Open Jaw Flights

MasterPoo

Hi,

So I've started trying to sort out flights for Christmas.....

I need advice on what would be the best way to book open jaw flights, find out pricing, or if push comes to shove I might end up using a Travel Agent? I have 3 main requirements for these flights:

1. Business Class
2. 1st Leg must be direct into Cape Town. (Don't mind Departure airport from London)
3. Return must be JNB - DXB - BHX

My questions are:

1. How do I actually book an open jaw ticket and get the best priced [STRIKE]cheap[/STRIKE] Business Class tickets?
   
2. Do I have to use one agency/one website - Are there any open jaw specific websites etc.?
   
3. Any hints/tips on booking open jaw tickets?

Takecareofthepennies

In answer to your questions:


1. I suggest you start here: www.kayak.co.uk
2. Not as far as I am aware.
3. If you can start from e.g. Dublin (or a number of other European cities), i.e. DUB - LHR - CPT - JNB - (DXB) - BHX, you may be able to bag a very good sale fare with BA in their current sale.

callum9999

There is no difference whatsoever in booking open-jaw, single or return tickets. They can all be booked at any travel agents or directly with any airline.

DTDfanBoy

Why the insistence on direct to Cape Town, there are no direct flights from BHX and there's no single airline in the world that can fly the whole ticket.

The closest you'll get is a mix of BA and Emirates who will charge you handsomely for the privilege of flying direct £8,952 :eek: as opposed to £3,303 flying indirect to CPT on Emirates.

MasterPoo

DTDfanBoy wrote: »

Why the insistence on direct to Cape Town, there are no direct flights from BHX and there's no single airline in the world that can fly the whole ticket.

The closest you'll get is a mix of BA and Emirates who will charge you handsomely for the privilege of flying direct £8,952 :eek: as opposed to £3,303 flying indirect to CPT on Emirates.

• Family based in Johannesburg, I want to kick off my holiday in CT, i.e. have a proper holiday/relax before going to family.
• NY resolution is "No cooking for Christmas & NY 2015"
• JHB to Kruger for 3 days (guaranteed to see Big 5)
• Back to JHB for 1 week: JNB - DXB (I want to go to the huge sales for designer stuff)

UK - CT - JNB - "Kruger" - JNB - DXB - BHX

MasterPoo

So far I'm getting the following for doing it this way via matrix (dates out by 2 days):

LHR - DXB - CPT - JNB - DXB - BHX

£3,316.84 X 3 = £9,950.52

Will try find a direct CT flight?

callum9999

MasterPoo wrote: »

So far I'm getting the following for doing it this way via matrix (dates out by 2 days):

LHR - DXB - CPT - JNB - DXB - BHX

£3,316.84 X 3 = £9,950.52

Will try find a direct CT flight?

As has already been said, you would need to fly on two non-related airlines to get that itinerary. While you could probably get it on one ticket, you would effectively be paying for two full-priced singles at an extortionate rate. It will be a hell of a lot more than £3300 each.

EDIT: The itinerary you want would cost £6500 (albeit with LHR-CPT in First) - though this may fall a bit in a few weeks, we're right on the edge of airline advance booking limits.

MasterPoo

callum9999 wrote: »

EDIT: The itinerary you want would cost £6500 (albeit with LHR-CPT in First) - though this may fall a bit in a few weeks, we're right on the edge of airline advance booking limits.

So you suggest waiting a few weeks and trying again? Is there a science to how long/when is it best to buy them?

callum9999

MasterPoo wrote: »

So you suggest waiting a few weeks and trying again? Is there a science to how long/when is it best to buy them?

Well there's no guarantees but tickets are often released 330 days in advance. As you're on the border of that - you may find that in the coming weeks they'll be more flights loaded. You might be able to get the LHR-CPT flight in business instead of first for example, which will presumably bring the price down (though this price was "discount first" which is generally a similar price to "full fare" business - I don't know if BA offer discounted business as a single ticket to CPT)

Doshwaster

The problem is that an open jaw has to start and end at the same airport so you are breaking that requirement by wanting to fly direct from BHX to Cape Town (which isn't possible) and then finish in London.

BHX -> CPT and JNB -> BHX is easy on Emirates via Dubai each way with KLM via AMS being an option too.

callum9999

Doshwaster wrote: »

The problem is that an open jaw has to start and end at the same airport so you are breaking that requirement by wanting to fly direct from BHX to Cape Town (which isn't possible) and then finish in London.

BHX -> CPT and JNB -> BHX is easy on Emirates via Dubai each way with KLM via AMS being an option too.

No it doesn't. If you want to be pedantic then you could clarify the OP's itinerary as being double open-jaw - but that's a type of open-jaw ticket.

Your suggestion of going via Dubai in both directions makes most sense - and is what I would also suggest - but it seems possible to get a ticket that goes LHR-CPT (BA), JNB-DXB-BHX (Emirates) if you're willing to pay the premium for it.

Further to my post earlier, I found LHR-CPT, JNB-DXB-BHX for about £4500 in October - whether that will be the same in December once the full flight schedule has been released however is another matter!