In recent weeks, several travel TikTokers have drawn attention to a way of booking trips that some have never considered, while others have consciously or unconsciously been using for decades.
“Have you ever heard of a jaw dropping flight? You may have taken one before,” the travel influencer behind the @ColleenYouOut account said of various airline points and rewards programs. explained to his followers. “An open-jaw flight is simply a flight in which the destination and/or origin of the flight are not the same in both directions.”
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But unlike the multi-city booking option that airlines offer on their website, “opening your mouth” usually means booking two one-way flights to and from one’s destination. An example might be flying from Chicago to Paris and then returning to Chicago from Munich after arriving there by train, car, or a low-cost regional airline; Many of those who go on big vacations in Europe often do this to group several countries into one trip.
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Everything you need to know about flights with Open Jaw (including how to book one)
“Open flights could save time or add more destinations to a trip for a similar price,” Justin Hayward of SimpleFlying wrote at the beginning of this year. “If your travels will take you from one place to another, you don’t need to return to the same airport.”
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But whether you actually save money depends largely on where you fly. Since round-trip flights are usually cheaper than two one-way flights, this only works as a money-saving tool if one books from a city with cheaper flights or finds a deal. Some risk-taking travelers will book a one-way ticket and then search for deals online while they’re already on vacation.
Expedia Representatives (EXPE) – Get a free report He previously said there has been a surge in travelers seeking open tickets amid the post-pandemic travel explosion.
“It can also be a great way to build more flexibility and spontaneity into your trip, allowing you to explore more destinations during your trip,” an Expedia representative told Travel & Leisure.
Greater flexibility also comes at a cost, frequent travelers say
The traditional round-trip ticket is becoming less and less common as more people spend more time traveling and moving between cities. A double jaw can also be used to refer to a ticket on which you fly between four different cities; for example, flying from New York to Paris and then returning to the United States by flying from London to Houston.
But the biggest drawback to booking flights this way is the protections you give up in case something goes wrong. Whether it’s a simple return or a multi-city ticket, airlines are legally required to fly the traveler to all destinations on the ticket or refund the ticket in full.
By booking different legs of the trip individually, you will still get a refund if the flight is canceled and assistance is provided in case of delays, but you are much less likely to get compensation if a problem results in missed trips later in the trip .
