A split ticket flight refers to purchasing multiple tickets on different airlines for a single trip in order to save money compared to booking one ticket for the entire trip. This allows travelers to take advantage of lower fares that may be offered on different airlines for each leg of the journey.
How do split ticket flights work?
With a split ticket flight, you book separate one-way tickets for each leg of your trip rather than a single roundtrip ticket. For example, you might book one ticket from New York to Chicago on one airline, and another separate ticket from Chicago to Los Angeles on a different airline. This is different from traditional roundtrip tickets where both outbound and return flights are on the same airline.
Split ticketing takes advantage of the fact that different airlines often price the same routes differently. By mixing and matching airlines, you can sometimes find cheaper fares by piecing together separate one-way tickets on multiple carriers rather than a single roundtrip ticket on one airline.
What are the benefits of split ticket flights?
There are several potential benefits to booking a split ticket flight:
- Cost savings – The main benefit is lower fares. By searching one-way fares across different airlines, you can sometimes find a cheaper overall fare than a roundtrip ticket on a single airline.
- More flight options – Split ticketing opens up more routing options since you aren’t restricted to what’s available as a roundtrip on one carrier.
- Greater flexibility – You can customize each leg of the journey and even add in a stopover by breaking up the trip. This gives more control over schedules.
- Class of service differences – You can book different classes of service (economy, premium economy, business class) on each leg depending on availability and budget.
The savings from split ticketing can sometimes be substantial, amounting to hundreds of dollars on international flights in particular. The more legs and airlines involved, the more potential variability there is in fares and savings opportunities.
What are the downsides of split tickets?
There are also some potential disadvantages and risks to keep in mind with split ticketing:
- No roundtrip perks – Split tickets forfeit most roundtrip perks like free checked bags and elite mile earning on some airlines.
- No protection if delays occur – If delays happen and you misconnect between separate tickets, the airlines have no obligation to rebook you or provide compensation.
- More restrictive changes/cancellations – Changing or canceling part of a split ticket itinerary is usually much more difficult and expensive.
- Need to book carefully – Splits require diligent search to find optimal price combinations and properly synced arrival/departure times.
- Baggage may need to be rechecked – You’ll likely need to claim bags and recheck them between separate tickets.
These factors can add hassle and uncertainty to split ticket itineraries. Travelers need to weigh the risks against potential savings when considering this approach.
When does split ticketing make sense?
As a rule of thumb, split ticketing tends to work best under certain circumstances:
- For long international trips with multiple connections/layovers
- If you’re booking at the last minute when roundtrip fares are very high
- If fares are unusually high on one airline but lower elsewhere
- When mixing together low-cost and legacy carrier flights
- If you don’t mind the extra effort it takes to build an optimal split ticket
The more legs in a journey and the greater variability in fares, the more potential there is for savings. Last minute international business travel is a prime example where huge savings are possible compared to expensive published roundtrip fares.
Is split ticketing allowed by airlines?
Split ticketing techniques are specifically allowed by the major airlines and do not violate their fare rules, as long as each ticket is purchased separately with no linking of the itineraries. It simply takes advantage of arbitrage between published fares on different airlines and routes. Airlines use sophisticated yield management systems to set fares and are well aware that splits exist.
That said, some very complex splits that intentionally obscure the full journey may be considered “hidden cities” and are against the rules. But simple splits booking separate one-way tickets on valid routes are perfectly legitimate. Airlines mainly want to avoid segments going unused, which costs them yield. As long as you intend to fly every leg, basic split ticketing is allowed.
How can I find and book split ticket itineraries?
Finding and piecing together optimal split tickets requires some skill and tools.
The simplest option is using an online travel agency like Kiwi that specializes in building split itineraries. You enter your route and dates and their algorithm searches for and pieces together the cheapest ticket combinations across airlines.
You can also do it yourself using Google Flights or airline sites to search segment-by-segment for cheap one-way fares. This takes more effort but allows hand-picking each airline and schedule.
Expert split ticketing for maximum savings takes experience with routing rules and airline pricing algorithms. There are airfare specialists travelers can consult to build custom splits.
No matter the method, the final step is booking the individual tickets separately through the respective airlines. Careful attention needs to be paid to connection times and baggage rules.
What are some examples of split ticket savings?
