Why You Should Search for Award Flights One Way

When most people book their flights, they book round trips. It’s easier, and you save money by booking both segments at once, right? While this is true for international cash fares, which are often priced higher when booked as one-way awards, the rules are different for award flights. In many cases, booking two separate one-way awards offers added flexibility and savings. 

I’ve personally used this strategy to secure hard-to-find award space, travel during peak dates, and work in extra stopovers during longer trips. I’ve booked business class one way and economy back, combined different airline programs to maximize my points, and even taken advantage of better availability by booking one segment as soon as it became available. If you’re looking to get the best deal on award flights, here’s why you should consider searching one-way first.

Reasons to book award flights one way instead of roundtrip

Booking award flights one way instead of roundtrip opens up more possibilities and can even work out being more cost-effective. You get more flexibility and can maximize your points and miles more fully. Here’s a closer look at why you should consider booking one-away award tickets instead of roundtrip:

The price to book two one-ways is generally the same or cheaper than a roundtrip 

Unlike cash fares, where roundtrip itineraries are cheaper than one-way, award flights are typically priced per segment. As a result, booking two one-way flights costs the same as a roundtrip – sometimes even less. For example, a one-way business class ticket between San Francisco (SFO) and Paris (CDG) starts at 50,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles, while roundtrip would cost exactly double: 100,000 miles.

But, Alaska Mileage Plan also offers a free stopover on award tickets. By booking two one-way awards instead of one round trip, you can work in two stopovers instead of just one. 

Booking two one-way flights gives you more flexibility

One of the biggest benefits of booking one-way awards is the flexibility that doing so provides. You can mix and match airlines to try numerous products and fly to different destinations. You can also work in additional stops into your itinerary.

For example, I’m heading to London this summer on a one-way Virgin Atlantic award flight. Virgin Atlantic had an award sale, and Chase offered a bonus on Flying Club transfers. As a result, I was able to book a one-way flight to London for just 8,600 points. Now, flights departing London carry high fuel surcharges, so I won’t be flying home from Heathrow.

Instead, I’ll travel via train to Paris and then take cheap flights around Europe for a month. For the return, I managed to secure a business-class ticket on Turkish Airlines using 90,000 Aeroplan miles. By booking one way, I not only got a solid deal on peak summer travel but also built my own open-jaw itinerary, where I fly home from a different airport in business class and save on award taxes and fees.

Booking two one-way flights lets you use your points more effectively 

If you don’t have enough miles in one program for a roundtrip flight, you can book a one-way flight with the miles on hand and then use a different program to book the return. This is a great way to secure award inventory during high-demand travel times or when airlines are finicky with award space. 

During my very first award booking, I didn’t have enough AAdvantage miles to fly to Europe and the Middle East. However, I did have some United miles and Chase Ultimate Rewards points. So, I booked a one-way AAdvantage award, transferred my Chase points to United, and booked the return flight using United miles. Booking two one-way awards allowed me to go on an incredible trip that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise since cash fares were astronomical at the time. 

Booking two one-way flights lets you book as soon as availability opens

Most airlines release award seats between 330 and 362 days out, but last-minute award space can open up two weeks or less before departure. If you’re booking a roundtrip itinerary, you may need to wait for the return flight to open up. The problem? By then, the outbound flight might be gone. By booking a one-way award, you’ll secure each segment as it opens up.

Last December, I flew to Ireland on a one-way ticket on Lufthansa, using Avianca Lifemiles. Lufthansa is notorious for releasing last-minute award space in their premium cabins, so I was pretty confident I’d find my way back even though there was no award availability for the return. Demand was high during the holidays, but I knew business-class seats would eventually open up. 

I flew to Ireland, had the best time, and three days before departure, I found a return segment. If I had stayed home, waiting for roundtrip award space to open up, I wouldn’t have been able to go on this trip. But because I booked a one-way flight there and back, I made the trip happen on points. 

The downsides of booking two one-ways instead of a roundtrip

While booking one way offers its advantages, it’s not always the best option. If you don’t want to spend the extra time or money to save points and have more flexibility, you may prefer to just book a round trip. Here are a few downsides to consider before booking one way instead of round trip:

It’s a little more complicated

Booking two one-way flights requires more time and effort than booking a simple roundtrip. You have to search for each segment separately and possibly book it through two different programs. Booking a one-way flight and hoping for return space to open up can also be stressful – there’s always a nonzero possibility that there won’t be return award space, and you’ll be on the hook for a cash fare that costs as much as a roundtrip would have.

Additional booking fees if you need to call to book or place a hold

Some airlines charge booking fees when you book over the phone or put tickets on hold. Booking two one-way trips could mean doubling these fees. For example, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles charges a $39 hold fee for partner award ticket holds. Meanwhile, United MileagePlus charges $11.99 to $26.99 for “Fare Lock” holds.

If you’re putting multiple awards on hold, these fees can add up substantially. Some airlines require certain award tickets to be booked over the phone, incurring an extra phone booking fee. Be sure to consult your program’s fees and policies to be aware of these extra costs.

Additional change or cancellation fees

Some programs charge change and cancellation fees if you end up canceling an award because you can’t find a return segment. These fees can add up substantially if you’re traveling with multiple passengers and need to cancel or change an award. Here’s a summary of major airline award change and cancellation fees:

• Air Canada Aeroplan: $0 to 150 CAD
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue: 70 EUR
• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: None
• American Airlines AAdvantage: None
• Avianca LifeMiles: $30 to $200
• British Airways Executive Club: $55
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles: $50 to $120
• Delta SkyMiles: Some free, some not
• Emirates Skywards: $25 to $75
• Etihad Guest: $25 to 75% of the fare
• Iberia Plus: 25 EUR
• Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank: 3,100 JPY
• Lufthansa Miles & More: 50 EUR
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club: $25 to $100
• SAS Eurobonus: $50 to $75
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: $0 to $75
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles: $70
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: $50

Some airlines don’t allow one-way award flights 

While booking one-way flights can be great, not all frequent flyer programs allow it. For example, ANA Mileage Club only allows roundtrip award redemptions. ANA also has attractive pricing on Star Alliance awards, which makes its roundtrip booking requirement kind of a bummer since you can’t take advantage of last-minute Lufthansa awards as easily.

However, most frequent flyer programs price their awards per segment, making one-way bookings just as cost-effective as roundtrips. 

When to book two one-ways rather than roundtrip 

Booking award flights one way rather than a roundtrip can offer more flexibility, better availability, and the chance to redeem miles with multiple programs. While it’s not always the best choice, it’s often worth considering in the following scenarios:

• You can only find award space for one segment.
• You don’t have enough miles with one program for a roundtrip ticket.
• You want to maximize stopovers and/or create an open-jaw itinerary.
• You want to mix cabins (i.e., fly economy class one way and business on the return)

By searching for flights one way first, you open up more possibilities, avoid missing out on award space, and can mix and match airlines and cabins to create your ideal itinerary. So next time you’re planning a trip with points, start by searching one way — you might just find a better deal.