What is an "Open Jaw" and how does it work - an FAQ primer

[FlyerTalker]

There have been many posts with confusion and questions about "open jaw" itineraries and pricing. This post is meant to answer questions and clear up the terminology and confusion.

 

What is an "open jaw" and why should I care?

 

In simple terms, open jaw is "colloquially" used by cruisers for trips where the two flights taken are to/from different cities, as opposed to a simple round-trip between two airports. However, this colloquial usage is INCORRECT and can cause problems.

 

A true "open jaw" occurs when the unflown (thus "open") segment of the flight triangle is the SHORTEST (in distance) of the three legs. If the unflown portion is not the shortest, then it is not an "open jaw". That situation is just a combination of two one-way flights.

 

The reason for this distinction is because a true open-jaw is often eligible for "open-jaw" pricing, which may be significantly better than two one-way tickets.

 

Is this an "open jaw"?

 

A couple of examples of routings for cruises that may illustrate the concept:

 

If you take a Panama Canal transit that goes from LAX to FLL (or reverse) you would have an unflown (open) segment in your travel triangle. Assume you live in NYC, the three legs would be:

 

JFK-LAX -- 2475 miles

LAX-FLL -- 2342 miles (the unflown "open" segment)

FLL-JFK -- 1069 miles

 

Thus, you do not have a true open jaw as the unflown segment (LAX-FLL) is not the shortest leg. You thus would be purchasing the equivalent of two one-way fares for your flight segments (JFK-LAX and FLL-JFK).

 

Now, substitute living in London and the numbers change dramatically.

 

LHR-LAX -- 5229 miles

LAX-FLL -- 2342 miles (the unflown "open" segment)

FLL-LHR -- 4405 miles

 

Now, you have a true "open-jaw" with the resulting price savings.

 

Let's look at a New England Cruise that sails between Montreal and New York. The distance for that segment is 333 miles (all mileage is computed via direct air distances between airports). As long as the flights you take in/out of NYC and YUL are more than that distance, you would have true open-jaw. But, for example, if you were only coming into NYC from Washington, DC, that would negate the open-jaw, as DCA-LGA is only 214 miles.

 

Other examples include European cruises when departing from the USA. The distance between the start and end points of the cruise are relatively close together compared to the transatlantic flight distances. In these cases, you would be able to get open-jaw pricing.

 

Can I get an "open jaw" for a crossing?

 

For transatlantic (TATL) crossings, it is usually impossible to get an open jaw pricing from North America due to the length of the unflown leg. For example, Lisbon to FLL is 4139 miles. London to New York is 3451 miles. There are some rare exceptions (say, starting your flights in Honolulu - even Anchorage won't work), but in general, you are stuck with one-way pricing for your two flight segments.

 

What is the advantage of "open jaw" pricing?

 

In general, an open-jaw pricing is the sum of half the round-trip fare for each of the flight segments flown. Assuming (fictional) round trip fares of $800 between NYC and Athens and $700 between Rome and NYC, an open jaw of JFK-ATH and FCO-JFK would be:

 

1/2 of $800 plus 1/2 of $700 = $750

 

This would be a significant savings over just purchasing a one-way ticket between JFK and ATH and another one-way between FCO and JFK. Open jaws are subject to the same fare rules and restrictions as the underlying round-trip fares used to construct the "open jaw" price.

 

How do I book an "open jaw"?

 

First off, it helps to know if you would be eligible for an "open-jaw" pricing. If you have an obvious "open-jaw" (like the Med cruise used in the above example), you can skip over looking up the distances. If you wonder if it might be valid or not, I would suggest using the Great Circle Mapper at THIS LINK to find out the distances between your airports.

 

If you have a true open jaw, then you would want to use the "multi-city" (or similarly named) option on your preferred websites. Enter your complete air itinerary (not including the unflown "open" segment) and the site will automatically give you open-jaw pricing, if available. There is usually no "open jaw" button or tab, so just go with "multi-city". The site will figure it out.

 

I don't have a true "open jaw"? What do I do?

 

In this case, you have two tracks to follow. One is to use the multi-city approach noted above. Note, even though you are putting in a multiple segment itinerary, you'll be getting back one-way pricing (be prepared for some sticker-shock at times!) The other approach is to research purchasing each segment separately. Sometimes, due to the nature of travel search/pricing engines, you can get a better price that way. Sometimes you get the best price using the "multi-city". There is no "best method".

 

Anything else special about an "open jaw"?

 

Not really. Same as a round-trip ticket when it comes to reservations, check-in and the like. Ditto with FF considerations. The big advantage is the pricing methodology using round-trip fares to construct your cost. Remember that you are subject to the same fare rules as the underlying fares.

