Round-Trip Flights: Everything You Need to Know for Your Next Adventure
A round-trip flight refers to a travel itinerary that originates from a particular starting point and returns back to the same starting point. This article provides a comprehensive guide to booking and optimizing round-trip flights for leisure and business travelers.
The purpose of this article is to educate readers on best practices for booking affordable and convenient round-trip flights. We will cover topics like leveraging flight comparison sites, airline loyalty programs, ideal routes, packaged deals, timing your booking, incorporating multiple stops, and avoiding peak travel days and times. After reading, you will have the knowledge to confidently research and book round-trip flights that fit your budget, schedule, and preferences.
Booking Round Trips
Booking a round-trip flight often offers advantages over booking two one-way tickets. Here are some key considerations when deciding between a round-trip trip and a one-way trip:
Cost Savings
Round trips are frequently cheaper than two separate one-way tickets for the same itinerary. Airlines want to incentivize round-trip bookings, so they offer discounts compared to piecing them together one way. It’s worth comparing prices before deciding.
Easier Rebooking
If you book a round trip and need to change your travel dates, you only have to change one booking rather than two separate ones. This makes rebooking simpler if plans shift.
Earning Frequent Flyer Miles
Many airlines award frequent flyer miles based on round-trip itineraries. Booking two one-way means you may earn fewer miles than a single round trip booking.
Baggage Allowance
Round trip baggage fees are often lower than those for two-way flights. If checking luggage, a round trip can reduce baggage costs.
Ease of Check-In
With round trips, you deal with one check-in at the origin and one return at the destination. One-ways require separate check-ins for each flight.
When searching for round-trip deals, be flexible on dates, airlines, and connection airports. Sign up for price alerts and track prices over time to identify sales patterns. Book at least 1-2 months in advance for domestic, and 3-6 months for international. Use flight comparison sites, but also check airline sites directly for web-only fares.
Flight Comparison Sites
When looking for the best deals on round-trip flights, using a flight comparison site can help you easily view options across different airlines and routes. These sites search hundreds of sites and airlines to find the best available fares. Some of the top flight comparison sites for finding cheap round-trip flights include:
Kayak
This popular flight search engine scans hundreds of travel sites and airline listings to find the cheapest round trip fares. It’s easy to filter by the number of stops, departure and return dates, and more. Kayak also has price prediction tools to advise the best time to book.
Google Flights
Google’s flight search scans the web to populate its flight search with the most affordable round-trip options. You can track prices for specific routes to get alerts when fares drop. It also allows flexible date searches to view the cheapest dates.
Skyscanner
This global flight search site looks through airline sites, online travel agencies, and more. You can browse everywhere or set your home airport to see the lowest round-trip fares worldwide from there. Price graphs show the best time to book.
Momondo
This travel search engine searches hundreds of travel sites and airlines for cheap international and domestic round trip flights. You can view stops, airlines, flight durations, and more to compare. It offers flexible dates and lets you watch for price drops.
Airfarewatchdog
This site specializes in finding the lowest round-trip airfares. It searches for flight deals and lets you track specific routes and get alerts when prices drop. You can set up custom searches for round trip flights.
Using one of these flight comparison sites can help you easily view affordable options for your round trip booking across different dates, airlines, routes and sites. Comparing all the prices in one place makes it easier to find and book the best deal.
Airline Loyalty Programs
Airline loyalty programs offer some great incentives for booking round-trip flights. Frequent flyer miles earned through these programs can be redeemed for free flights, seat upgrades, and more. The major US airlines each offer their own loyalty programs with different benefits and redemption options.
American Airlines AAdvantage
AAdvantage is the frequent flyer program for American Airlines. Members earn miles each time they fly with American which can be redeemed for award travel. Booking round-trip flights will allow you to earn more miles than a one-way ticket. They have an award chart where a certain amount of miles will get you a free domestic or international round-trip flight in each class of service. Upgrades and other benefits are also available through AAdvantage miles.
Delta SkyMiles
Delta SkyMiles members can earn miles for Delta flights that can be used for award travel. Booking round trip Delta flights will earn more miles than one-way. Their award travel is more flexible than other airlines, with no blackout dates and no award charts. The number of miles needed for a free flight will vary based on demand. Upgrades, Delta Sky Club access, and more can also be redeemed with SkyMiles.
