Surprising Way to Save on Two or More Airline Tickets (2024)

If you're traveling on your own, no problem. Just book your tickets. All you have to do is compare prices on an airfare search site to find the cheapest flight available.

But what about when you're traveling with family and friends? Here's where it gets interesting.You could shop the usual way–entering the total number of passengers instead of just one–but doing that might mean you spend more than you have to.

Key Takeaways

  • If you purchase multiple tickets in a single transaction, the price will be the same for each of the tickets.
  • If not enough of the lowest-cost seats are available, you'll pay a higher cost for all of the seats.
  • Buy the tickets one at a time to make sure you get all of the lowest-cost seats available.

Here's a technique that ensures that you'll getthe lowest possible fare for every ticket you buy.

The Reservation System Quirk

A quirk in airline reservation systems requires that every ticket purchased in a single reservation (or transaction) be the same price. If there aren't enough of the cheapest-priced tickets available, the system moves up to the next highest level of ticket prices. When it reaches a level that has enough seats available, it offers you the higher price for all of them.

To help make sense of this, it's useful to know that there are about 10 different price points on each flight. There are even multiple price points within economy class. The prices vary depending on when you buy your tickets.

Let's say you're seated in a middle seat in coach and paid $100 for your ticket. To your left is a woman who paid the next lowest fare of $125 and to your right is a fellow who paid the top economy price of $140. (These figures are pulled out of the air for illustration purposes but all are well within the range of possibility.)

When Prices Vary

Now say you took your family of four along on that trip. You buy your tickets in a single transaction as usual. If there are four tickets available at the lowest price, terrific. You got the $400 deal.

But let's say there are only two of the cheapest tickets left. If you buy all four tickets in one transaction, you will not pay $100 + $100 and $125 + $125 for a total of $450. Instead, you will pay $125 for every ticket, for a total of $500.

Remember the system quirk? The system willnot split up a group to mix ticket prices because all tickets sold in a single transaction must be sold for the same price. When there are not enough cheaper-priced tickets to match the number of passengers, the reservations system automatically bumps up to a price tier where there are enough same-priced tickets.

This can be avoided, though. All it takes is a few extra minutes of your time.

Purchase Tickets One at a Time

Whichever travel booking site you use, begin by opening two separate flight search pages to your destination:

  • On one page, open a booking for one person.
  • On a second page, open a booking for thetotal numberof people in your party.

If the price offered in the search for a single ticket is cheaper than the per-ticket price offered for the whole party, you know there is at least one cheaper seat available. Buy it, and repeat the process of buying a cheaper ticket one at a time. You may end up buying all the tickets you need, one at a time.

If the price of one ticket rises to the price shown on your group booking page, you can use the group booking page to order the remaining seats you need all at once. Or, change the seat number on the single-ticket search page to buy the remaining tickets at the higher price.

You've just bought all of the tickets at the lowest total price available.

If You Press the Wrong Key

U.S. airlines are required to give you a 24-hour change-your-mind grace period to cancel a reservation in case of an error. Most offer a straight refund within this period. American Airlines’ policy is to allow shoppers tohold a booking for 24 hours (with no price change) before paying for it.

Surprising Way to Save on Two or More Airline Tickets (2024)

FAQs

Is it cheaper to book two single flights or a return? ›

Why is it that a return fare usually costs less than the sum of two one-way fares over the same route? Because airlines know you're almost certainly travelling both ways, and they want to make sure you're sitting in one of their seats for both legs of your journey. Buying the whole is cheaper than buying two halves.

Is it cheaper to book a round trip flight or two one-way flights? ›

If you're flying domestically in the U.S., the cost of two one-way flights will usually be the same as a round trip; however, when flying internationally, it can be much more expensive to book two one-way tickets.

What are the cheapest months to fly in 2024? ›

Following January, February is the cheapest month to fly in 2024 while November and July are the two most expensive. Travelers booking spring flights will want to book 44 days in advance but that figure drops to 35 days for summer flights. Passengers can book further out for fall flights though at 55 days.

What time on Tuesday do flight prices drop? ›

Do Flight Prices Go Down on Tuesday? The myth has been going around for years, but the truth is that flight prices don't go down on Tuesdays. To be fair, they did at one point in time, and savvy travelers could score a great deal late on a Tuesday night.

Do flight prices go down at night? ›

No, it's not necessary that airline tickets tend to be cheaper if you purchase them at night. The price of airline tickets can change frequently based on various factors like demand, the time of year, and how close the travel date is.

What is the cheapest day to book a flight? ›

Another study done by Google found that flight prices on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays were 1.9% cheaper on average than flights on Saturdays and Sundays.

What is the cheapest period to book flights? ›

Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date or if you book too early—more than five months in advance. Instead, flights tend to be the least expensive when you book between 3 weeks and 2.5 months (21 and 74 days) in advance of your departure date.

Are flights cheaper at certain times? ›

You can find deals any day of the week since flight prices fluctuate with demand. Airlines might offer sales, increase the number of seats on a route or even lower prices to match a competitor, so there's no actual pattern in what day of the week has the best deals.

Are flights cheaper 2 weeks before? ›

Generally, the best prices tend to drop off once the flight is less than three weeks out.

What is hidden city ticketing? ›

What is hidden city ticketing? Also known as point beyond ticketing, hidden city ticketing is a way to find cheaper nonstop tickets by booking a connecting flight to a final destination beyond yours, but ending your journey at a layover point.

What is a roundabout flight? ›

A roundtrip flight is an itinerary with one flight to a destination and another flight back from that destination. Meet the travel membership saving you hundreds of dollars on flights. We've helped millions travel and experience the world without breaking the bank.

What is nested ticketing? ›

For travelers planning multiple trips on the same route, it's often much cheaper to buy a nested return: purchasing a return from A to B with a long stay at B and then a separate return ticket from B to A with dates that "nest" inside the first trip.

Is it cheaper to buy flights last second? ›

Timing plays an important part. Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date or if you book too early—more than five months in advance. Instead, flights tend to be the least expensive when you book between 3 weeks and 2.5 months (21 and 74 days) in advance of your departure date.

How far out should you book a flight to save money? ›

A new study is solving the eternal question of when to book your flight for the best price. According to CheapAir.com's Annual Airfare Study, booking a ticket at least three weeks before departing, and no more than 2.5 months in advance, is the sweet spot for snagging the best flight deal.

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