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Booking a one-way from Warsaw to New York City, but roundtrip is cheaper?

Booking a one-way from Warsaw to New York City, but roundtrip is cheaper?

Old May 28, 2022, 6:07 pm
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Booking a one-way from Warsaw to New York City, but roundtrip is cheaper?

I’m trying to book a one-way flight from WAW (Warsaw) to JFK (New York City) but every website I try to book the flight it shows that a one way ticket is around $800 and a round-trip is around $600-700. When booking on the LOT Airlines website, a round-trip flight is broken down into a $367 departure and $367 return flight, but when booking a one way it is almost the same price as a round-trip flight. Does anyone know a way I can book a one-way at a reasonable price or if I book a round-trip, to be able to refund the return flight
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Old May 29, 2022, 1:07 pm
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Originally Posted by Broman400
I’m trying to book a one-way flight from WAW (Warsaw) to JFK (New York City) but every website I try to book the flight it shows that a one way ticket is around $800 and a round-trip is around $600-700. When booking on the LOT Airlines website, a round-trip flight is broken down into a $367 departure and $367 return flight, but when booking a one way it is almost the same price as a round-trip flight. Does anyone know a way I can book a one-way at a reasonable price or if I book a round-trip, to be able to refund the return flight
Welcome to FT!
It's very common for one-way transatlantic flights to be more expensive (sometimes much more expensive) than RT transatlantic flights. I know of no way to avoid paying more for a one-way transatlantic ticket on any airline (not just LOT). If you book a RT and cancel the return, you will not receive any refund and could actually be subject to additional charges.
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Old May 31, 2022, 8:36 am
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it may be cheaper to purchase points and book a one-way award ticket. For example I found WAW-HEL-JFK in Y on Finnair for 47.5k points + 40 euros, booked as two separate tickets. Purchasing points with the current Finnair promo would make that itinerary around $400. Of course, this is all subject to availability.
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Old May 31, 2022, 3:57 pm
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Originally Posted by desafino
it may be cheaper to purchase points and book a one-way award ticket. For example I found WAW-HEL-JFK in Y on Finnair for 47.5k points + 40 euros, booked as two separate tickets. Purchasing points with the current Finnair promo would make that itinerary around $400. Of course, this is all subject to availability.
In a similar vein, Star Alliance member Avianca's "LifeMiles" frequent-flyer program is also running a sale on miles. Details here:

https://onemileatatime.com/deals/buy-avianca-lifemiles/
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Old Jun 5, 2022, 12:52 pm
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Originally Posted by JPG3392
Welcome to FT!
It's very common for one-way transatlantic flights to be more expensive (sometimes much more expensive) than RT transatlantic flights. I know of no way to avoid paying more for a one-way transatlantic ticket on any airline (not just LOT). If you book a RT and cancel the return, you will not receive any refund and could actually be subject to additional charges.
What do you mean by "additional charges"?. If that's true then it'd better just to leave it like that and don't do anything (waste the return).
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Old Jun 6, 2022, 8:17 am
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Originally Posted by lastcallfordeparture
What do you mean by "additional charges"?. If that's true then it'd better just to leave it like that and don't do anything (waste the return).
Purchasing a flight ticket that you do not intend to use (in part) is against the rules and regulations. In principle, at least, the airline has the right to charge you the higher fare that applies for the one-way flight on this route.
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Old Jun 6, 2022, 8:22 am
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Not for EU carriers, sounds like a legal nightmare, OP would have no issues
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Old Jun 9, 2022, 3:07 am
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Originally Posted by JPG3392
Purchasing a flight ticket that you do not intend to use (in part) is against the rules and regulations. In principle, at least, the airline has the right to charge you the higher fare that applies for the one-way flight on this route.
Yeah, on paper; in practice never.
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Old Jun 10, 2022, 1:08 am
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Originally Posted by Broman400
I’m trying to book a one-way flight from WAW (Warsaw) to JFK (New York City) but every website I try to book the flight it shows that a one way ticket is around $800 and a round-trip is around $600-700. When booking on the LOT Airlines website, a round-trip flight is broken down into a $367 departure and $367 return flight, but when booking a one way it is almost the same price as a round-trip flight. Does anyone know a way I can book a one-way at a reasonable price or if I book a round-trip, to be able to refund the return flight
Throwing away the return part of the ticket works for me, but then I would generally not contact LO about it. Sometimes what does work is book the return flight on a far out date and hope for a major schedule change; and then parlay that schedule change for a refund or something else more to my liking from the airlines.
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Old Jun 16, 2022, 8:34 am
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Had the same issue flying to Kenya. Would have preferred to leave on a Friday night through KLM making one stop, then returning with Kenya Airways nonstop to JFK. Big price difference on Kenya Airways going from RT to one way.
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Old Jun 16, 2022, 1:29 pm
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Originally Posted by diverx99
Had the same issue flying to Kenya. Would have preferred to leave on a Friday night through KLM making one stop, then returning with Kenya Airways nonstop to JFK. Big price difference on Kenya Airways going from RT to one way.
Did you try pricing the trip as a roundtrip ticket using the two different airlines? Travel agents can do this, and sometimes -- not always -- you'll get ½ of each airline's roundtrip fare in each direction.
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