'open jaw' air tickets

-m2- · Jun 8th, 2003, 01:13

An 'open jaw' ticket is a round-trip ticket which begins and ends in the same city, but the destination and return cities are different; for example outward London-Delhi, returning Chennai-London. The ticket holder covers the 'gap' on his own. This is a useful option if you wish to avoid some backtracking and is generally available if the airline in question flies to both cities and has discount fares to each -- your fare would be the average of the two round-trip fares. In my experience, travel agents do not usually suggest or mention these tickets but can arrange one if you do ask.

I have used these on several occasions -- the longest 'gap' was for a ticket Vancouver-Kathmandu, returning Colombo-Vancouver with Singapore airline (they quit flying to KTM last year, but still fly Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata). This enabled a leisurly overland trip through India before flying home from Sri Lanka. Another time, I bought a BKK-Bom, return Chennai-Bkk with Indian Airlines from a bucket shop on Kho San Rd in BKK -- the price being much lower than the price of 2 one-way tickets.

If you are planning a trip to India beginning in the north and finishing in the south, then a ticket to Delhi, returning from a southern city (or vice versa) would save some time and $ and would be worth checking out. I notice good discounting airlines like Emirates have many destinations in the sub-continent (Colombo, Lahore and Dhaka, as well as Indian cities such as Cochin, Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai) so would be a good one to try from a European city. Cathay-Pacific and Singapore Airlines have several Indian destinations if you are flying via the Pacific.

Does anyone have any experience using open-jaw tickets from Europe or Australia/NZ ?

wonderwomanusa · Jun 8th, 2003, 07:37

The only open-jaw ticket that I have used in Europe was San Francicso to Venice and returning to San Francisco from Paris. That is probably not what you intended, eh?

pquekel · Jun 8th, 2003, 17:42

British Airways has/had one to Chennai, back from Mumbai
Lufthansa provides Bangalore/Chennai

cyberhippie · Jun 9th, 2003, 17:33

Kuwait Airlines offer an open jaw ticket flying in to Delhi and out of Bombay or Trivandrum. Good airline I've flown many times with them, no beer on board though, for all you nervous flyers!!

-m2- · Jun 14th, 2003, 08:20

It's nice to see more Indian cities having interternational flights; it wasn't too long ago that your choice from Europe was pretty well Delhi or Bombay -- Calcutta if you were coming from Bangkok.

Nice to hear that more of the major carriers have several destinations, including in the south -- Trivandrum would sure be an easier starting point for someone new to India than Delhi or Mumbai! Bangalore, Cochin, and Chennai would also be very useful destinations for an open-jaw ticket.

pquekel · Jun 14th, 2003, 16:40

well, Bangalore and Chennai are now open....;-)

kipling · Jun 28th, 2003, 08:27

"Open jaw" tickets are available from Australia, if you ask for them. We are going in October (4th trip). We travel Brisbane-Singapore- Mumbai, and return Calcutta-Bangkok- Brisbane. Qantas/Air India.
Cheers

-m2- · Jun 28th, 2003, 10:28

sounds good, especially if you wanted the stopovers in s.e. asia. I guess you could probably 'open jaw' any of India's 4 major centers from Australia then, maybe more.

thanks for the info and welcome to the board, kipling; with a few trips to India behind you already, you should feel right at home here.

m2

beautysan · Jul 16th, 2003, 12:21

Anyone knows if there is any 'open jaw' ticket that goes like this:

Any country in S.E.Asia - Delhi then back from Kathmandu - S.E. Asia?

It'd be great if there is one! Save up lotsa travelling time!

-m2- · Jul 16th, 2003, 13:50

you should be able to arrange one from Bangkok from a local discounting travel agent. Thai airline flies to both KTM and DEL so getting an open-jaw ticket for the average of the two RT prices should be no problem. Looking at STA Travel's website, they show the Delhi rt as 13.5k baht and the KTM rt as 14.5k with Thai Air, so open-jaw the two cities should be 14.0k baht or roughly $340 US. Shopping around Bangkok you could probably beat that price, but STA's website is at:

http://www.statravel.co.th/fare.html

I notice you are from Malaysia -- I don't know if there are direct flights from KL to KTM; SIA used to fly both routes from Singapore, but cancelled the KTM flight last year. In any case, it's probably cheaper from BKK anyway.

beautysan · Jul 16th, 2003, 14:27

Thanks M2!

Yes. I know Malaysian Airlines(MAS) does fly direct to both Kathmandu and Delhi. Just that we usually can't get promotional price for open jaw tickets....

Maybe I should try Thai Airways eh?

-m2- · Jul 16th, 2003, 21:17

I guess you could check with a local discounter or two regarding an MAS ticket -- if they can offer good fares to both KTM and Delhi, they should be able to put the open-jaw together for you. I don't know if Thai Airways tickets will be available at the same prices you can find in Bangkok, but you have the STA fares for comparison. You will have to move quickly if you are planning to fly to Nepal during the fall trekking season as the flights get booked very early.

good luck!

