Multi-destination ticket: how to book at a lower cost?

Nowadays, to encourage travellers to buy round-trip tickets, airlines sell their one-way tickets at a higher price. But what if, even before you return home, you want to continue your journey to other destinations without necessarily returning to the airport where you first arrived? The answer is simple: you have the choice between buying several one-way tickets and buying a single multi-destination ticket.

What is a multi-destination ticket?

When the destination airport of your outward flight is different from your return airport, it is a multi-destination ticket. Example: you are travelling to Bangkok and once you arrive there, you want to visit the rest of Thailand. Therefore you decide to set up a travel tour through the Thai capital, the island of Phuket and finally the island of Koh Samui. For your return to France, you decide to fly from Koh Samui and not from Bangkok: your outward destination airport is therefore different from your return airport.

How to book a cheap multi-destination flight?

The vast majority of current airlines allow you to book a multi-destination flight ticket. In many cases, you have the choice between buying a round-trip ticket, a one-way ticket or a multi-destination ticket. Once the multi-destination flight has been selected, all you have to do is add each of the cities you want to visit. To book at an unbeatable price, it is not always interesting to book your entire trip with the same airline, quite the contrary. To avoid having to manage tons of different bookings, consider using online flight comparators: you can compare all the fares charged by airlines and book the one you find most interesting. In addition, never forget the golden rule regarding travel booking: book in advance, on average 3 months before your departure as it is usually at this time that prices are lowest. And if you have the opportunity to do it even earlier, book between 6 and 9 months before your trip.

Multi-destination or one-way

As mentioned above, one-way flights are often sold at a higher price in order to encourage you to buy a round-trip flight. But when it comes to buying a multi-destination ticket, is it really interesting not to buy several one-way tickets? The answer varies according to various factors:

• If you are travelling alone or with several people (with family or friends).
• If you book your tickets in advance or at the last minute.

As you may have noticed, there is no rule that you can systematically apply when booking airline tickets. If you take your one-way tickets in advance and with several people, chances are that you will benefit from an advantageous fare and save money. On the other hand, if you do it at the last minute and travel alone, it may be to your advantage to buy a multi-destination flight. Remember to compare the two before you buy your tickets. If you have opted for a multi-destination ticket, but one of your flights has been cancelled, you can request a refund of the flight ticket under certain conditions. The same applies in the event of a delay. If, for example your Air France flight is more than 3 hours late, you are entitled to call the Air France réclamation service. You may be able to obtain compensation for the delayed flight.