Flying on an "open" ticket gives you more travel options.
Airlines have several different fare structures and ticket types to accommodate passengers with different travel needs. For the traveler who wants more flexibility than a standard round-trip ticket offer but still needs to get back to where she started from, there is the "open" ticket. Two types of "open" tickets exist: both "open-ended" and "open-jaw" tickets require savvy travelers and careful planning, but often they provide better prices than buying two one-way tickets.
Instructions
Open-Ended
1. Book your open-ended ticket directly with a representative from the airline. This type of ticket books you on a specific flight to your destination, but allows you to call the airline after you've arrived at your destination to book the return trip.
2. Call the airline's customer service line when you are ready to schedule your return trip.
3. Provide your reservation confirmation number and the date and time you want to schedule your return flight. If the flight you would like to be on is full, you will have to choose another date or time to fly.
4. Get a confirmation number from the representative to take with you to the airport on the day of your return flight.
5. Travel home on your scheduled day of return.
Open-Jaw
6. Book your open-jaw ticket directly with the airline representative or a travel agent. This type of ticket allows you to fly an outbound flight (Phoenix to Boston), and return via a different route (New York to Phoenix). You, as the traveler, are responsible for transporting yourself from Boston to New York. The "open" jaw of the trip must be the shortest leg.
7. Fly the outbound itinerary, from Phoenix to Boston, for example.
8. Book a train, bus or car trip that will take you to New York before the inbound leg of your journey.
9. Check in as you normally would for a return flight at the airport in New York and fly back to Phoenix.
