NationStates Jolt Archive

So I was looking into getting some airline tickets the other day, and I was looking online.

I tried them all that I could think of - Orbitz, Priceline, etc, and cheapest fares varied a little, but at the end of the day the cheapest for a roundtrip ticket was $601. I wasn't sure how long I was going to stay however, so I looked into getting a 1-way (the other half being booked when it was time to leave). The cheapest I found a one-way ticket was $1,135.

Now, my question is, why is a one-way ticket almost twice the price of a round trip? I could understand it being 2/3, or even 3/4, due to the possibility of not being able to fill the seat on the way back, but 2x?

Secondary question - where's a good place to find cheap international fares?

Check www.cheaptickets.com. I tend to find good offers there. But one-ways are far more pricey than round-trips. I don't know why.

there are no good places to get cheap international tickets but there are techniques to get lower fares if you know what you are doing.

where are you going to and from?

there are no good places to get cheap international tickets but there are techniques to get lower fares if you know what you are doing.

where are you going to and from?

Orlando to Madrid.

So I was looking into getting some airline tickets the other day, and I was looking online.

I tried them all that I could think of - Orbitz, Priceline, etc, and cheapest fares varied a little, but at the end of the day the cheapest for a roundtrip ticket was $601. I wasn't sure how long I was going to stay however, so I looked into getting a 1-way (the other half being booked when it was time to leave). The cheapest I found a one-way ticket was $1,135.

Now, my question is, why is a one-way ticket almost twice the price of a round trip? I could understand it being 2/3, or even 3/4, due to the possibility of not being able to fill the seat on the way back, but 2x?
Round trip is like a BOGO deal. you are planning on coming back so you are basically reserving a seat on a future flight. If One Way's were cheaper, that's all people would buy and that would make reservations and planning vacations that much harder since it's not known if a flight can be gotten at the desired date.

Round trip is like a BOGO deal. you are planning on coming back so you are basically reserving a seat on a future flight. If One Way's were cheaper, that's all people would buy and that would make reservations and planning vacations that much harder since it's not known if a flight can be gotten at the desired date.

Except it's better than BOGO - it's like "Buy two, and we'll give it to you at 1/4 of the price". What's to prevent me from buying a roundtrip and just using half of it?

Except it's better than BOGO - it's like "Buy two, and we'll give it to you at 1/4 of the price". What's to prevent me from buying a roundtrip and just using half of it?
Nothing. Nothing at all. your unused seat would then be given to those flying 'space available' or 'standby'.

ok.

first of all there are 2 basic rules.

1) dont buy tickets on the weekend. tuesdays are the likeliest to get you the best fares.

2) your trip should always involve staying through saturday. monday to sunday. thursday to tuesday but never ever monday to friday. (they do this to screw the business traveler who wants to be home for the weekend and can bill the trip to his employer)

then we go on to other more iffy things...

3) check fares out of tampa, miami, even atlanta although its not likely to be cheaper from atlanta. (or miami for that matter). check flights TO other spanish cities although madrid is likely to be the best fare.

4) fiddle around with the dates you leave and return. days of the week can make a difference sometimes. dont worry about your return date. make it for the most likely time you will want to return and if it changes you can change that later.

5) my husband claims that you will find the best price at less than one month from your departure date. he knows what he is talking about but i tend to break long before then and book when i have decided i will never get a better price. there IS a definite best time to buy. its a zen thing. the price goes up then down again as you near your desired dates.

6) if youre leaving soon you are going to have to take whatever price you can find this next tuesday.

So I was looking into getting some airline tickets the other day, and I was looking online.

I tried them all that I could think of - Orbitz, Priceline, etc, and cheapest fares varied a little, but at the end of the day the cheapest for a roundtrip ticket was $601. I wasn't sure how long I was going to stay however, so I looked into getting a 1-way (the other half being booked when it was time to leave). The cheapest I found a one-way ticket was $1,135.

Now, my question is, why is a one-way ticket almost twice the price of a round trip? I could understand it being 2/3, or even 3/4, due to the possibility of not being able to fill the seat on the way back, but 2x?

Secondary question - where's a good place to find cheap international fares?
Airlines have so many odd rules... If you want an open-ended round trip, buy an "open" ticket. You pay extra, but you can book the return trip at your convenience.

www.bootsnall.com has a good website for around the world tickets. They are basically one way tickets to mulitple locations within a trip you design. The site has a cool little interface that allows one to set up a around the world trip. When looking at the site go to the place where you can do this (RTW) tickets. It is fun just to goof around with it. Suggest a look at it.

Except it's better than BOGO - it's like "Buy two, and we'll give it to you at 1/4 of the price". What's to prevent me from buying a roundtrip and just using half of it?

That's what I did when I moved to Ontario.