[Jade13]

Ok, so for:

US to PEK

PEK to HKG

SIN to US

 

I should purchase an open jaw (one ticket) from the US to PEK and from SIN to the US and a single ticket from PEK-HKG? It's almost impossible to get one fare for all three (looking at next Feb) and the fares are outrageous. I thought perhaps on some airline PEK (Bejing) could be a stopover on the way to HKG (Hong Kong), but I still have the problem of flying back from Singapore.

[FlyerTalker]

That is not an open jaw. You have THREE flight legs, and a fourth "unflown" leg. Open jaw is for 2 flying and one open.

 

As was recommended to you in other threads, try for open jaw USA-PEK and SIN-USA, then add a one-way PEK-HKG. Open jaw pricing may or may not allow stopover - it's a function of the fare rules. And yes, you are paying for these flights. It's not like a simple hop onto the Shuttle. You can do the open-jaw for roughly under $1300 from the west coast and PEK-HKG for a little over $410 with a stop in CAN.

 

If you wish to discuss specific trips, I'd prefer a new thread, so as to keep this clean as a possible sticky

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I have a friend who is doing a TA. His best pricing is to buy a r/t ticket to one of his destinations and throw the other half away. Does this work very often?

[Globaliser]

It usually works well, provided that you throw away the return half, not the outbound half. If you don't fly the outbound half, you won't be able to use the return half.

 

Also, it's something that works if you only do it once in a blue moon. If you do it regularly and you allow the airline to trace you (eg by claiming frequent flyer miles), you might be asked to pay the difference between the cheap fare you've paid and the full one-way fare for your actual travel.

 

And it's often considered better to book directly with the airline than to book it with a travel agent, because it's easier for the airline to charge that difference to a travel agent than to charge a direct-booking passenger.

[SAN]

We are cruising next May and we plan to fly into Paris before the cruise, and leave from Venice.

 

LAX - Paris

Paris - Venice

Venice - LAX

 

Is this an "open jaw".

 

Would it be better for me to have my TA find it or book it myself, which I have done in the past?

[SAN]

To FlyerTalker

From SAN

 

I just found a flight that fits my days and times for $1071

 

LAX - Paris

Paris - Venice

Venice - LAX

 

Should I wait until the fall or is this a good price for these flights in May, 2010?

[FlyerTalker]

The info is incomplete, but anything from the west coast to Europe for summer 2010 that is under $1100 is something I would grab if the details fit your needs. Sounds like the AF non-stop both ways (which is a better option than transiting an east-coast gateway). Also, there is less service in/out of VCE, so fares involving that city tend to be higher than say FCO or BCN.

[laurieb]

Do I need to contact the airline to find open jaw pricing? Is it going to be different than the multi city prices I can pull up online? Our trip next July is PDX-BCN, VCE -PDX.

[FlyerTalker]

That is an open-jaw. The issue only comes up at the point of fare calculation - the thread was to clarify when you get the OJ pricing and when you get two one-ways.

[Motorman23]

It usually works well, provided that you throw away the return half, not the outbound half. If you don't fly the outbound half, you won't be able to use the return half.

 

Also, it's something that works if you only do it once in a blue moon. If you do it regularly and you allow the airline to trace you (eg by claiming frequent flyer miles), you might be asked to pay the difference between the cheap fare you've paid and the full one-way fare for your actual travel.

 

And it's often considered better to book directly with the airline than to book it with a travel agent, because it's easier for the airline to charge that difference to a travel agent than to charge a direct-booking passenger.

 

I am going on a TA next fall from Rome (Civitavecchia) to Ft Lauderdale. As noted before, the round trip price is much cheaper then the price of a one way fare to Rome from my home airport. I plan to purchase the RT and not use the return from Rome but plan to use the same airline to fly one way from FLL to my home (They have the best fare). Is there any risk that they would cancel or cause me a problem for my return trip from FLL to my home if they know I have not yet used the RT return ticket from Rome or don't they really care? All the other airlines from FLL to my home are wither more expensive or have poor schedules.

 

Mike

[Globaliser]

Is there any risk that they would cancel or cause me a problem for my return trip from FLL to my home if they know I have not yet used the RT return ticket from Rome or don't they really care?

If they know, then yes there is a risk. It will be a small risk, but there is a risk.

 

If you don't want to run that risk, why not organise yourself to make sure that they don't know? Not claiming frequent flyer miles is one way of reducing the risk, because they then can't be sure whether it's the same person on both tickets, or someone else with the same name. But if there's a frequent flyer number in both reservations and it's the same number, then they'll know for sure that it's the same person.

[Motorman23]

If they know, then yes there is a risk. It will be a small risk, but there is a risk.

 

If you don't want to run that risk, why not organise yourself to make sure that they don't know? Not claiming frequent flyer miles is one way of reducing the risk, because they then can't be sure whether it's the same person on both tickets, or someone else with the same name. But if there's a frequent flyer number in both reservations and it's the same number, then they'll know for sure that it's the same person.

 

Thanks for the advice, don't really need the miles so will not include FF number.

