The cost of airplane tickets commonly busts a vacation budget. A trip to Hawaii may seem affordable at first glance, but once airplane tickets are factored in, the dream is squashed.
In the past, consumers had no choice but to purchase roundtrip tickets to get the best deal. In the vast majority of cases, roundtrip tickets used to cost hundreds of dollars less than a one way flight.
However, the emergence of discount airlines and crafty travel booking sites has made cheap one way flights a competitive option.
Read on for a guide to finding cheap one way flights and make that dream vacation a reality.
What Are the Best Websites for Cheap One Way Flights?
There are some great websites out there for spontaneous travelers.
Skyscanner is an amazing website for those with a flexible schedule and willingness to travel to multiple destinations.
When setting up a search on Skyscanner, the first step is putting in the airline closest to home. Searchers can select a specific date or opt for the cheapest month to travel.
From there, insert “everywhere” into the destination field and Skyscanner will produce vast search results spanning the entire globe.
There are many other effective websites for finding cheap one way flights.
Wherefor.com simply asks for a travel budget and a date. The website then sends a list of great places, both domestic and international, that can be accommodated within that budget.
Another cool website is Adioso, which rather than focusing on specific destinations, focuses on the bucket list activities a traveler can do there.
Adioso allows travelers to search by qualitative criteria such as best waterfalls in the world or best skydiving destinations.
Avoid Major U.S. Airlines
One of the most certain ways to avoid expensive one way flights is by avoiding the major U.S. airlines. Companies such as United, Delta, and American Airlines also charge huge fees for one way flights.
In addition, these companies have punitive policies for travelers that attempt “throwaway ticketing.” This is a practice in which the traveler throws out the second leg of a round trip because the airline charges more for a one way ticket than a roundtrip.
The best way to pay less on a one way ticket is to use discount airlines such as JetBlue, Spirit, or Southwest. These airlines actually base pricing on one way traveling, whereas the major airlines prefer to only book round trips.
It is in these situations that finding a good travel agent may save money in the long run.
Beware of Hidden or Extra Fees
This is very important when using discount airlines or travel booking sites. Before checking out, ensure there are no hidden or additional fees tacked on to the total.
Some airlines like Spirit offer cheap base tickets to draw customers in, but charge more for baggage to make up the cost.
It is also wise to consider additional fees incurred at the airport, such as parking. Savvy airline travelers will contact companies such as EZWay Parking to save additional money.
Wrapping Up
Airline tickets don’t have to stand between a traveler and a dream vacation. By thinking outside the box and remaining flexible, travelers can take advantage of cheap one way flights and save money.
Interested in other travel-related topics? Please feel free to check out our travel blog for other great tips.