Avoid this costly mistake when booking flights with this tip from a travel expert!
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From the seasoned road warrior to the eager holidaymaker, if you’ve ever hopped on a plane, you’ll know that the bane of your life around planning plane travel is finding reasonably priced flights. But this common mistake could be costing you a ton—and it’s simpler to avoid than you might think.
US-based travel expert Jess Bohorquez recently took a travel mistake made by her best friend while trying to book a flight to social media.
It turns out her friend had only been searching for round trips while looking for flights!
'If you want to find more reasonably priced flights, especially for points redemptions, search for each leg of the flight as a one way,' Jess advised.
By simply splitting their journey into one-way segments, travellers can save money and earn points with many airlines compared to booking a round-trip ticket.
Users online were also quick to ask questions about flight bookings, such as whether it is possible to combine points from multiple reward programs.
'Can I combine Chase and Capital One points together for one singular flight?' one asked, to which Jess replied: ‘If you're transferring to a travel transfer partner that both banks have? Then yes!'
Others also simply offered their observations from booking tickets over the years.
A person pointed out: 'Cash fares used to be cheaper to book as round trips, but even those days are gone…’
‘I think you're right,' she said.
One of the most glaring benefits of booking one-way flights over round trips is the level of flexibility it offers.
Seasoned flyers often find themselves needing to change their itinerary due to unforeseen changes in plans or last-minute emergencies.
Booking one-way tickets allows travellers to amend their travel schedules without the hefty price tag of a round-trip change fee.
Moreover, one-way flights give travellers an opportunity to mix and match airlines, allowing them to maximise flight rewards programs.
Instead of being tied to a single airline for an entire round trip, travellers can potentially earn more reward points by choosing different airlines for each leg of their travel, especially if they are members of multiple loyalty programs.
So, if you are a frequent flyer in Qantas and feel that its loyalty program is a ‘big scam’, this is your chance to check other airlines’ flight rewards programs.
As reported by US News for 2023-2024, Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines stand out with some of the most impressive reward programmes.
American Airlines and JetBlue Airways secured the fourth and fifth positions in the rankings.
Finance website Bankrate has analysed the costs associated with points and flight miles for these airlines in 2023, considering cash bookings, rewards program costs, and economy airfare reservations.
The United Airlines MileagePlus program takes the lead with a bankrate of 0.9 cents AUD, estimated to be worth approximately $450 AUD for every 50,000 points or miles.
American Airlines AAdvantage comes second with a bankrate of 1 cent AUD, equivalent to around $500 AUD for 50,000 points or miles.
The Alaska Airways Mileage Program starts at a bankrate of 1.1 cents AUD, with an estimated value of $550 AUD for 50,000 points or miles.
Delta Skymiles follows with a bankrate of 1.2 cents AUD and an estimated value of $600 AUD for 50,000 points or miles.
Last but not least, JetBlue TrueBlue boasts a bankrate of 1.3 cents AUD and an estimated value of an impressive $650 AUD for 50,000 points or miles
Given the competitive landscape of the airline industry, one-way fares often become the battleground for airlines to undercut each other's prices. This could potentially lead to bargains that are otherwise hidden when only considering round-trip fares.
So members, if you’re looking for the most affordable flight option and a great rewards program, make sure to book each leg of your trip as a one-way, and watch out for any suspicious activities online!
Do you have a similar tip forscoring flight deals other members could use? Share your wisdom below to help other readers unlock savings!
US-based travel expert Jess Bohorquez recently took a travel mistake made by her best friend while trying to book a flight to social media.
It turns out her friend had only been searching for round trips while looking for flights!
'If you want to find more reasonably priced flights, especially for points redemptions, search for each leg of the flight as a one way,' Jess advised.
By simply splitting their journey into one-way segments, travellers can save money and earn points with many airlines compared to booking a round-trip ticket.
Jess Bohorquez recommends booking one-way flights. Credit: Unsplash
Users online were also quick to ask questions about flight bookings, such as whether it is possible to combine points from multiple reward programs.
'Can I combine Chase and Capital One points together for one singular flight?' one asked, to which Jess replied: ‘If you're transferring to a travel transfer partner that both banks have? Then yes!'
Others also simply offered their observations from booking tickets over the years.
A person pointed out: 'Cash fares used to be cheaper to book as round trips, but even those days are gone…’
‘I think you're right,' she said.
One of the most glaring benefits of booking one-way flights over round trips is the level of flexibility it offers.
Seasoned flyers often find themselves needing to change their itinerary due to unforeseen changes in plans or last-minute emergencies.
Booking one-way tickets allows travellers to amend their travel schedules without the hefty price tag of a round-trip change fee.
Moreover, one-way flights give travellers an opportunity to mix and match airlines, allowing them to maximise flight rewards programs.
Instead of being tied to a single airline for an entire round trip, travellers can potentially earn more reward points by choosing different airlines for each leg of their travel, especially if they are members of multiple loyalty programs.
So, if you are a frequent flyer in Qantas and feel that its loyalty program is a ‘big scam’, this is your chance to check other airlines’ flight rewards programs.
As reported by US News for 2023-2024, Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines stand out with some of the most impressive reward programmes.
American Airlines and JetBlue Airways secured the fourth and fifth positions in the rankings.
Finance website Bankrate has analysed the costs associated with points and flight miles for these airlines in 2023, considering cash bookings, rewards program costs, and economy airfare reservations.
Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines stand out with some of the most impressive reward programmes. Credit: Unsplash
The United Airlines MileagePlus program takes the lead with a bankrate of 0.9 cents AUD, estimated to be worth approximately $450 AUD for every 50,000 points or miles.
American Airlines AAdvantage comes second with a bankrate of 1 cent AUD, equivalent to around $500 AUD for 50,000 points or miles.
The Alaska Airways Mileage Program starts at a bankrate of 1.1 cents AUD, with an estimated value of $550 AUD for 50,000 points or miles.
Delta Skymiles follows with a bankrate of 1.2 cents AUD and an estimated value of $600 AUD for 50,000 points or miles.
Last but not least, JetBlue TrueBlue boasts a bankrate of 1.3 cents AUD and an estimated value of an impressive $650 AUD for 50,000 points or miles
Given the competitive landscape of the airline industry, one-way fares often become the battleground for airlines to undercut each other's prices. This could potentially lead to bargains that are otherwise hidden when only considering round-trip fares.
So members, if you’re looking for the most affordable flight option and a great rewards program, make sure to book each leg of your trip as a one-way, and watch out for any suspicious activities online!
Do you have a similar tip forscoring flight deals other members could use? Share your wisdom below to help other readers unlock savings!
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