An open-jaw ticket allows a return flight from a different city than the one flown to, often saving money. They are useful for cruises, land travel, and avoiding wasted time. International routes can be complex and may incur extra charges. Cost is based on the difference between two return tickets, and flexibility can reduce the cost. Check for restrictions when ordering.
An open-jaw ticket is a type of round-trip airline ticket that provides the customer with a return flight from a different city than the one they flew to. For example, someone might fly from New York to Los Angeles and then from San Francisco to New York. Or, someone could fly from Alberta to London, and then from London to Seattle. Many airlines offer open-jaw tickets and it is possible to save a significant amount of money on such tickets.
There are a number of reasons to purchase an open-jaw ticket. A common reason for buying such a ticket is a cruise, as many cruises have different departure points and final destinations. By purchasing a gap ticket, someone can meet the ship at one point and then be able to return home from a different point. An open-jaw ticket can also be combined with a train ride, trek, or other form of land travel that connects two destinations.
Many people like to order gap tickets because such tickets eliminate wasted time getting back to the starting point. For example, someone might want to travel to Europe for the summer without taking a tour, so the traveler might fly into London and out of Athens.
There are a few caveats to keep in mind when ordering an open-jaw card. Such tickets can get complex when they involve international routes, and some airlines may charge extra for open-jaw tickets that involve convoluted international travel, especially when partner airlines are involved. Open-jaw tickets within Europe are the exception to this rule, as the European Union creates a situation that allows airlines to treat Europe as one country.
The cost of an open-jaw ticket is basically obtained by dividing the difference between two return tickets. For this reason, passengers may be able to obtain special offers by agreeing to fly on non-holiday or unusual days or by changing airports. Many metropolitan areas are served by several airports and being flexible can drastically reduce the cost of a ticket. For example, some airlines offer much cheaper flights to Oakland, California than they do to San Francisco, California, and thanks to public transportation, traveling through one airport isn’t much more of a hassle than using the other.
When ordering an open-jaw ticket, or any airline ticket, it’s a good idea to check for any restrictions, especially date change fees or arrival/departure cities.
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