Jun 8th, 2003, 01:13	#1
-m2- . Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: . Posts: 1,575	'open jaw' air tickets An 'open jaw' ticket is a round-trip ticket which begins and ends in the same city, but the destination and return cities are different; for example outward London-Delhi, returning Chennai-London. The ticket holder covers the 'gap' on his own. This is a useful option if you wish to avoid some backtracking and is generally available if the airline in question flies to both cities and has discount fares to each -- your fare would be the average of the two round-trip fares. In my experience, travel agents do not usually suggest or mention these tickets but can arrange one if you do ask. I have used these on several occasions -- the longest 'gap' was for a ticket Vancouver-Kathmandu, returning Colombo-Vancouver with Singapore airline (they quit flying to KTM last year, but still fly Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata). This enabled a leisurly overland trip through India before flying home from Sri Lanka. Another time, I bought a BKK-Bom, return Chennai-Bkk with Indian Airlines from a bucket shop on Kho San Rd in BKK -- the price being much lower than the price of 2 one-way tickets. If you are planning a trip to India beginning in the north and finishing in the south, then a ticket to Delhi, returning from a southern city (or vice versa) would save some time and $ and would be worth checking out. I notice good discounting airlines like Emirates have many destinations in the sub-continent (Colombo, Lahore and Dhaka, as well as Indian cities such as Cochin, Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai) so would be a good one to try from a European city. Cathay-Pacific and Singapore Airlines have several Indian destinations if you are flying via the Pacific. Does anyone have any experience using open-jaw tickets from Europe or Australia/NZ ?

Jun 8th, 2003, 07:37	#2
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 4,261	The only open-jaw ticket that I have used in Europe was San Francicso to Venice and returning to San Francisco from Paris. That is probably not what you intended, eh? __________________ The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

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Jun 8th, 2003, 17:42	#3
pquekel Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The Netherlands/Eindhoven Posts: 152	British Airways has/had one to Chennai, back from Mumbai Lufthansa provides Bangalore/Chennai

Jun 9th, 2003, 17:33	#4
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,009	Kuwait Airlines offer an open jaw ticket flying in to Delhi and out of Bombay or Trivandrum. Good airline I've flown many times with them, no beer on board though, for all you nervous flyers!!

Jun 14th, 2003, 08:20	#5
-m2- . Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: . Posts: 1,575	It's nice to see more Indian cities having interternational flights; it wasn't too long ago that your choice from Europe was pretty well Delhi or Bombay -- Calcutta if you were coming from Bangkok. Nice to hear that more of the major carriers have several destinations, including in the south -- Trivandrum would sure be an easier starting point for someone new to India than Delhi or Mumbai! Bangalore, Cochin, and Chennai would also be very useful destinations for an open-jaw ticket.

Jun 14th, 2003, 16:40	#6
pquekel Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The Netherlands/Eindhoven Posts: 152	well, Bangalore and Chennai are now open....;-)

Jun 28th, 2003, 08:27	#7
kipling Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sunshine Coast Queensland Australia Posts: 78	"Open jaw" tickets are available from Australia, if you ask for them. We are going in October (4th trip). We travel Brisbane-Singapore- Mumbai, and return Calcutta-Bangkok- Brisbane. Qantas/Air India. Cheers

Jun 28th, 2003, 10:28	#8
-m2- . Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: . Posts: 1,575	sounds good, especially if you wanted the stopovers in s.e. asia. I guess you could probably 'open jaw' any of India's 4 major centers from Australia then, maybe more. thanks for the info and welcome to the board, kipling; with a few trips to India behind you already, you should feel right at home here. m2

Jul 16th, 2003, 12:21	#9
beautysan Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Malaysia Posts: 13	Anyone knows if there is any 'open jaw' ticket that goes like this: Any country in S.E.Asia - Delhi then back from Kathmandu - S.E. Asia? It'd be great if there is one! Save up lotsa travelling time!

Jul 16th, 2003, 13:50	#10
-m2- . Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: . Posts: 1,575	you should be able to arrange one from Bangkok from a local discounting travel agent. Thai airline flies to both KTM and DEL so getting an open-jaw ticket for the average of the two RT prices should be no problem. Looking at STA Travel's website, they show the Delhi rt as 13.5k baht and the KTM rt as 14.5k with Thai Air, so open-jaw the two cities should be 14.0k baht or roughly $340 US. Shopping around Bangkok you could probably beat that price, but STA's website is at: http://www.statravel.co.th/fare.html I notice you are from Malaysia -- I don't know if there are direct flights from KL to KTM; SIA used to fly both routes from Singapore, but cancelled the KTM flight last year. In any case, it's probably cheaper from BKK anyway.

Jul 16th, 2003, 14:27	#11
beautysan Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Malaysia Posts: 13	Thanks M2! Yes. I know Malaysian Airlines(MAS) does fly direct to both Kathmandu and Delhi. Just that we usually can't get promotional price for open jaw tickets.... Maybe I should try Thai Airways eh?

Jul 16th, 2003, 21:17	#12
-m2- . Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: . Posts: 1,575	I guess you could check with a local discounter or two regarding an MAS ticket -- if they can offer good fares to both KTM and Delhi, they should be able to put the open-jaw together for you. I don't know if Thai Airways tickets will be available at the same prices you can find in Bangkok, but you have the STA fares for comparison. You will have to move quickly if you are planning to fly to Nepal during the fall trekking season as the flights get booked very early. good luck!