Here are some real-world examples of typical split ticketing savings based on historical booking data:
Route | Roundtrip Fare | Split Ticket Fare | Potential Savings |
---|---|---|---|
New York > San Francisco (JFK-SFO) | $238 | $165 | $73 |
Los Angeles > London (LAX-LHR) | $1,004 | $768 | $236 |
Chicago > Tokyo (ORD-HND) | $1,008 | $831 | $177 |
For short domestic hops, splits can often save $50-100. On long international routes, savings of $200-400 are common. For complex global itineraries with several legs, savings can reach into the thousands.
What are codeshares and how do they impact split ticketing?
Codesharing is an arrangement where two or more airlines “share” the same flight. A single plane may have multiple airline flight numbers.
For example, a flight from Los Angeles to London could be labeled as AA123 (American Airlines) and BA456 (British Airways) at the same time. It’s the same physical flight, but appears as both airlines.
Codeshares open up additional split ticketing possibilities, since the same route can be booked under different airline codes at different prices. However, baggage policies and change fees are tied to whichever airline you book with.
When searching flights leg-by-leg, codeshare options will appear alongside regular routes. This increases chances of finding advantageous pricing differences to exploit in splits.
Are there risks of split tickets being canceled?
There is minimal risk of a split ticket itinerary being outright canceled because it violates fare rules. Again, individual one-way tickets purchased separately are perfectly valid bookings.
However, if any single flight making up part of the split is canceled, you have less recourse vs. a regular roundtrip ticket. With no linked itinerary, the airline whose flight was canceled has no obligation to assist or compensate you beyond refunding that leg only.
It’s also difficult to change part of a split ticket because of the lack of linkage. Options are generally limited to what you can do with each individual ticket’s change policy.
For these reasons split tickets work best when flexibility is less critical, like during peak season when flights are likely to operate as scheduled.
Can I use miles or airline status with split ticketing?
Most airlines will let you use miles towards split tickets, though award availability may be piecemeal if booking separate legs. Redeeming for one leg of a split on miles and paying cash for the rest is a popular tactic.
However, perks from elite status (free checked bags, lounge access, upgrades etc.) only apply to the airline whose flight you are on. If your status is with Airline A but you’re taking Airline B for part of a split, you lose those benefits during that portion.
Mileage earning rates are also lower on split tickets vs. roundtrips. So frequent flyer benefits are reduced, though can still play a part.
Is split ticketing allowed on international flights?
Yes, split ticketing works just as well for international and long-haul routes as domestic trips. In fact, international flights typically have the greatest variability in fares airline-to-airline. Complex itineraries crossing multiple regions offer opportunities for huge savings.
The main limitation internationally is award seat availability, since airlines release fewer reward seats on long-haul routes. But paying cash for split ticket flights internationally is common, and the potential discounts are massive – often $400+ roundtrip.
Can I add a stopover with split ticketing?
One big advantage of split ticketing vs. standard roundtrips is the ability to add open-jaw stopovers at no extra cost. This lets you build in a visit to another city as part of your trip.
For example, flying Chicago > San Francisco > Honolulu > Chicago allows stopping in San Francisco along the way. On a roundtrip ticket this would require a higher multi-city fare, but works on a split ticket with no penalty.
Stopovers of a week or longer are common with split ticketing. Just be sure connection times work and bags can be checked through if you intend to stay in the stopover city.
Should I worry about checked baggage with split tickets?
Checked baggage does require some extra planning with split ticketing since you are on separate tickets.
On flights with short connections, you will likely need to claim bags at your stopover airport and re-check them for the next flight. Long connections may allow through-checking bags, but this depends on specific airline partners.
Carry-on bags are easier since those always stay with you. But expect to go through check-in, security, etc. again at each stopover point to switch to the next airline.
Baggage fees are also charged separately for each airline. So you may have to pay to check bags multiple times on a split ticket itinerary.
Overall bags require more effort with splits, but are very manageable. Just research baggage policies carefully for each ticket and confirm you can make transfer times.
Conclusion
Split ticketing involves combining one-way tickets across different airlines to save money compared to traditional roundtrip bookings. While requiring extra effort, splits can unlock substantial savings if you have the time and patience to plan a workable itinerary.
For complex international trips and last minute fares, splits are an especially useful way to avoid bloated pricing. Stopovers are also possible at no added cost. Just be ready to recheck bags and forfeit some airline perks on connections.
With careful research and booking, split ticketing allows travelers to take advantage of fare inconsistencies and piece together a customized lower-priced itinerary.