With KAYAK’s multi-city search, you can plan and compare flights across multiple destinations in one go, whether you’re hopping between European capitals or building a trip across the US, Asia or further afield.
Multi-city flights add the flexibility to create stopovers, combine multiple destinations and fly in and out of different airports. Here’s how they work, and how you can book them on KAYAK.
In this article.
- What are multi-city flights?
- How to book multi-city flights?
- Which airlines offer multi-city flights?
- Popular destinations for multi-city holidays
- Multi-city flight tips
- FAQs
What are multi-city flights?
Multi-city flights involve itineraries with flights to multiple destinations. On KAYAK, you can add all the places you want to visit to a single search and book them together.
For example, book a multi-city flight from Manchester to Paris, then from Paris to Madrid, and then from Madrid back to Manchester. This way, you can visit more than one destination in one trip without booking separate tickets for each leg of your journey.
How to book multi-city flights on KAYAK?
To search multi-city all you need to do is select “Multi-city” instead of “Round-trip” or “One-way” when searching for flights. Then add up to seven different legs to your itinerary. Use the example below to try it for your next trip.
Fine-tune trip results by adding and removing flights as you plan your itinerary. You can edit and arrange them based on takeoff and landing times to make it easier to find what you’re looking for.
Which airlines offer multi-city flights?
Most of the major airlines offer multi-city flight bookings. But not all offerings are the same – from the number of destinations to whether they allow open jaw bookings and more. Here’s a rundown of the major airlines you can book stops at multiple cities in one go.
Inspiration for your next multi-city trip.
Multi-city trips can work great for most destinations. One ticket, multiple destinations. It’s easy and just the way I love to see the world. Here are some example itineraries for trips with multiple stops.
- London → Paris → Lisbon → London
- London → New York → Tokyo →Hong Kong → London
Use KAYAK Trips to help you plan and organise your trip in detail.
Tips for booking multi-city flights with KAYAK.
For me, time is the most precious commodity of all. And if I’m avoiding unnecessary stopovers or connections, it means I have more time to explore my destination. Here are my top tips for booking multi-city flights more easily.
Pick a logical route.
Save time and money by mapping out a route that minimises zigzagging and backtracking. Choose strategic one-way flights that always move you forward and maximise your itinerary.
Factor in travel times too – a cheap flight may not be worth the savings if the timing means you lose a day in travel. KAYAK’s multi-city search tool helps you visualise different destination combinations and compare total travel times.
Extend stopovers.
Turn long connections into mini adventures and swap a few hours waiting for a day’s exploring. KAYAK lets you filter stopover durations so you can find connections with longer stops to sightsee or rest.
This also helps you avoid tight connections and the nightmare of missed flights. Look for the Stopover Duration filter on the left sidebar of the search results page and adjust accordingly.
This is a great way to slip a memorable mini-trip or two into a larger itinerary. Stopovers have allowed me to explore cities like Amsterdam, Stockholm and Madrid all while breaking up longer-haul flights.
Daniel Scheffler, travel writer
Pack light.
Consider swapping out checked luggage for hand luggage and stick with a carry-on. It will save time and hassle dropping off and collecting at each airport and will save money if you book a trip across multiple airlines. Use the KAYAK fare assistant to track the relative cost of carry-on and checked bags for every flight.
Compare cabin classes.
Balance comfort and cost by exploring different cabin options. Use the KAYAK cabin class filter when searching to see prices for economy, premium economy, and even score cheap business class tickets on the same itinerary.
Don’t overfill your itinerary.
Focus on a few well-chosen destinations to make the most of the trip. Racing through lots of places with a day in each and travel in between may seem like a great idea when booking, but the reality is very different. Give yourself plenty of time in each place to recover and explore.
You don’t have to fly into and out of the same places if ground transport is easy, which can also save you time and money.
KAYAK’s flexible dates and nearby airports features let you explore your options and optimise your timing. And you can set price alerts to track flight costs and swoop in when the price is right.
Advantages to multi-city flights.
- See more: explore multiple destinations, attractions, cultures and cuisines in one trip.
- Spend less: many airlines offer deals on multi-city tickets, making them cheaper than booking separately. And you won’t need to pay baggage fees for every flight.
- Add flexibility: customising your trip lets you mix up what you see. Combine a city trip with a beach break, a shopping excursion with a spa retreat. The choice is yours.
- Save time: avoid backtracking by making every stop a destination. Turn stopovers into stays without extra travel.
- Find deals: mix and match different airlines and travel in and out of different places to find great deals – known as open-jaw flights.
FAQs
No, you’ll almost always save money on flights by combining multiple destinations into one ticket. Especially during the high season and between the most popular routes. You’ll also cut down on time spent looking for one-way tickets all over the globe.
Most airlines release their flight schedules around 11 months before the flight dates. With international travel, there are some rules worth following: summer months are very busy and thus demand goes up, and you might not be able to get the exact flights you are after.
A good rule of thumb is to start looking roughly six months before you travel. Set KAYAK price alerts on the flights you’re interested in and don’t book much later than three months before you’re planning to take to the skies.
This is a type of multi-city flight. It means that you fly into one city and out of another all on the same booking. For example, you can book an open-jaw flight from London to Berlin, then take the train onwards to Prague and fly back to London from there.
Absolutely. It’s called an open-jaw flight that allows you to fly into one city and out of another on the same booking. Use KAYAK’s flight search and select multi-city instead of return or one-way to explore open jaw trips.
