Rather than jumping directly on the discussion of which can be a better option, booking a round trip or two one-way tickets, let us first talk about what these two terms exactly mean. We need to ensure we are on the same page by defining these terms. To have a clear comparison of round trip Vs. one-way ticket, it is important to get the basics clearly.
What is a round trip flight?
Round trip flight allows you to travel from one destination say Los Angeles to another destination say New Delhi and return back to your origin place Los Angeles. Both the inbound and outbound flight details are on the same air ticket. A round trip ticket is also referred as ‘circle ticket’ or ‘return air ticket’ as you depart from a certain location A to reach a destination B and get back to location A after spending a few days at your travel destination B. This completes a circle and thus called circle ticket.
What does one-way mean for a flight?
A one way flight or one way ticket allows you to fly to the destination and not return back to the origin destination. So, you need to book two one-ways to complete the circle.
Now, the question arises which of these is better economically, like is it cheaper to fly one way or round trip? This considers various factors that are discussed in this blog.
Round-trip Tickets Vs. One-Way Tickets
An analysis of recent travel booking trends by the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) found notable patterns. In the USA, bookings for 24.12 million passenger journeys had been made online and through travel agencies as of May 2023, a 6% increase from the previous year. Although round-trip tickets continue to be the most popular, one-way tickets have become increasingly popular, and now 42% of all bookings are for air travel. The primary force behind this change is business and vacation travelers, who consider one-way tickets as more affordable and adaptable because the difference in price between one-way and round-trip flights is getting less.
The average cost of round-trip tickets has also significantly decreased, according to the survey, with an 11% decrease as of May 2023 over the previous year. This decrease, along with higher seat capacity, has resulted in a record-breaking summer travel season with major increase in both domestic and international travel. These patterns highlight how public tastes are changing and how crucial it is for platforms to offer competitive prices and flexible booking options to maximize trip schedules and financial constraints.
How to find which is better – Round Trip Tickets or One Way Tickets?
To decide a better deal among the two types of air travel booking, we have taken into consideration the following factors for a decent comparison:
Is it a domestic or international flight deal?
According to travel experts, booking a one-way flight is a more economic option for domestic travel and round trips are a good deal for international travel. However, it might vary depending on the destinations, airlines, time of booking and other significant parameters.
Many airlines do not cover this policy of cheaper round-trip flights or one-way flights, so claiming its authenticity is difficult. If you want to book cheap flights from USA to India, IndianEagle can help you get the best deals. You can compare one-way and round trips on our official website and block the most suitable flight deal.
Look for airlines with ongoing sales
Like any other shopping brand, airlines also offer sales several times in a year and booking flights during this period is undoubtedly beneficial for travelers. If you are planning a trip to the United States, keep an eye on both one-way and round trip routes from your origin destination. To get regular updates, subscribe to IndianEagle newsletter and we will notify you with the cheapest air fare deals of the preferred route.
Several airlines offer discounts round-trip tickets and some on one-way tickets. However, you must read each word of the deal properly. Reading the terms and conditions might bring into your notice the little details of the deal, like any hidden charges with the discounted deal. We do not charge you with any hidden fees.
Is there any chance of cancellation of tickets or missing the flight?
This is an important point to consider when deciding between one-way tickets and round-trip tickets. If there is a slightest chance that you might have to cancel the outbound ticket or you missed the flight, booking one-way flight is better as a cancelled round trip ticket means you will have to book the new outbound and return tickets again. On booking two one way tickets, you can have your return ticket safe even in case of cancellation of the outbound flight.
What if there is a change in plan?
In this case, booking one-way flight can get you in trouble as you will have to pay the change and cancellation fees twice for both the tickets (Elite status is an exception). When you cancel a round trip, you will be charged with only one cancellation, change or mileage redeposit fees, even on changing both outbound and return flights.
Are there any nearby airports you can fly to?
Suppose you are flying to a destination with several neighboring airports like New York City and you are not getting a god return flight, you can look for one-way fares for Newark. Considering nearby airports increases your chances of finding a cheaper one-way air ticket deal. The same applies for regions such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, etc.
At IndianEagle, we provide Nearby Airport deals, which show the list of neighboring airports from the destination you are traveling to. You can then choose the cheapest flight deal. If round-trip ticket suits you economically, you can book that too.
Round Trip vs One Way Ticket – A Detailed Comparison
Is round-trip or one-way expensive?
Logically, a round-trip ticket must be more expensive than a one-way ticket as the itinerary for the former covers both onward and return journeys. However, a one-way flight on an international route is costlier than a round-trip ticket most times. The airfare of one-way tickets can also change drastically depending on your departure date, route, airline, and other factors.
What happens if you only use one way of a round-trip ticket?
Not showing up for the return portion of a round-trip flight ticket, usually referred to as throwaway ticketing, is against the terms of service of most airlines. Certain airlines may also charge their passengers the standard fare of a one-way ticket for the route you actually flew or cancel mileage points when a passenger is found to have not checked in for a leg of their journey after booking a cheap round-trip ticket only to avoid paying more for a one-way ticket.
Now that you are aware of the parameters that help choosing a better deal between one-way tickets and round tickets, you can save more on air travel.
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