A little over a decade ago, while working in LA, I was trying to book a flight back to Europe for Christmas. I was unsure about a roundtrip or one-way ticket and found there was only a 1€ difference between the two prices. At the time, I was surprised but assumed it was normal; however, I haven’t encountered anything like that since.
@Sage
I experienced this last summer with flights from DEN to MAD/BCN. A one-way from Spain to Denver was just as pricey as a round-trip starting from Denver.
What country are you in? Some time around the early 2000s, Canada amended its air transportation regulations to require airlines to price one-way flights no more than half the price of roundtrips. It’s a simplification and doesn’t apply to all flights globally (only those originating in Canada), but it might have been part of broader international reforms. I can’t recall the exact timeline.
I used to work at a hotel with many regular business travelers, and that’s when I learned about the nesting technique.
Ashton said:
I used to work at a hotel with many regular business travelers, and that’s when I learned about the nesting technique.
Back in the day, it would save at least 25% If you were savvy about how to do it, that usually indicated a lot of traveling experience.
There used to be a significant discount for booking roundtrips at least 21 days in advance. Now, it’s just more efficient for me to book one way due to easier changes and no longer any price advantage.
I think the belief that roundtrips are cheaper often comes from selecting the cheapest options that fit together instead of taking into account the time of day. One-ways require you to look at each available time individually.
I think the situation depends on the route and airline. I’ve sometimes had success with what you used to do. I recently checked United, and one-ways can still be pricier compared to round trips. However, that’s between a smaller airport and a hub.
Southwest Airlines can have different pricing strategies.
I can’t comment specifically on fares, but it bothers me to see people treating flights like a bus commute, especially during a climate crisis.
Haru said:
I can’t comment specifically on fares, but it bothers me to see people treating flights like a bus commute, especially during a climate crisis.
You’re free to make changes.
@Finch
Unfortunately, I’m not free - like the rest of you, I’m stuck on this planet with its collapsing climate, and so are the 80% of people who will never fly in their lives. They’ll face the consequences of this madness too.
@Haru
The data centers you depend on to share your views have a carbon footprint larger than that of aviation.
You might want to consider logging off to truly contribute to saving the planet.
Lounge access has become widely available now, and pricing has improved substantially on many routes.