Round the world and long-term holidays are the experiences of a lifetime, but planning the flights can sometimes be a pain and it’s hard to know where to begin. Multi-stop and open-jaw flights present the most cost effective and convenient method of travel that is preferred by many long-term travellers and travel experts. Travel websites have also made it easier to book multi-stop flights and can take the pain out of planning.
Save Money
Believe it or not, but multi-stop journeys can actually save you money, whilst also allowing you to explore more of the world. Non-stop international flights are often restrictive when it comes to timing and are generally more expensive as well. However, breaking a long distance journey up into several shorter flights will usually be cheaper as it these shorter routes are typically served by lower cost airlines. Alternatively, you could stick with one major airline throughout a multi-stop journey as many offer discounts for these types of trips. You’ll also have more of a chance to pick up airline miles and use them for your travels in the future.
They’re easier to book than you think
Before the days of the Internet, booking multiple flights was difficult and often required a travel agent. These days, a vast majority of airline and travel websites support multi-stop itinerary searches and automatically find the least expensive options for you. On top of that, many even have features that allow you to check prices over a range of days, allowing you to look for better deals. This lets you pick and choose selective dates and destinations quickly and easily. Alternatively, there still are agents specialising in these types of flights and gap year holidays that will help you plan your perfect trip. Popular agencies advertise round the world flight rates at as little as £800.
Increased Flexibility
If you’re planning on a holiday full of a lot of different destinations, there’s no question that booking multiple stops will be to your advantage. Rather than jumping around the globe between major international destinations, you’ll have more flexibility to pick and choose the smaller, more out of the way places you’d like to visit. To increase your flexibility even further, take advantage of alternative airports. Many larger cities benefit from multiple airports so it’s worth taking a look at what the smaller airports have to offer. For instance Oakland International Airport, not far from San Francisco International Airport, services many of the same domestic destinations and this opens up more options when it comes to scheduling and timing.
Wider Selection of Destinations
By transforming layovers into multi-day excursions, you open up new areas to explore all over the world. For instance, instead of taking a flight from London to Sydney with a brief stopover in Bangkok, simply fly to Bangkok and explore the amazing Thai capital for several days before heading back to the airport and flying to Sydney. Another popular option is to explore all of South East Asia on a one or two week excursion and fly to Australia via Singapore.
Save Time and Reduce Backtracking
Multi stop flights also reduce on backtracking and can save you time if you’re travelling around the world. You’ll be able to head in a clear direction as opposed to wasting time travelling on land back to major airports and flying in patterns that cause you to backtrack. Time is a very precious commodity when you’re travelling and it’s worth making the extra effort during your planning process to streamline your trip.
The first step in planning a holiday to travel around the world is to choose a starting point and continue along a logical path filled with destinations that interest you. Common durations for these trips are 6 – 12 months, though this is certainly flexible and can be shortened or lengthened to suit your needs. You can either incrementally make your way around the world, or opt for a more traditional open-jaw trip. The best time to depart is typically January or February, which is after the holidays and a low season for travel.
