It’s almost second nature. When you travel by air, you book roundtrip tickets.

One-way flights are those rarely used tickets you buy in a pinch, only when it’s an emergency, right?

 Well, not exactly. For a number of reasons, one-way flights are on the rise. Just look at the numbers: the sales for one-way flights have grown 45 percent since 2014. And they now represent more than 40 percent of all airline tickets purchased.¹

 So what happened? And why are travelers choosing to buy a couple of one-way flights instead of roundtrip tickets? Price and flexibility are two big factors as you might imagine, but we’ll dig a bit deeper into some of the big reasons why…

Buying one-way flights can be cheaper.

It used to be the rule, especially for larger airlines, to mark up one-way tickets with a premium. That way, if you compared a roundtrip fare on Delta vs. the same exact flights paid as two separate one-way fares, it always made more sense (and cents) to buy the roundtrip ticket.²

Airlines are inclined to provide financial incentives for taking roundtrip flights for the simple reason that one-way flights can complicate the flying schedule, making it more difficult to predict which flights fill up and which will have empty seats.³

But there is change in the air. Many airlines, especially discount providers such as Spirit and Frontier, are now charging the same price to book multiple one-way fares instead of the traditional roundtrip ticket. And large carriers are facing pressure to be price competitive.²

Sometimes, airlines will even offer special promotions to entice purchase of one-way flights over a limited window of time. But the real value in booking multiple one-way flights is that you can mix and match flights, airline, and airports to dial in the best price at the best times for you. This can require more patience on the front end as you hunt for the best bargains, but flight aggregator sites such as Kayak.com and Momondo.com can help out big time. Another potential bonus: perhaps you have enough points or miles for a single one-way flight on two different airlines and want to travel for free. Problem solved. Do know that there are a few logistical concerns to keep in mind. For example, if your outgoing flight is cancelled or significantly delayed, and you booked on two different airlines, your plan could backfire.

You have a multi-leg trip.

You have a client visit in Seattle, want to see some friends in San Francisco, and need to get back home in Atlanta before the weekend. Multi-leg or multi-city trips are really just a series of one-way flights that can be cheaper, shorter and altogether easier then making two separate trips or renting a car in the middle. Plus, if you have flexibility about the order in which you visit each destination, you can simply pick the cheapest itinerary.

You have another way to get home.

Maybe you’re heading home 500 miles away for the holidays. You have a free ride with Aunt Gertie to get to the big family Thanksgiving celebration. But you have to work on Friday, which means you have to fly back Thursday night after the feast while Gertie hangs out for a full week of leftovers. As for seconds, well, good luck getting that gravy through TSA…

It’s super last-minute.

Sometimes you find out you need to travel a good distance at a moment’s notice. Maybe it’s a last-minute push to win some client business or a trip to help out a family member or friend in need. Regardless, you need to book a flight and pack your bags, pronto. These are the times when you may focus only on getting to your destination — and getting back home when you have time to catch your breath and decompress.

You’re not sure when you’ll return.

Sometimes we just need to get away — and we don’t care when or if we come back. One-way flights are tailor-made for these occasions, whether we’re back-packing and soul searching or taking an extended vacation in between jobs. Ahhh… adventure without limits. OK, ok, there are some limits. For example, depending on your destination, you may be asked to provide proof of onward travel. This is a fancy way of making sure you’re not overstaying a Visa or attempting to illegally immigrate to another country. Do your homework to avoid being shocked at the gate when you’re asked to buy a return ticket on the spot, or go home.²

One last thing...

Finally, when it comes to booking one-way flights and purchasing travel insurance, know that you’ll need to share your return date when applying for your policy. And your policy will end when your trip ends. So while it’s OK to be a free spirit exploring the globe, you’ll need some structure to qualify for travel insurance benefits. One potential bit of help here is the OneTrip Emergency Medical Plan, a flexible and low-cost travel insurance plan that provides benefits for covered emergency medical costs, as well as assistance with trip delays, lost luggage, and other scenarios. One other unique aspect of OneTrip Emergency Medical Plan is that it provides you the opportunity to extend your trip past your original return date.^

One-way flights have always provided some extra flexibility, but with their price no longer being as prohibitive and the growth of discount carriers, they’re becoming much more popular. So the next time you take to the skies, take a moment before confirming that roundtrip ticket to look at one-way flights, just to see if it’s worth it.

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