United MileagePlus
MileagePlus is United Airlines’ loyalty program where miles can be earned by flying United and partner airlines. Their award chart lets you redeem a set amount of miles for free round trip economy, business, and first-class award tickets. Upgrades and other flight perks are also available by using MileagePlus miles earned from United round trip bookings.
Southwest Rapid Rewards
The Rapid Rewards program from Southwest doesn’t use a traditional mileage model. Instead, members earn points that can be redeemed for free flights. Southwest rewards round trip travel by letting you earn more points per dollar spent compared to one-way fares. Points can be redeemed for free flights without blackout dates or seat restrictions when seats are available. An upgraded boarding position can also be redeemed with Rapid Reward points.
Top Round Trip Routes
Some of the most popular round-trip routes for domestic and international travel include:
Domestic
– New York to Los Angeles – This transcontinental flight connects two of the biggest cities in the United States and is one of the busiest domestic routes. Flights can often be found for under $300 roundtrip.
– Atlanta to Orlando – Orlando is a hugely popular destination thanks to its many theme parks and resorts. Flights from Atlanta, a major airline hub, to Orlando typically cost around $200 roundtrip.
– Chicago to Washington, D.C. – There are plenty of cultural attractions and things to do in D.C. Flights from Chicago tend to be affordable, often under $250 roundtrip.
– Dallas to Las Vegas – Vegas is famous for its casinos, entertainment, and nightlife. Flights from Dallas to Sin City frequently cost around $200 or less roundtrip.
– Boston to Miami – Escape the cold and head to sunny Miami. This popular route along the East Coast usually costs roughly $200-$300 for a roundtrip ticket.
International
– New York to London – This route across the pond is popular for business and leisure travelers alike. Round-trip fares average around $500.
– Los Angeles to Cancun – Cancun is a top beach destination in Mexico. Flights from LAX average around $400 roundtrip for this route.
– Chicago to Paris – Visitors flock to romantic Paris from Chicago and other Midwest cities. You can often find roundtrips in the $500 range.
– Houston to Cabo San Lucas – Cabo in Mexico offers beautiful beaches and resorts. Roundtrip flights from Houston are usually around $400.
– Atlanta to Montego Bay – Montego Bay in Jamaica is home to lovely beaches and resorts. Flights from Atlanta generally start around $350 roundtrip.
Round Trip Packages
A popular option for round-trip flights is booking a package that bundles together airfare, hotel, and sometimes even a rental car. These can offer an easy way to plan a full vacation while potentially saving money compared to booking each part separately.
Many travel sites, like Expedia, Trip.com, Priceline, Travelocity, and Orbitz, offer flight and hotel package deals. You pick your origin city, destination, travel dates, and hotel preferences, and they will show you bundled package rates. Some things to look out for include:
Flexibility
Make sure to check the cancellation and change policies. Many packages have stricter policies than booking just a flight.
Upgrades
Packages will start with basic hotels and rental cars. You can upgrade to nicer hotels and car sizes for an additional cost.
Price
Compare the package price to booking the parts separately to see if there are actual savings. Sometimes there isn’t much difference.
Inclusions
Some packages include meals, activities, transfers, taxes, and fees. Others include just the basics. Know what is and isn’t included.
Location
Packages often use cheaper hotels that aren’t right downtown or directly on the beach. Check hotel locations carefully.
With some diligent research, round trip packages can offer convenience and potential savings. Just be sure to read the fine print to know exactly what you are getting. The cheapest package isn’t always the best deal.
Timing Your Booking
Knowing the best time to book round trip flights can help you score significant savings. Generally, the earlier you book, the better deal you can get.
Most experts recommend booking domestic round trips 6–8 weeks in advance for the lowest fares. For international flights, start your search 3–4 months out. Of course, last-minute round trip deals do sometimes pop up if flights are underbooked. But counting on finding those is risky.
For domestic U.S. travel, September to November tend to have some of the least expensive round trip airfares. Fall is considered shoulder season, so you’ll avoid the high summer rates. January to March is also a good window for deals, excluding around spring break.
When planning an international trip, the cheapest months for round-trip tickets are usually January to April and September to mid-December. Peak summer travel comes at a premium. Also, target mid-June after schools let out when prices temporarily dip for a few weeks before summer vacation hits full swing.
