by Emily Thompson, Newsletter & Partnerships Editor
When I first started booking my own travel, I exclusively booked round-trip flights. I had heard somewhere that round-trip flights were always cheaper than two one-way flights, so I took that as gospel truth and was a loyal round-trip booker.
Plus, I mostly flew Southwest Airlines, and its change and cancellation policies were so flexible that I was always able to make changes easily — even to just one leg of a round-trip flight.
I was in for a shock when, a couple of weeks ago, I tried to cancel one leg of a round-trip flight I had booked on Southwest when the price dropped. This time, since the airline’s policy changes have gone into effect, I only had the option to cancel the whole thing (and lose the great deal I had gotten on the return leg I wanted to keep), or … keep the entire round trip as it was.
So now, I’ve joined the ranks of many of my fellow TPG staffers who swear by booking one-way flights for the flexibility they offer. By going the one-way route, I no longer have to worry about having to adjust my entire trip when I only want to move my departure date.
Even better? Having one-way flights (cash and award bookings) makes it easier to lock in a cheaper price if you see one after your original booking without disrupting your whole itinerary.
And as for whether one-way flights are more expensive, I haven’t noticed whether that’s true — but even if it is, the flexibility is well worth it to me these days.
Want more tips for booking your travel? Check out these stories:
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