Would you fly to your vacation separately to save money?

[Nika]

Would you take separate flights to travel to your vacation destination?

Say you had miles on one airline for a free ticket, but paying with money for the second seat on the same flight would not be the cheapest... If it saved you over $1,000, would you take a long overseas flight separately from your spouse?

[disneysteve]

If it saved you over $1,000, would you take a long overseas flight separately from your spouse?

I would certainly consider it though I doubt my wife would go for it. It would kill me knowing that I had blown over $1,000 though.

If it was a domestic flight, I think I'd have an easier time convincing her.

[bjl584]

Yes.

$1000 is enough to convince me to do it.

[disneysteve]

Yes.

$1000 is enough to convince me to do it.

But is it enough to convince your spouse?

[bjl584]

But is it enough to convince your spouse?

I'm single, so this isn't really an issue for me.

But, I'd like to think that anyone that I was involved with would also say yes if it meant saving $1000.

[disneysteve]

I'm single, so this isn't really an issue for me.

But, I'd like to think that anyone that I was involved with would also say yes if it meant saving $1000.

I think it might partly depend on whether it was the flight going to the foreign country or the flight returning home to the US. I'm pretty sure my wife would not agree to fly on her own to a foreign destination. I might be able to talk her into flying home alone but that would be a stretch too.

[Nika]

I think it might partly depend on whether it was the flight going to the foreign country or the flight returning home to the US. I'm pretty sure my wife would not agree to fly on her own to a foreign destination. I might be able to talk her into flying home alone but that would be a stretch too.

Both of us are comfortable traveling in foreign countries on our own.

[disneysteve]

Both of us are comfortable traveling in foreign countries on our own.

Then it's a no-brainer in my book. If you are both okay with it, do it and enjoy the savings.

[kork13]

Absolutely. My family actually did this many times growing up. We lived on a small Pacific island, and made frequent trips to Japan, Australia, Hawaii, or the continental U.S. As such, we had tons of reward miles available to us as necessary. My family (of 7) often flew on 2-3 separate flights in order to take advantage of some of those miles. Similarly, my siblings and I often flew by ourselves (though normally in pairs) to visit alternating sets of grandparents for summer vacations.

I think Nika stated it best: If you, your spouse, and your family are comfortable traveling (both internationally & domestically), it only makes sense to do whatever is the most affordable option -- to include flying separately to take advantage of lower costs.

[phantom]

For me, it would depend how similar the travel times were. If one person was going to arrive significantly before the other, that would be a deal breaker for me. I'd also hesitate if there were overnight layovers in two different cities. But, if all I was being asked to do was spend the length of the flight on my own, I'd happily do it to save the money.

[scfr]

Sure - But I traveled the world on business for many years. I've taken vacations alone without my spouse, and when we travel together we often go our separate ways for the day because he wants to golf but I want to take in the sites.

Once when we checked in for a flight he was offered a free upgrade to first class (I wasn't). The woman at the check-in counter said something along the lines of "be careful ... divorces have occured over less than this" but I told him he'd be crazy to turn it down. I enjoyed the quiet time by myself in Economy Class reading.

But we don't have children. Traveling on a long flight with a young one is tough, I can imagine. Traveling with a kiddo might be enough for me to insist on traveling together.

[adpiterp]

My initial thought was absolutely yes - $1000 savings is nothing to balk at. Then I read this post:

For me, it would depend how similar the travel times were. If one person was going to arrive significantly before the other, that would be a deal breaker for me. I'd also hesitate if there were overnight layovers in two different cities. But, if all I was being asked to do was spend the length of the flight on my own, I'd happily do it to save the money.

That's a good point. If it was multiple days or significant layovers or if it involved multiple modes of transportation (i.e. plane, train, automobile, and boat), I may have to rethink.

[Like2Plan]

Would you take separate flights to travel to your vacation destination?

Say you had miles on one airline for a free ticket, but paying with money for the second seat on the same flight would not be the cheapest... If it saved you over $1,000, would you take a long overseas flight separately from your spouse?

We rarely fly overseas, but DH and I have flown on separate flights to save $$ in the US. When DS was young, DH and DS would travel together and I would sometimes take a different flight.
Just a few months ago, I took a flight out of BWI (because I could fly on points and I also staged the car for our return flight) and DH traveled out of DCA (closest to where he works). We met up in ATL. We flew home together ATL-BWI (we were flying on an airline where I could fly as DH's companion for free on the return).

[coffee]

Think what 1000 bucks extra would get you on your vacation.

[moneybags]

But is it enough to convince your spouse?

Both my spouse and I would would agree to do this. He even sent our son, who was 14 at the time, home alone on a standby flight that only had one seat available. He flew back later, and I made a trip to the airport to pick up DS. Didn't save any money on the flight, but saved him hours of a bored teen.