5 Reasons Why I Prefer To Book One-Way Flights (Over Round-Trip Tickets)

Booking flights for your next trip can feel like crafting a masterpiece. It’s often the first step you take in bringing your vacation to life, as the cost of airfare alone can determine whether your desired destination fits within your budget.

Most of the time, I search for — and book — one-way flights. While some travelers may find it confusing to manage 2 separate confirmation numbers, there are plenty of compelling reasons why opting for one-way tickets can be a game changer, as I’ll explain below.

1. You Can Often Save Money

The easiest way to save money on flights — aside from staying flexible with your travel dates and times — is to book a one-way ticket. This strategy works well for domestic flights, though there are always exceptions to the rule. Paying cash for international flights will often require you to book round-trip to see any savings.

When I’m not particular about which airline to fly, I always begin my flight searches on Google Flights. For example, if I search for a round-trip ticket from Los Angeles (LAX) to the New York City area, I’ll find plenty of nonstop options sorted by price from lowest to highest.

However, if I choose American Airlines to fly from Los Angeles to New York (JFK), I’ll also need to book my return flight with American departing from JFK.

That doesn’t give me much flexibility, as I could miss out on additional options — such as flying home from nearby Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Not only that, but carriers like Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines all offer nonstop service from EWR to Los Angeles, and they might have options that suit my schedule or budget better.

In addition, the fares above are basic economy tickets, but comparing them isn’t straightforward. For example, I’d much rather book basic economy with American, as it allows passengers yo bring both a personal item and a carry-on bag at no extra charge. In contrast, United charges basic economy passengers around $25 each way for a carry-on bag on domestic flights — a hidden cost not immediately visible in the initial fare.

That’s why it’s important for me to price out one-way tickets instead. For those same dates, I can book a one-way flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to New York (JFK) on JetBlue for $134.

On the way back, I can fly from Newark (EWR) to Los Angeles (LAX) instead for $119, with Alaska Airlines.

By booking 2 one-way tickets with JetBlue and Alaska Airlines, I’d spend $253, instead of $278 for a round-trip ticket with American Airlines. While it’s only a $25 savings, frequent travelers know that small savings like this can add up significantly over time.

2. You Can Explore Multiple Destinations in 1 Trip

When I travel, I rarely stay in one destination for long. This past summer, for instance, I flew into San Francisco (SFO) and embarked on a weeklong road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway, eventually ending up in San Diego (SAN). Booking 2 one-way tickets allowed me to fly into San Francisco and out of San Diego, making my travel plans more flexible.

The same approach works for my international travels as well. On a recent family trip, we booked one-way tickets in United Polaris business class from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Rome (FCO) via Washington-Dulles (IAD). We were fortunate to find business-class award availability, which made the 9-hour journey both affordable and comfortable.

For the return trip, we wanted to visit another European destination before flying nonstop back to Raleigh-Durham. While RDU has added more international routes recently, it’s still not comparable to larger hubs like Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) or New York (JFK). Knowing that Air France offers nonstop flights from Paris (CDG) to RDU brought new possibilities for our trip.

In sum, we spent a few days in Rome, took a train to Naples, flew with EasyJet to Paris, and then returned home. Booking one-way tickets to and from Europe made it much easier to explore multiple destinations, all without being tied to flying in (and out) of Rome.

3. One-Way Tickets Are Easier To Cancel

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about travel over the past decade, it’s that plans can change unexpectedly. Whether it’s due to unforeseen circumstances or simply not feeling well enough to fly, you might need to change — or even cancel — your flight. Booking 2 one-way tickets makes this much easier.

Here’s a real-world example: My boyfriend and I booked 2 one-way tickets between Raleigh-Durham (RDU) and Miami (MIA) for a 5-day cruise. On the last day of the trip, he fell ill, and we had to push our return flight back by a day. Thankfully, we were able to make the change within seconds using the Delta app.

If we had booked a round-trip ticket for the same flights, modifying just the return leg could have been more complicated. Since the outbound flight had already been used, we likely would have needed to call customer service to adjust the return. While the outcome might have been the same, we greatly value the convenience of making changes ourselves without needing to rely on a phone call.

4. You Can Use Different Points and Miles Currencies

I always sign up for loyalty programs with airlines and hotels, even if I don’t plan to book with them again. Why? I never want to miss the chance to earn points or miles. Even earning just 1,000 miles from a single flight can come in handy for saving on a future trip when I least expect it.

For example, I had about 3,500 Southwest Rapid Rewards points in my account but needed an additional 2,000 points to book a one-way flight from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Nashville (BNA) using miles. While I could have used Southwest’s Points + Cash feature at checkout, the redemption value was subpar compared to the true cash cost of the ticket. Instead, I quickly transferred 2,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to my Southwest account and booked the one-way flight essentially for free. For the return flight, I found a cheap ticket on American Airlines for under $70.

This is why I value even the smallest balances of frequent flyer miles. With credit card transfer partners, you can easily top off your account and book flights when needed. Booking 2 one-way tickets also gives you the flexibility to mix and match, using points from different programs or even paying cash for one leg. Round-trip bookings simply don’t offer the same level of customization.

5. You Can Book Backup Tickets

Sometimes, I’ll book a backup ticket on a different airline using miles. The great thing about most mileage tickets is that they’re fully refundable, allowing me to get my miles back instantly if I decide to cancel the itinerary.

This strategy is particularly useful during peak travel times, like the holidays, or when it’s crucial to make it to an event. For instance, I was scheduled to fly American Airlines on the morning of Christmas Eve 2024, when the airline experienced a temporary ground stop for all flights. Fortunately, I had a backup flight booked on Delta, so I canceled my American Airlines ticket for a full refund and flew with Delta instead with minimal disruptions to my trip.

Another example is an upcoming trip to Queenstown, New Zealand, for a wedding. While I secured business-class award space for the flight there, I haven’t found anything for the return leg yet. The best option so far is an economy ticket from Auckland to LAX for just 19,500 Delta SkyMiles — a fantastic deal. If I later find award space for a lie-flat seat, I can cancel my cheap economy ticket instantly and get the $80 in taxes and fees refunded to my credit card within a few days.

Final Thoughts

For me, booking one-way flights isn’t just about saving money — it’s more about about maximizing the flexibility in my travel plans.

Whether I’m using points and miles or paying with cash, I far prefer this approach over round-trip tickets, which often come with more limitations if I need to make any changes.