 

Mike

[Hawaiifrank]

Even though this thread is several months old I'll take the chance that you still monitor it--it is, after all, a "sticky".

 

I am doing a west-bound TA in November on RCCL. Like many ppl I was shocked at the O/W fares all the major airlines seem to charge. However, one of my searches turned up a O/W on US Air from the US to Madrid for $395 through Travelocity and I was able to purchase it online. I'll go to Barcelona on the train to catch the ship. The fare rules say that ..."TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION FARES GOVERNED BY THIS RULE CAN BE USED TO CREATE ROUND-TRIP/CIRCLE-TRIP/OPEN-JAW JOURNEYS." Since my return will be on the ship, this will be the only segment.

 

My purchase went through OK and CC statement shows the charge to the airlines and the trip insurance to Travelocity. Is the airline going to give me a hard time about this flight when I go to check in? I don't find this fare any longer when I do the same search. Was this just a fluke that it showed up on my search and that it went through? I'm a little worried about getting to the airport on the day of my flight and having them tell me that my ticket isn't valid. Am worring needlessly?

[Motorman23]

Even though this thread is several months old I'll take the chance that you still monitor it--it is, after all, a "sticky".

 

I am doing a west-bound TA in November on RCCL. Like many ppl I was shocked at the O/W fares all the major airlines seem to charge. However, one of my searches turned up a O/W on US Air from the US to Madrid for $395 through Travelocity and I was able to purchase it online. I'll go to Barcelona on the train to catch the ship. The fare rules say that ..."TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION FARES GOVERNED BY THIS RULE CAN BE USED TO CREATE ROUND-TRIP/CIRCLE-TRIP/OPEN-JAW JOURNEYS." Since my return will be on the ship, this will be the only segment.

 

My purchase went through OK and CC statement shows the charge to the airlines and the trip insurance to Travelocity. Is the airline going to give me a hard time about this flight when I go to check in? I don't find this fare any longer when I do the same search. Was this just a fluke that it showed up on my search and that it went through? I'm a little worried about getting to the airport on the day of my flight and having them tell me that my ticket isn't valid. Am worring needlessly?

 

I am not an expert on this and when I "off the record" asked for advice from a major airline representive on my desire to purchse a RT and discard the return, she said don't call attention to yourself and dont worry. She said they do not have the resources to check for these kinds of things any more unless someone makes a complaint. This doesn't answer your question but it does tell me that the airlines have no way to check for unusual ticketing arrangements but the rule does allow them to enforce it if needed.

 

I would be more concerned about the 30 day VISA requirement in Spain. Make sure when you arrive you have all of your return documentation available to prove that you will not be staying in Spain more then 30 days without a VISA. That would be the Border folks, not the Airlines who would be checking that I think.

 

Mike

[Globaliser]

My purchase went through OK and CC statement shows the charge to the airlines and the trip insurance to Travelocity. Is the airline going to give me a hard time about this flight when I go to check in?

Do you have a ticket number? It's a 13-digit number, almost certainly beginning with the digits 037 (the US Airways IATA accounting code).

 

If you do, you should be fine.

 

Your cruise documents will be fine for immigration purposes. They show that you're departing from Spain within the prescribed period.

[Hawaiifrank]

Do you have a ticket number? It's a 13-digit number, almost certainly beginning with the digits 037 (the US Airways IATA accounting code).

 

I do have a ticket number and it starts with "037" as you thought.

 

Thanks for the replies. I feel more comfortable with this ticket now.

[6rugrats]

I would be more concerned about the 30 day VISA requirement in Spain. Make sure when you arrive you have all of your return documentation available to prove that you will not be staying in Spain more then 30 days without a VISA. That would be the Border folks, not the Airlines who would be checking that I think.

 

Mike

 

Not correct. A US citizen does not need a visa to stay in Spain longer than 30 days. You are allowed to stay in a Schengen area up to 90 days. I have never been asked by any immigration officer in Spain to show a return ticket. If Hawaiifrank was asked about this, he would just have to show his cruise ticket.

[Motorman23]

Not correct. A US citizen does not need a visa to stay in Spain longer than 30 days. You are allowed to stay in a Schengen area up to 90 days. I have never been asked by any immigration officer in Spain to show a return ticket. If Hawaiifrank was asked about this, he would just have to show his cruise ticket.

 

You are correct, I misspoke I meant 90 days not 30 days, but I did point out that he should have his cruise documents available since a one way ticket does not state when the return is. I was just stating what to be prepared for, not necessarily what would happen. I apologize for the wrong number of days but the end conclusion is the same.

 

Mike :o

[scottbee]

One subtle addition to the 'valid' open jaws, and it depends on airlines.

 

 

Most carriers require both of the open ends of the open jaw to be in the same booking region, and for example wont issue a YVR-MAD / SXM-YVR open-jaw ticket, despite MAD-SXM being the shortest of the three distances.