Open Jaw Flights: Meaning, Benefits, and How to Book One
If you're smart about booking, open jaw flights can not only save you money but also let you experience exciting itineraries. But what exactly does this term mean, and when is an open jaw flight really worth it?
What Is an Open Jaw Flight?
An open jaw flight refers to a flight itinerary where you don't fly back to your point of departure but use a different airport for the outbound or return flight. Example:
Outbound flight: London – Madrid
Return flight: Barcelona – London
The open jaw flight meaning comes from what the route looks like on a map: instead of a closed loop, the itinerary stays "open" on one side — like an open jaw. You'll usually find this type of open jaw ticket under the "multi-city" option on airline websites and booking portals.
Open Jaw Flight Variants: Single and Double Open Jaw
Not all open jaw flights are the same — there are two important variants. These are:
Single Open Jaw Flight
Either the outbound or return flight departs from a different airport.
Example 1: Outbound flight London → Barcelona, return flight Madrid → London.
Example 2: Outbound flight London → New York, return flight New York → Manchester.
Double Open Jaw Flight
Both the outbound and return flights have different departure and arrival points.
Example: Outbound flight London → Los Angeles, return flight San Francisco → Manchester.
Especially convenient: For combined trips like cruises or road trips, you avoid unnecessary return journeys.
Advantages of an Open Jaw Flight
Open jaw flights can offer several advantages:
Time savings
If you're taking a road trip, you don't have to drive back to the departure airport. For example, you can start a road trip in San Francisco, spend a few days enjoying the U.S. West Coast, and then fly back from Los Angeles.
Save money
In many cases, open jaw flights are cheaper than two separate one-way tickets. Airlines offer the open jaw ticket as a fare structure that's more flexible and attractively priced.
A richer travel experience
With an open jaw flight, you can explore more than just one destination without wasting valuable time on return journeys. Example: A Mediterranean cruise — outbound flight to Venice, return flight from Barcelona.
Ideal for business travel
When the return flight doesn't depart from the same location, business travellers save time and effort.
Drawbacks of an Open Jaw Flight
As attractive as open jaw flights may be — there are a few points you should definitely consider before booking:
Planning Effort
Unlike with a traditional return flight, with an open jaw flight you often have to figure out on your own how to get from the arrival location of your outbound flight to the departure location of your return flight. This additional effort should be taken into account when planning.
Less Flexibility with Rebookings
If your travel plans change, it's often more difficult to rebook an open jaw flight. While a traditional return flight can usually be easily rescheduled for a different date, open jaw flights often have to be adjusted as a complete package — which is expensive and sometimes not even possible.
Baggage Issues
On open jaw flights involving different airlines, your baggage may not be automatically checked through. This means you'll have to pick it up at your stopover and recheck it — which includes going through security and passport control again. This can be a problem if your layover time is tight.
Price Pitfalls with One-Way Combinations
Some travellers book open jaw flights by combining multiple one-way tickets. Caution: This option is almost always more expensive and riskier than an official open jaw ticket, since you have no airline guarantee regarding connecting flights.
Open Jaw vs. Multi City Flights vs. Return Flights: The Differences
Many people confuse open jaw flights with multi city flights — but there are clear differences:
Return flight (classic): Outbound and return flights to the same airport.
Open jaw flight: The departure and arrival airports are different, but there is only one stopover.
Multi city flights: Multiple stops and layovers at different locations — often more complex and expensive.
As a rule of thumb:
Open jaw flight → Ideal for two locations without returning to the starting point.
Multi city flights → For world tours or long round trips with multiple destinations.
Info Box: Open Jaw vs. Multi City vs. Return
Flight Type | Definition | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
Return Flight | A → B → A | Fast, simple, affordable | No flexibility |
Open Jaw Flight | A → B / C → A or A → B / C → D | Flexible, saves time and money | Baggage issues, booking can be more complicated in some cases |
Multi-City Flight | A → B → C → D → A | Multiple destinations in one trip | More expensive, often requires extensive planning |
Multi City Flight Booking: How to Book an Open Jaw Flight Efficiently
Many travellers don't know that you can select open jaw flights directly on booking portals and airline websites. Since there is rarely a dedicated "open jaw" button, the trick is to use the multi city flight booking option and simply enter two legs. Look for terms like "multi-city", "multiple destinations", or "open jaw" when finalising your booking.
Useful Tools & Portals:
Skyscanner: Select "multi-city" in the search bar and enter your outbound and return legs separately.
Google Flights: Choose "Multi-city" and search flexibly across multiple departure airports.
Expedia / Opodo / Kayak: Offer multi city flight booking options that cover open jaw itineraries.
Airlines directly: British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, or KLM let you book an open jaw ticket via their multi-city search.
