Multi-City Flights in 2026: How to Save on Long-Haul Trips

Planning multi-city trips in 2026 can save travelers hundreds, even thousands of dollars, while allowing you to explore multiple destinations on a single itinerary. For travelers from the USA, Canada, and Australia, understanding how to book multi-city flights effectively — comparing airlines, fares, baggage policies, and loyalty programs — is crucial for maximizing value and comfort. In this guide, we will cover the benefits of multi-city travel, airline comparisons, route-specific examples, and tips for booking the cheapest fares.

1. What Are Multi-City Flights?

Multi-city flights, sometimes called open-jaw or stopover flights, allow travelers to visit more than one city on a single ticket. Instead of booking separate round-trip flights, a multi-city ticket lets you fly from your home city to a destination, continue to another city, and then return home — all under one booking. Examples:

LAX → Sydney → Auckland → LAX
Toronto → London → Paris → Toronto
Sydney → Tokyo → Singapore → Sydney

This approach can reduce costs by combining airlines’ network pricing, saving on taxes, and sometimes avoiding expensive one-way tickets.

2. Benefits of Multi-City Flights

Cost Savings: Booking multiple stops on one ticket is often cheaper than purchasing separate round-trip flights. Airlines like Emirates, Qantas, Delta, and Air Canada offer discounts for multi-leg trips.

Convenience: Instead of juggling multiple bookings, a single multi-city ticket reduces the risk of losing connecting flights, simplifies check-in, and often comes with baggage through-check.

Flexibility: Multi-city flights allow travelers to plan longer stopovers in one city, giving extra time for sightseeing without paying for another full round-trip ticket.

Loyalty Points: Using frequent flyer programs for multi-city itineraries can earn significantly more points, especially on premium cabins.

3. Airline Comparisons for Multi-City Travel in 2026

Emirates

Emirates offers extensive international connectivity, perfect for travelers from Los Angeles, Toronto, or Sydney. Multi-city tickets can combine LAX → Dubai → Sydney → LAX. Business class fares can range $4,500–$6,500 USD depending on the route. First-class upgrades are possible using Skywards points.

Qatar Airways

Qatar’s hub in Doha allows efficient stopovers for travelers flying from Canada or the USA to Asia or Australia. Example: Toronto → Doha → Singapore → Toronto. Qsuite business class often rivals first-class comfort, with fares around $3,800–$5,200 CAD.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is ideal for Asia-Pacific multi-city trips, such as Sydney → Singapore → Tokyo → Sydney. Business class fares ~$4,000 AUD, first-class suites up to $12,000 AUD. KrisFlyer points can be used strategically for upgrades.

Delta Air Lines

Delta’s hub in Atlanta and Los Angeles allows convenient domestic and international multi-city itineraries. Example: LAX → Atlanta → Paris → LAX. Delta One business class fares start at ~$1,500 USD for shorter multi-city trips.

Air Canada

Air Canada’s Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver hubs are perfect for multi-city trips to Europe or Asia. Example: YYZ → London → Paris → Toronto. Signature Class fares start at $3,800 CAD.

4. Route-Specific Multi-City Examples for 2026

LAX → Sydney → Auckland → LAX: Using Qantas business class, travelers can book a 12-day trip with a stopover in Sydney, including baggage and lounge access for ~$5,000 USD.

Toronto → London → Paris → Toronto: Air Canada Signature Class or British Airways business class can cost ~$4,200 CAD, compared to ~$5,000 CAD if booked as two separate round trips.

Sydney → Tokyo → Singapore → Sydney: Singapore Airlines business class fares ~$4,000 AUD, with stopovers allowing two full days in each city.

5. How to Book Multi-City Flights Efficiently

1. Use flight search engines like Kayak, Skyscanner, Google Flights, and Momondo. These allow multi-city search inputs to compare fares across airlines.

2. Compare airline direct websites; sometimes they offer exclusive multi-city discounts.

3. Monitor fare alerts and promotions — many airlines discount multi-city tickets during shoulder seasons.

4. Check loyalty programs for upgrades — using points can save $1,000+ per trip.

5. Consider alternative airports to reduce fares, e.g., LAX vs. SFO, YYZ vs. YUL.

6. Pros and Cons of Multi-City Travel

Pros:

Save money compared to separate tickets
Visit multiple destinations in one trip
Earn more frequent flyer points
Access premium services on business or first-class flights

Cons:

Longer total travel time
Complex itinerary management
Some routes may not have optimal schedules
Changes or cancellations can affect the entire ticket

7. Tips for High-Value Travelers

- Always plan multi-city trips at least 3–6 months in advance to secure the lowest fares.

- Use premium cabins (business/first class) to earn extra loyalty points on multi-leg itineraries.

- Combine airlines in alliance networks (Oneworld, Star Alliance, SkyTeam) to reduce costs.

- Consider longer stopovers in hub cities — some airlines offer complimentary hotel stays or city tours (e.g., Qatar Airways Doha stopover, Emirates Dubai stopover).

- Factor baggage allowances into multi-city calculations to avoid extra fees.

8. Conclusion

Multi-city flights in 2026 offer travelers from the USA, Canada, and Australia an efficient way to see multiple destinations while maximizing value. Airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Delta, and Air Canada provide excellent options for business and first-class travelers. Using search engines, monitoring fare alerts, leveraging loyalty programs, and planning routes strategically ensures travelers can save hundreds or even thousands on international trips while enjoying premium services. For AdSense targeting, including route-specific examples like LAX → SYD → AKL or YYZ → LHR → CDG with business-class fares attracts high-CPC ads for premium travel, multi-city flights, and airline loyalty programs.

Multi-City Flights in 2026