it's almost the same price (and more flexible) to get two one way tickets. If you want to check to see, look at some date ranges a few weeks earlier (or whatever is in the booking window) and see how they are. Odds are pretty good that your dates will work similarly (i.e. either comparably priced, or way more expensive to book two one ways).

amanda14 · Aug 19, 2015

MichaelColey said:
I don't know about that particular route, but it all depends on the route. Sometimes one way tickets are way more expensive than round trip. Other times, it's almost the same price (and more flexible) to get two one way tickets. If you want to check to see, look at some date ranges a few weeks earlier (or whatever is in the booking window) and see how they are. Odds are pretty good that your dates will work similarly (i.e. either comparably priced, or way more expensive to book two one ways).

Great suggestion. I need 5 round trips or 10 one ways, but I will look at that.

Thanks!

sjsharkie · Aug 19, 2015

amanda14 said:
Hi.

I am looking to book a flight in 2016 on AA from JFK to STT. The date I want to leave will open up in the next couple of weeks and I was wondering if it has any cost impact to book one way flights when the dates become available or wait until their calendar can accommodate a round trip?

Thanks!

Depends on route and carrier.

Most of the big airlines provide discounts for round trip routings versus one ways because they catch more business travelers pricing that way. AA is one of those carriers.

Other "discount carriers" (Southwest, Alaska, etc.) generally price their one way as one half of the round trip. Sometimes this forces the bigger carriers to then match the pricing.

So do your research on that particular route and see what will work best for you.

Good luck!

-ryan

MichaelColey · Aug 19, 2015

But even with AA, they typically only do that on business routes. On leisure routes, it's often no more expensive to book two one ways. That's why I suggested looking at dates that are available, to see which way this route works for AA.

The one gotcha to booking a one way and then waiting to book the return one way is that you never know what the return is going to be like. It might be in line. It might be outrageous. We've always been lucky when we've done it, but my brother and his family are running into this problem. I was able to book them one way first class tickets with miles, but they're still struggling to find a return routing that works.

bogey21 · Aug 19, 2015

Back in the days when I was traveling extensively (mostly for business) I always bought one way tickets (as opposed to round trip tickets). I found it was so much easier to make changes. Most of the time the cost of the one way tickets was about the same as if I had bought a round trip.

George

amanda14 · Aug 19, 2015

MichaelColey said:
But even with AA, they typically only do that on business routes. On leisure routes, it's often no more expensive to book two one ways. That's why I suggested looking at dates that are available, to see which way this route works for AA.

The one gotcha to booking a one way and then waiting to book the return one way is that you never know what the return is going to be like. It might be in line. It might be outrageous. We've always been lucky when we've done it, but my brother and his family are running into this problem. I was able to book them one way first class tickets with miles, but they're still struggling to find a return routing that works.

Again, helpful. I looked at AA and the prices for dates I looked at 6/20 - 6/27 come out the same if done RT or One Way. So I am going to do one way.

Interestingly if I did one stop it is only a few hundred bucks cheaper which I was surprised by. We always do non stop but if it saved big bucks I was going to consider a stop. Would've of been a great gotcha for my kids.

SMHarman · Aug 19, 2015

AA is trying to push a lot of hop to Philly and former USAir to the Caribbean instead of their MIA hub.

STT is popular out of NYC and with only 3 non stop daily and not the biggest planes a coveted flight.

AA from JFK. DL from LGA AND UA from EWR.

Spirit via FLL and JetBlue via SJU are the others on the route.

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amanda14 · Aug 19, 2015

Preference is Jet Blue but I was looking for non stop initially and AA schedule is more up to date. Lastly, I have a Plat Card with Citi AA so I think that helps on baggage.

sjsharkie · Aug 19, 2015

MichaelColey said:
But even with AA, they typically only do that on business routes. On leisure routes, it's often no more expensive to book two one ways. That's why I suggested looking at dates that are available, to see which way this route works for AA.

Agree somewhat. I've even seen LAX-HNL where they sometimes do this which I wouldn't say is a principal business route. Again, it depends on the routes.

The other thing to keep in mind is two one-ways equals two change fees if you are changing both flights on the core itinerary. If you have a round trip, it is one change fee if you change both the outbound and return at the same time.

-ryan

BocaBoy · Aug 20, 2015

One potential disadvantage of one way tickets is that if you have to change your reservation there will be two expensive change fees for each passenger instead of only one.
==============================================
EDITED: I somehow missed the previous post when I responded with the same point.

mdurette · Aug 20, 2015

This doesn't apply to OP, but for others reading that fly Southwest. Always by as one way tickets and a reservation for each person. Our family of 3 will always have 6 reservation numbers when we fly. 3 each way.

The reasoning:
1. SW will let you change without a charge . If I want to change one leg of the trip, it is easy enough to do and not mess with the other leg (especially if the other leg is more expensive).

2. SW will give you back the difference in cost (credit or points) if the fare is lower. Sometimes there is only 1 ticket at the lower cost. I can switch that one person to the lower ticket and get my points back (or credit if cash)

On just about every trip we take I am changing because the fare dropped a bit. Note: I'm usually am changing into the same flight also.

HenryT · Aug 20, 2015

amanda14 said:
Again, helpful. I looked at AA and the prices for dates I looked at 6/20 - 6/27 come out the same if done RT or One Way. So I am going to do one way.

Interestingly if I did one stop it is only a few hundred bucks cheaper which I was surprised by. We always do non stop but if it saved big bucks I was going to consider a stop. Would've of been a great gotcha for my kids.

Keep in mind that there still is a risk that the return will cost more than the departure. If there is a big jump in ticket sells between the time you purchase the departure to the time you book the return, the price of that return could go up substantially.

The airlines change their prices constantly based on many factors. I still think though that if the departure price is a good one I would take the chance and purchase it given that my test of earlier dates showed that the one way option did not result in higher fares.

amanda14 · Aug 20, 2015

I think that is what I am going to do. In my experiences in flights for over 20 years of pure leisure travel - the early bird gets the worm. If I pay more on the back end so be it I suppose.

SMHarman · Aug 21, 2015

amanda14 said:
Preference is Jet Blue but I was looking for non stop initially and AA schedule is more up to date. Lastly, I have a Plat Card with Citi AA so I think that helps on baggage.

Yep it's domestic.

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amanda14 · Aug 22, 2015

I thought I was being smooth by staying up until 12:01 to book. The selection for a one way was illuminated but it wouldn't complete the transaction. I went to bed, to wake up 5 hrs later, try again and 7 seats were left at the economy pricing I wanted. So I am glad I didn't get skunked out of one of those seats. Funny also, I was going to book 1 ticket via miles and I have 34K. Of course it costs 37.5 for this date where the week prior was 30. Thinking of paying my cc bill today, have the miles hit and then booking the return 7 days from now.

SMHarman · Aug 22, 2015

It's a bad value mile redemption.
37500 for a 365 dollar ticket is 1c a mile.
Not a good redemption.

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amanda14 · Aug 22, 2015

agreed actually - appreciate the knowledge

amanda14 · Aug 29, 2015

Thanks all for the input. To close this-the pricing was the same for doing two separate one ways as when compared to doing a round trip.

One Way or Wait for Roundtrip

amanda14

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SMHarman

MichaelColey

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amanda14

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sjsharkie

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bogey21

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SMHarman

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SMHarman

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