Ever dreamt of eating your way through Rome, snapping selfies along the canals of Amsterdam, and flying home with a suitcase full of finds from London’s Camden Town… all without looping back to the starting line? Welcome to the world of open-jaw flights: the travel hacker’s trick for squeezing more adventure out of every holiday.
While many South Africans still book flights from A to B and dutifully return to A, a growing tribe of globetrotters are asking, “Why retrace my steps if I could leap forward to somewhere new?”
Open-jaw flights let you land in one city and depart from another, so instead of a traditional round trip, you’re suddenly on a whirlwind city-hopping escapade with maximum experiences and minimal déjà vu.
Let’s look closer at how this ticketing strategy works – and why it might just be the smartest move for your next getaway.
What is an open-jaw flight, anyway?
As mentioned, an open-jaw flight is simply a clever airline booking strategy that lets you fly into one city and out from another.
But there are different types of open-jaw journeys. Here’s how they work, with a few examples:
- Destination open-jaw: Book a ticket from Johannesburg to Rome, make your way across sunny Europe, and fly home from Paris to Johannesburg. The “jaw” is the gap between the cities, filled, conveniently, with your own overland adventuring.
- Origin open-jaw: Leave from Johannesburg but return to Cape Town instead (useful for those multi-city trips that start at grandma’s house and end near your cousin’s wedding venue).
- Double open-jaw: For the ultimate itinerary contortionists, both start and finish points are different. For example: fly Joburg to Athens, travel to Madrid, and wing it home to Durban.
If all that sounds a bit complicated, don’t worry. Most airlines and booking engines have a “multi-city” or “open-jaw” option just waiting to be ticked. In fact, booking an open-jaw is often as easy as booking a regular return – but with an infinite number of choices and more gelato stops.
“With an open-jaw ticket – which, depending on your route might be cheaper, on par, or more expensive than a round trip – you’re squeezing every drop of value from your trip. Why settle for a simple A-to-B when you could unlock the whole alphabet?” says Sue Garrett, GM Pricing, Supply & Marketing at Flight Centre South Africa.
Why open-jaw?
- Time is money: Instead of schlepping back to your original arrival city, you can use those extra hours for wine-tasting in France or canal-hopping in Amsterdam.
- Stretch your rand: Contrary to popular belief, open-jaw flights often cost the same as a regular return ticket (or sometimes even less if you rope in a travel advisor).
- Freedom to roam: No need to plan your trip in a neat little circle. You can zigzag to your heart’s content, carving out the ultimate once-off route that matches your bucket list.
- Perfect pairing with trains: Europe’s rail network reads like every road-tripper’s fantasy novel. Hopping off in new countries is practically an Olympic sport. Score even more flexibility by combining your open-jaw flight with a Eurail or BritRail pass.
And if you’re travelling for business (or a little bit of both like 77% of South Africans, according to Flight Centre’s Global PR survey), this strategy isn’t just about sightseeing cred. “Smart businesses know that time is money. Open-jaw flights help our clients land more meetings and cover more ground, while exploring bleisure opportunities,” adds Garrett.
Bottom line? The open-jaw ticks all the boxes for modern adventurers – more options, fewer compromises, and the sweet, sweet satisfaction of never walking the same road twice.
How to book like a pro (without breaking a sweat)
- Tick the multi-city button: Don’t get stuck on return or one-way flight searches. Always hunt down the “multi-city” option.
- Mix and match airports: Europe is filled with choices. Sometimes flying out of Amsterdam, rather than Paris, can save you a bundle. Or switch it up and start in Venice and end in Madrid – think of airports as puzzle pieces that can completely transform your trip.
- Don’t forget your ground game: The “gap” between cities is your playground. Build the surface sector that suits your itinerary, whether it’s trains, buses, or boats. Remember, trains in Europe aren’t just transport; they’re a golden ticket to scenic relaxation – and perhaps even a few new friendships.
- Compare before you commit: Sometimes, two one-way tickets can sneak under the radar at a better price, but most of the time, open-jaw fares win on value and convenience, especially on long-haul routes with full-service airlines like Qatar Airways or British Airways.
- Book early, stress less: The early Euro-tripper gets the best deals, particularly on popular summer routes. Flexibility can work wonders for both your budget and your trip’s potential.
And for anyone panicking about fine print? Never underestimate the power of a travel expert’s double-check. “The multi-city search tool is your friend, but it never hurts to get a second pair of eyes, especially when it comes to bag rules or small-print,” comments Garrett. “We love a good deal, but without unexpected surprises!”
Here’s to those satisfying zigzag adventures that await, and to never, ever retracing your steps… unless it’s for seconds at the breakfast buffet, of course.
