What is split ticketing, and is it a good idea? Here’s what you need to know.
Are you looking for an easy way to save a bit on your travel spend? There’s one trend you might just want to jump on: split ticketing. This is a particularly popular option when booking rail travel in rail-centric countries, like the United Kingdom. However, it’s also an option when booking airfare. Split ticketing can dramatically reduce the costs of getting from Point A to Point B.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is Split Ticketing?
Split ticketing is exactly what it sounds like. Rather than booking one single ticket for a journey that naturally includes stops—such as a flight with a layover or a train ride on a train that stops at multiple stations before you disembark—you split your fare. You’re traveling the same route, just on two tickets.
So, for example, let’s say you want to fly from Chicago to Paris. You have a layover in London in the middle. You wouldn’t book a Chicago–Paris ticket. Instead, you’d book a flight from Chicago to London, and then a separate flight from London to Paris.
Similarly, when booking a train ticket, rather than booking a ticket that will take you from London to Inverness, you might book a ticket that takes you from London to Edinburgh. Then, book another ticket taking you from Edinburgh to Inverness.
The Benefits of Split Ticketing
Of course, obviously, the main reason most individuals try out split ticketing is because you can often get a better deal on your airfare or train fare. For example, rail companies and airlines sometimes increase the cost of a particularly popular route, like Chicago to Paris. The route from Chicago to London might not be as popular. As such, it might be available at a lower cost. Thus, a split ticket will save you some money.
Additionally, some Travelers like to split up their trip to include a brief layover for leisure travel purposes. So, if they’re traveling from New York City to Auckland for a work trip, they might split ticket their fare to fly from New York City to San Francisco. They spend a day or two in San Francisco. Then, they fly on to Auckland. This both saves them money and gives them a unique travel experience.
Likewise, Travelers may be able to upgrade one leg of their trip by split ticketing, when that’s not an option when booking a single ticket. This is for the simple reason that, in some cases, business class service isn’t available across the entirety of the journey.
The Downsides of Split Ticketing
Of course, like most travel hacks, split ticketing isn’t without its faults.
For one, booking split airfare tickets can mean that you run into more issues related to flight delays. Yes, anytime you book a flight with a layover, you run the risk of flight delays or getting stranded at the airport halfway through your trip. However, with separate tickets on separate passenger itineraries, it’s less likely that the airline will assist you in getting to your final destination, if it appears you simply did not show up for your second flight on time.
This isn’t quite as much of an issue when split ticketing within the confines of rail travel. You’re less likely to switch trains than you would aircraft. In many instances, you can just stay on the same train and never even get up. You just continue on to your second destination.
Along these lines, another issue with split ticketing airfare is that your baggage won’t be transferred to your next plane, as it would be if you were to book a single ticket. If you checked baggage while split ticketing, you would have to retrieve your checked bag from the baggage claim. Then, you re-enter the secure part of the airport. All the while, you must make sure that you still manage to make your next flight on time. As such, many Travelers who split their trip will not check a bag. They will simply use a carry-on bag.
Then, split ticketing does require a lot more time on the Traveler’s part. You have to do a lot of research and comparing and contrasting to find options that will truly save you money. Given split ticketing’s popularity in rail travel, though, particularly in the United Kingdom, online booking platforms have arisen to eliminate this issue or have added a feature to split tickets when booking. This is the case with Trainline and Splitticketing. In fact, Splitticketing claims that it can save you as much as 40% on your rail travel.
Lastly, split ticketing may not be easy for business Travelers in particular. It may require you to book outside of your company travel policy-compliant travel booking platform. Just in general, it may be frowned upon due to Duty of Care implications.
Should You Try Split Ticketing?
Now that you know what split ticketing is, as well as the many upsides and downsides, should you give it a try on your next trip?
If this piques your interest, consider trying it first during a leisure trip, rather than on a business trip. As mentioned, split ticketing may make Duty of Care more difficult for Travel Managers. Since there is a greater risk of flight delays when splitting airfare tickets, make your best efforts to avoid getting stuck at the airport during a business trip.
If you’re a Travel Manager rather than a Traveler, and you expect that your Travelers may attempt split ticketing in the future, be sure to address this trend within your internal travel policy.
