I book dozens of flights a year with an easy strategy to save thousands of dollars on international airfare (2024)

That's a fire sale price. One-way flights for the same dates cost over $1,000 each way. But I didn'twant a round-trip; I wanted to hopscotch my way north and return from Europe. So I did what any tight-fisted, fallible mortal would do: I booked the cheap round-trip flight with no intention of using the return leg.

Airlines aren't a fan of this behavior — and some even reserve the right in their terms to penalize you for it. Still, their pricing models often incentivize the practice. I don't make a habit of this, but a solid $700 in savings is entrapment.

If you're on the prowl for summer travel, you need to know this tactic for securing cheaper airfare. We'll look at real examples — and how to use this strategy in a way that doesn't tatter your moral fiber.

Book round-trip vs one-way to save money

For most situations, I'm fiercely pro-one-way flights. Here's why:

• If you miss your outbound flight, your return flight won't be affected. You can still use it, change it, or cancel it.
• You can create as many stopovers as you want. If you'd like to visit multiple countries, it's inconvenient to have to return from the same airport you flew into.
• When booking free travel using rewards, you can use different points currencies on a single trip (like flying American Airlines there and United Airlines back).

If you're like me, you begin your planning with one-way searches. If prices are too much, you may find round-trip flights that cost less than a one-way.

For example, a one-way ticket later this year between Indianapolis and Dublin costs $1,063.

A return flight for the following week costs $794, making this specific itinerary cost a whopping $1,857.

But if you book the same dates as a round-trip itinerary instead of two one-ways, the lowest price is $1,055 on American Airlines. That's $8 cheaper than a one-way ticket — and more than $800 less than purchasing separate one-ways.

Multi-city flights get similarly discounted results

Those looking for one-way flights often plan to visit more than one destination. If your initial one-way searches are returning dry-heave prices, try a multi-city search (sometimes called an open jaw). It's usually an option beside "one-way" and "round-trip" on most search engines.

For example, say you want to land in Dublin and return from Madrid. Two one-way tickets cost over $1,900. But by using the multi-city tool, you'll pay as little as $1,060.

Pay for flights using a credit card with travel insurance

Credit card travel insurance has saved me thousands of dollars, between being reimbursed for meals and hotels when my flight's been canceled, or receiving a $500 check to buy clothes when my bag was delayed multiple days.

To be covered, purchase airfare with a credit card that offers travel insurance, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Chase Sapphire travel insurance is some of the most generous of any travel credit card. These cards also offer travel-specific benefits that even a casual traveler will appreciate — I've had my Sapphire Preferred for eight years and I'll never cancel it.

What to know about booking round-trip vs one-way flights

You'll find that many international one-way fares are priced (seemingly) arbitrarily higher than return fares on the same route — often by hundreds of dollars. If you're traveling with a group, you could easily save thousands of dollars by booking round-trip flights instead of one-ways.

Two caveats:

• The above strategy is not a firm rule. It's certainly possible to find inexpensive one-way fares.
• This primarily applies to international travel. On domestic flights, one-way prices tend to be less inflated. In other words, two one-way tickets are often competitive with a round-trip ticket.

Remember to use a travel credit card that provides insurance — just in case something goes awry during your journey.