Multi-City and Open-Jaw Tickets: How They Are Priced and When They Save Money

Fly into one city and out of another, or string three cities together, on a single ticket. When it beats two one-ways, and how an agent builds it.

By WarBird Flight editors · Updated September 14, 2026 · 2 min read

The three shapes

All three are priced as one ticket, which usually means round-trip fare rules rather than two one-way fares, and on international routes that is the cheaper way.

Open-jaw: fly New York to Rome, come home from Paris to New York. One ticket, no flight between Rome and Paris.
Multi-city: New York to Rome, Rome to Paris, Paris to New York, all on the ticket.
Stopover: a connection city you stay in for a few days, allowed free on some international carriers.

When it saves money

International trips almost always: two one-way long-haul tickets cost far more than one open-jaw. Domestic trips less often, because US one-way fares are priced as half of a round-trip on most carriers, so two one-ways cost the same as the open-jaw. The exception is basic economy, which is not always sold one-way.

When it costs more

Mixing airlines on one ticket, or adding a segment on a carrier that is not a partner, forces the ticket onto more expensive fare rules. In that case an agent will book two tickets and tell you why. Watch the connection risk when two tickets are involved: a delay on the first does not protect the second.

Booking it

Online search tools handle simple open-jaws but often fail on three or more segments. Call (708) 866-8751, give the cities and dates in order, and the agent prices the single-ticket version against separate tickets and books the cheaper one.