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When serial airline creator David Neeleman launched JetBlue at the turn of the century, the airline promised to be nicer than the network carriers. Along with free premium snacks and Live TV, it committed to only sell one-way fares with no requirement for a minimum stay. Major airlines eventually were forced to match JetBlue’s pricing on route where they competed.
That lasted for a couple of decades, but I noted how that started eroding when JetBlue launched transatlantic service in 2021. I had high hopes that JetBlue would revolutionize how international travel was sold, but that was not to be, as it required round-trip travel for the best pricing.
In more recent times, JetBlue has brought the practice to domestic routes, and it continues to spread throughout their network.
When possible, I always book one-way flights. It allows for the most flexibility if you only need to change just one flight. Plus, your return flight won’t be canceled if you miss or can’t make your outbound flight.
It’s also easier to find travel bargains when you can search one-way and find the cheapest dates to travel.
One of the best parts about award tickets is that they are generally priced the same for one-way and round-trip travel, with the notable exception of Delta and now JetBlue.
Here’s an example of the one-way penalty.
Not long ago, it would have been possible to book in October/November for travel in January nonstop between NYC (EWR, JFK, or LGA) and South Florida (FLL, DJT, or MIA) for $40-$100 one-way. Basic economy restrictions were then added to those lowest fares. But now, nothing is available for under $159 one-way, even with basic economy restrictions.
That’s not just because airfare has gone up. It’s because you’ll need to book round-trip travel to find the lowest fares, and you’ll need a 3-night minimum stay.
For example, on JetBlue:
A one-way flight from LaGuardia to Fort Lauderdale on 1/25 or from Fort Lauderdale to LaGuardia on 1/28 is $173.40 (11.2K points) in basic, $218.40 (15.8K points) in economy, $383.40 (28.6K points) in BlueFirst basic, or $429.40 (30.8K points) in BlueFirst.
A round-trip flight from LaGuardia to Fort Lauderdale from 1/25-1/28 is $199.80 (12K points) in basic, $288.80 (20K points) in economy, $646.80 (47.8K points) in BlueFirst basic, or $736.80 (52.6K points) in BlueFirst.
It’s sad to see once-competitive airlines like JetBlue and Southwest regress to the mean.
I suppose that means the real advantage goes to airlines like Alaska Atmos, which still have fixed award charts:
Have you changed how you search for and book airfare due to round-trip purchase requirements?
