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What Are Multi-City Flights?


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Multi-city flights? Flights with multiple stops?

The most common flights to book are either return or one-way flights.

But what if you want to visit more than one destination during your trip? How to book a trip with multiple destinations? Use the multi-city flight bookings option! A multi-city flight will allow you to visit more destinations during your trip, while having one reservation. Booking multi-city flights is easy and effortless. 

Read on to learn more. 

Walking to the plane
Walking to the plane

1. What Are Multi-City Flights?

As the name suggests, these are flights with multiple stops (starting from 2). You are going not only to one, but at least 2 places.

But these aren’t separate flights. You don’t just book several flights and call it a multi-city flight. No, no, no. If it’s a multi-city flight, you have booked the whole thing as a single journey. Many airlines allow you to book multi-city flights, and also many flight booking websites allow you to do the same.

1.1 Two Types of Multi-City Flights

Generally speaking, there are two types of multi-city flights.

  1. Airline-protected multi-city flights. You book them from airline websites. They come with the same protection as connecting flights. Not all airlines offer multi-city flights. Most low-cost airlines don’t offer multi-city flights.
  2. Flight search engine multi-city flights. These are itineraries created by flight search engines / online travel agents. Are they protected? It depends from what you are booking and from whom.

1.2 What Makes Multi-City Flights So Great?

One of the best things about multi-city flights is that you don’t have to stick to one region, or even continent. You can travel all around the world!

Having a multi-city flight itinerary, you have the same freedom like when having several separate flights. You can visit several places, not just one. While also having the security of an airline-protected connecting flight. The latter is true as long as you book your journey from the airline (or with the right insurance).

One of the best things about multi-city flights is that you don’t have to stick to one region, or even continent. You can travel all around the world!

2. How to Book Multi-City Flights?

How to book flights with multiple stops?

Popular flight search engines like Skyscanner, Kiwi and Momondo offer multi-city flight tools, as well as many full-service airlines offer this feature. Some budget airlines like AirAsia, Vueling do offer it, too.

If you want to find the best flight deals, you will have to use multiple sites and compare the flight prices. First, you can use a flight search engine like Kiwi, Skyscanner, Momondo or Kayak to see the options. And later, you can use airline websites to look up multi-city flights and compare prices.

2.1 Airline Websites (Safe)

The safest way to book multi-city flights is to book directly from the airline. Pros — if there will be changes in the itinerary, flight delays or flight cancellations, the airline will book you on a different flight. Cons — it’s not always the cheapest option, as the flights will be operated by the same airline (or codeshare partner/alliance). Also some flights might not be available. 

2.2 Flight Search Websites (Cheap)

Flight search engine like Skyscanner and Kiwi sell multi-city flights.

Not only it’s the cheapest way to book multi-city flights, but also it will offer you more options to choose from. Just pay attention from which third party site you booking the flights at the end. Not always it will be Momondo, Kiwi or Skyscanner. Make sure it’s a trustworthy site.

All in all, Kiwi is the best third-party flight booking site for booking multi city flights. Not only it’s trustworthy, it also offers its own insurance – Kiwi Guarantee. It protects you from flight cancellations and delays.

You can purchase Kiwi Guarantee when making a booking.

3. Can You Return to a Different Location?

Yes, you can!

You don’t have to return to your origin airport.

If you wish, you can travel one way using multi-city flight booking option. For example, you want to spend cold winter months in Southeast Asia, but you don’t want to buy a return ticket yet. You can use multi-city option to book a one-way flight to, let’s say, Bangkok, on your way stopping in Dubai, Istanbul or Doha. 

4. Skyscanner Multi-City Flights

Visit Skyscanner to book multi-city flights.

Choose multi-city flights option (it’s next to “Return” and “One way”). 

Add up to 6 flights, selecting your origin airport, destination and dates. Choose the number of passengers. Hit “Search Flights” button. You’ll see the search results, and in most cases, there will be many options to choose from. To find the best option, use the filters provided (on the left side of the page). Using the filters, you can choose the number of stops, set departure time, choose the airlines you’d like to fly with, etc.