Some additional tips for finding the cheapest round-trip airfare:
– Book on a Tuesday or Wednesday; tickets tend to be listed at their lowest early in the week
– Search for fares in incognito or private mode This prevents cookies from hiking prices
– Consider flying on off-peak days or times like Tuesday afternoons and red-eyes
– Leverage flash sales and search with flexible dates
With some strategic timing, you can often save big on round-trip flights to both domestic and international destinations.
Round Trip with Multiple Stops Round trip flights
Round-trip flights with one or more stops along the way can provide an affordable option for some travelers. Here are some of the key pros and cons to consider when booking a round-trip flight with stops:
Pros:
– Cheaper airfare – Flights with stops are often significantly cheaper than nonstop options. The tradeoff of a longer travel time can mean big savings.
– Chance to explore a new city – Stopovers allow you to break up the trip and spend a few days visiting a new destination along the way at no extra airfare cost. This can essentially give you two vacations in one.
– A wider range of departure/arrival times – Adding a stop can provide more options for flight times, especially helpful if nonstop routes to your destination have limited schedules.
– Earn more frequent flyer miles – Each leg of the flight accrues airline miles, so flights with stops can help you rack up points quicker.
Cons:
– Longer travel times – The main drawback is flights with one or more stops will add a significant number of hours to your total travel time versus a nonstop.
– Risk of missed connections – Having connecting flights creates a higher chance of missing your second flight due to delays, which can be a major headache. Be sure to allow ample time between connections.
– Baggage complications – Checking bags on flights with multiple stops means having to pick up and recheck your luggage during each layover. This can be time-consuming and increases the chances of lost bags.
– Confusion navigating airports – For those unfamiliar with a layover airport, the large terminals and gates can be confusing. Be sure to allow time to get to your next departure gate.
When weighing your options, consider if the cheaper fare is worth the tradeoff of a longer, more complex itinerary. For many budget-conscious travelers, flights with one or two stops are an acceptable compromise that makes certain trips more accessible. But the cons like longer travel times can be deal-breakers for others.
Peak Days and Times Round trip flights
The most expensive days and times for roundtrip flights often coincide with major holidays and events when demand spikes. Here are some of the priciest times to fly:
– Thanksgiving – The days right before and after Thanksgiving tend to have very high airfares as millions fly home for the holiday. Traveling on Thanksgiving day itself is often cheaper.
– Christmas and New Year’s – Airfare is at its peak during the two weeks surrounding Christmas and New Year’s. Prices remain high from mid-December through the first week of January.
– Spring break – March and April fares are driven up by crowds of students and families traveling for spring break. The specific busy weeks depend on when school vacation calendars schedule the break.
– Summer – Summertime airfare is generally more expensive due to high demand. Fares usually peak between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.
– Friday and Sunday evenings – Flying out on Friday evening for a weekend trip or returning on Sunday evening from a weekend away is popular and therefore more expensive.
– Monday mornings, and Friday afternoons: Business travelers commonly book flights on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons, so fares tend to be higher at these times.
– Morning and evening rush hour: Flying during peak commute times often increases airfare. Try booking flights around the early morning and late afternoon/early evening crowds when possible.
Checking airfare trends and planning your trip during less-busy travel times can help you score a lower fare. Being flexible on your dates by a day or two can also make a big difference in the ticket price.
Round trip flights Conclusion
Round trip flights offer travelers convenience and savings compared to booking one-way flights. When planning a round-trip flight, first decide on your destination and travel dates. Be flexible if you can to take advantage of lower fares on certain days. Use flight comparison sites to find the best deals across multiple airlines and routes. Consider booking with an airline you have status or miles with to enjoy additional perks and rewards.
The most popular domestic round trip routes in the U.S. include New York to Miami, Los Angeles to New York, and San Francisco to New York. For international travelers, look for round trip deals from New York to London, Los Angeles to Cancun, and Chicago to Paris.
Aim to book round trip flights at least a few weeks in advance for lower fares. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are ideal booking days according to experts. Flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays tend to offer the best rates. Shop for round trip packages that bundle flights, hotels, and even activities to maximize value.
With some advance planning and savvy comparison shopping, you can find and book a great round-trip flight for your next vacation or trip. Safe travels!
