Open-Jaw Flights: What They Are and Why You Might Want to Book Them

Traveling is fun, but flights can be very expensive. The good news is that you can save money while planning your ideal getaway by taking advantage of open-jaw flights. What exactly are they, you ask? Read on to learn and you’ll end up open-jawed yourself at how good of a deal they are.

What Exactly Are Open-Jaw Flights?

Standard flights include purchasing a round-trip flight ticket, which means flying to your desired destination and back. An open-jaw flight, on the other hand, is purchasing a one-way ticket to a particular destination, then moving to a different destination (or two or three) by other means like a road trip, and then returning home from your last stop back to your original destination.

The biggest difference between open-jaw flights and multi-city is that with multi-city flights, you aren’t necessarily returning to your point of origin, and you’re also flying everywhere. When booking an open-jaw flight, you’ll have to move between two destinations using other means of transport like a train, a boat, or a car.

Benefits of Booking Open-Jaw Flights

The biggest benefit of open-jaw flights is money savings. These flights are also super beneficial if you’re traveling to a destination mainly by train. For example, if you’re traveling from the U.S. to Europe and want to visit several cities like Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin, there’s no point in purchasing a round-trip ticket from the U.S. to Paris. It will not only be more expensive but you can quickly get bored from staying in one place. It makes more sense to land in Paris, visit all the countries on your list, and take a flight home from your final destination. Flexibility is key!

Before booking an open-jaw flight, you want to carefully plan your trip and decide which locations you want to visit. Think of all the places you can visit by train or car from your initial destination and book your return ticket from your last one. Once your plan is ready, research websites such as Expedia or Google Flights. Simply select the “multi-city” option instead of round-trip and enter your origin and destination for each route. Then start comparing prices and airlines and figure out the best options!