Search multi-city using the search box below and compare the prices with one-way tickets to each destination
Comparing Ways to Search and Book Flights
Which is better, booking a Multiple City Ticket or booking Multiple Tickets?
Avid traveler Stephanie Frias did a comparison for a vacation of 16 days, with a flight originating in the USA (Chicago) and connecting with two international cities in South America (Quito and Lima), and then returning to the same USA city.
You can compare flights in a similar way from the Skyscanner Search feature by selecting multi-city.
Under the Flights tab, you can select three ways to search by selecting the circle next to Round Trip, One Way, or Multi-City. The One Way feature will allow you find the cheapest prices on Skyscanner for a one way trip. Under the Multi-City option, you can add two flight destinations and add additional flights below to find the best travel deals for Multiple City Tickets.
By comparing the totals for each search feature, you can determine which is the best booking option based on the lower priced option.
Which Is Cheaper?
To provide an example of price comparison, we have created a trip itinerary for an international holiday for a 16 day period that originates from Chicago and connects in Quito, Ecuador, and then to Lima, Peru; and ending with a return flight to Chicago.
The below table displays the price differences for a single traveler purchasing a ticket one month in advance, and one for a last minute ticket (a same day flight). There is also a price comparison for the purchase of tickets for a traveling family with 2 adults and 2 children (age 3 and 5).
This search was conducted on June 7, 2017. Current prices may not reflect the values displayed.
Solo Traveler-Economy Prices for One-Way Vs. Multi-City
Flight |
Cost |
|---|---|
| Chicago to Quito | $361 |
| Quito to Lima | $330 |
| Lima to Chicago | $302 |
| Total Cost of Multiple One-Way Tickets | $993 |
| Total Cost of Multi-City Ticket | $1133 |
Family of Four Total Prices for One-Way vs. Multi-City
Flight |
Cost |
|---|---|
| Chicago to Quito | $1442 |
| Quito to Lima | $1004 |
| Lima to Chicago | $1869 |
| Total Cost of Multiple One-Way Tickets | $4315 |
| Total Cost of Multi-City Ticket | $4131 |
For this example, the better option for booking varies. In this case, a solo traveler saves more money by booking separate one-way tickets. For bulk ticket purchases, like for a traveling family, the cheapest way to book is with a multi-city ticket.
Find a great car hire deal in Quito
A Closer Look at the Savings:
Single Ticket, Economy, One Way
Click on the blue highlighted link to see real time search results and the current best price listed.
Chicago to Quito for July 7, 2017
Price: $361
Quito to Lima for July 15, 2017
Price: $330
Lima to Chicago for July 23, 2017
Price: $302
Total= $993
Economy, Multi-City (With the same dates selected)
Click on the highlighted link below to see real time search results and the current best price listed.
Chicago to Quito to Lima to Chicago
Total= $1,133
For a solo traveler (one ticket purchase), booking Multiple Flights saves $140 for this example.
……………………
Multiple Tickets for a Family
For this example, a Family consists of 2 adults and 2 children (ages 3 and 5). The number of adults, children, and the ages of minors can be selected under the Cabin Class selection area of the search menu.
Stand on the Equator at The Midad del Mundo in Quito, Ecuador.
Click on the links below to see real time search results and the current best price listed.
Chicago to Quito*
Price: $361 per person or $1442 for the family
Quito to Lima
Price: $251 per person or $1,004 for the family
Lima to Chicago
Price: $468 per person or $1869 for the family
Total Cost: $4,315
Multiple City Tickets for a Family
The same booking dates and family profile were used for booking
Chicago to Quito to Lima to Chicago
Total= $1,033 per person or $4131 Total
For Family Travel, booking Multiple Cities saves $184 for this example.
……………………………
Multiple Tickets for a Last-Minute Solo Traveler
The city of Lima, Peru.
Click on the links below to see real time search results and the current best price listed.
Chicago to Quito = $304
Quito to Lima = $519
Lima to Chicago = $662
Total: $1485
Multiple City Ticket for a Last-Minute Solo Traveler
Click on the blue highlighted link to see real time search results and the current best price listed.
Chicago to Quito to Lima to Chicago
Total: $1,119
For a Multiple City Ticket for a Last-Minute Solo Traveler, booking Multiple Tickets saves $366.
As you can see in the scenarios above, the cost of the flights varies on multiple factors, such as date of purchase, number of travelers, and origin and destination combinations. We recommend to conduct a search using both one-way searches and multi-city to find the cheapest flight for your next trip.
Stephanie Frias// 8 Duffels 2 Mutts
Stephanie is Mom to a full time traveling family currently living as nomads. The parents, two kids under age 5, and the 2 large dogs are currently traveling as overlanders in South America. They family loves to travel to offbeat, lesser known destinations and to blog all about it! To catch up on their latest adventures in their Land Cruiser, find them on the blog and all over social media.
