The Best Way To Utilize Multi-City Flights And Save Money While Booking
With flight prices soaring, travelers are getting increasingly inventive in the hunt for cheaper airfare. Some stoop to borderline dubious hacks — like skiplagging — that airlines hate, while others play the waiting game for that certain day of the week that allows for cheaper flights. But when your itinerary is packed and involves jumping from one city to another, resorting to these tricks and booking flights the usual way (a.k.a. roundtrip) may seem impractical and even more costly. Instead, consider booking multi-city flights, a strategy that could yield savings and convenience, according to Victoria Fricke, owner of Vic's Vacations travel agency.
In an exclusive interview with Islands, Fricke revealed the beauty behind multi-city flights: Planning trips with multiple destinations without losing your sanity or breaking the bank. While this approach works for domestic travel, it's more useful for international trips, like when you go to Europe, where visiting various must-see destinations is the norm. "[On] a trip to Italy, you probably have intentions of seeing the Colosseum in Rome, taking a gondola ride in Venice, and drinking an Aperol spritz on the Amalfi Coast," Fricke explained. "In doing that trip you'd most likely take a multi-city flight. U.S. airport to Rome on the way there, then flying home from Naples back to the U.S."
In a nutshell, multi-city flights are the ultimate travel hack for two main reasons: Ease and location, with the bonus of significant savings. It's great for stretching your travel budget while ticking off your planned destinations.
Multi-city flights from hub cities can be cheaper
While booking multi-city flights appears pretty straightforward, there's apparently a specific approach you must take squeeze out maximize savings. Victoria Fricke says that you can stand to save more money if you make hub cities your starting and ending points. Think New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, and pretty much any bustling airport near you. These hub cities, which are also notorious for having the busiest airports in the world, typically have more route options because they also double as layover hubs.
"Take someone from Indianapolis — if you price a trip from Indy to Paris it will be much more expensive than New York to Paris. So, hack the system," Fricke suggested, adding that this trick works best if you're not lugging around checked bags and only have your carry-on. Plus, you may also want to experiment with different route options to discover the best deals and land out one that offers the best value for money. "Play with booking a flight IND-JFK then JFK- CDG and compare it to IND-CDG ... You might get a great deal on Southwest IND-JFK, so take that," Fricke continued. "As long as you account for layovers and delays, then you can easily book an Air France or United flight JFK-CDG, potentially saving a few hundred dollars."
Book multi-city flights if you have a packed itinerary
Fricke also points out that multi-city flights can make your trip more bearable, especially if you have tons of destinations on your itinerary. Instead of bothering with renting a car and driving places, you can save money and energy by booking multiple flights within the same trip.
"If you're visiting Disneyland with your family, it's just a quick flight to visit your roommate from college who moved to Las Vegas for a few nights before heading back home to the East Coast," Fricke told Islands, noting that you can even opt to squeeze in excursions to make the most of your trip. "Maximize those times gone by taking small flights. Have a wedding to attend in Charlotte? Partner in a 4-night cruise that ports out of Fort Lauderdale afterwards. Use your PTO and explore the world!"
Of course, it's also important to keep in mind that there are some downsides to multi-city flights. For one, expect to pay seemingly never-ending baggage fees. Checked bags will incur fees at each stop or city, and if you're switching airlines, prepare to shell out extra money, too. But Fricke emphasized that with diligent research and meticulous planning, you can make multi-city flights work for you, adding, "If you do your homework and price shop you can save money."