By clicking on each option, you will see detailed information about the flights of the itinerary. You will see if these are direct flights, or connecting flights. Pay attention to what kind of connection it is — is it an airline-protected connection, or a self transfer. If it’s a self transfer, make sure the connection time is long enough (3-4 hours is OK).

Choose the best option.

Choose where you’ll buy the flight from.

In most cases, these will be third-party sites. You don’t have to book from Skyscanner. You can also book directly from the airline. If the multi-city flight is with one airline and / or if you can find it on their website too.

4.1 Go Around the World With Skyscanner

When booking multi-city flights with Skyscanner, you don’t have to stick to one region, or even continent. You can select destinations from all around the world! Also, you don’t need to return to the same city where you’ve started your trip.

Using Skyscanner is one of the best ways how to find cheap multi-city flights. A good alternative to Skyscanner is Google Flights multi-city flights feature.

Skyscanner multi city flights
Skyscanner multi-city flights option
Booking Skyscanner multi city flights
Booking multi-city flights with Skyscanner

5. Booking Multi-City Flights With Kiwi Nomad Feature

You can also use Kiwi to book multi-city flights. 

Kiwi has not only one but two features you can use to book flights with several destinations. You can choose multi-city flights option, like on Skyscanner, and you can also choose Kiwi Nomad. The latter is a wonderful feature, which allows you to find the best deals on multi destination flights.

Unlike the multi-city feature we’re reviewed in this post, Kiwi Nomad will shuffle your destinations to find the best and cheapest flights. They won’t be in the same order you choose. That’s the whole idea of Nomad. If you are a flexible person, you can get a better deal. Sometimes, flying to more destinations is cheaper than to fewer.

In our experience, Kiwi is the best multi-city flight search engine for an average traveler. It’s a great option, where to book Ryanair multi city flights. But take into account that flight search engines like Kiwi and Skyscanner offer both protected connections and multi-city flights and self-transfer flights.

Read more:

6. Booking Multi-City Flights With Turkish Airlines

How to book multiple city flights with Turkish Airlines?

Visit Turkish Airlines website. Choose Multi-City flight booking option (it’s next to round trip and one way). Add flights, selecting your origin airport, destination and dates. Choose flights one by one. The total for all the flights is shown at the top.

When choosing the legs of your journey, you will have a choice between cheaper and more expensive flights. 

See below how to book multi-city flights with Turkish Airlines.

Turkish Airlines multi city flights
Step 1 – choosing destinations
Booking multi city flights with Turkish Airlines-1
Step 2 – choosing the flight to the first destination
Booking multi city flights with Turkish Airlines-2
Step 3 – choosing the flight to the second destination
Booking multi city flights with Turkish Airlines-3
Step 4 – choosing the flight to the third destination
Booking multi city flights with Turkish Airlines-4
Step 5 – See all flights of the journey

7. Qatar Airways Multi-City Flights

How to book multiple city flights with Qatar Airways?

It’s easy. Visit Qatar Airways website, choose the trip type — select Multi-city option from the dropdown menu (Return / Multi-city / One way) and add flights, selecting your origin airport, destination and dates. Hit “Show Flights” button.

Choose the flights and press “Continue”.

Book your itinerary.

That’s it! Easy!

8. Multiple One-Way Flights vs Multi-City Flights

Why can’t you just book multiple one-way flights?

While you can book multiple flights and make it an itinerary, multi-city flight booking tools are a way better option. Tools like these are easy to use, they save time and often money. Plus, what is even more important in many situations, with full-service airlines they also come with protection of connecting flights.

Are multi-city flights cheaper? Oftentimes, yes.

Often booking multi-city flights is cheaper than booking flights one by one, especially if you are booking flights from full-service airlines.

Have you booked multi-city flights? What was your experience? Which website did you use to book the flights?

About the author:

Co-founder and Editor at Connecting Flights Guide

Una is an organized globetrotter and foodie who’s been living a digital nomad lifestyle since 2013. She always starts her day early with a good book before diving into work. Apart from traveling and aviation, her other passions include gym, hiking and cycling. Una is also a strong proponent of AI technology. She firmly believes in its potential to simplify life and has often advocated for its wider adoption in our day-to-day activities. Her favorite airlines are Qatar Airways, Emirates, and KLM.

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This article may contain compensated links. Learn more in our disclaimer.



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