I’ll be honest — every time I check flights from US to India, I spend way too many hours staring at flight searches.
I’m the kind of person who wants the best deal, but also doesn’t want to get stuck sleeping on an airport bench because I missed a connection.
If you're in the same situation, here's all I've figured out — the good, the bad, and the stuff no one tells you — about buying flights from the US to India.
Round-Trip Tickets: Easy and Usually Less Expensive
It's more often the case that US-India round-trip flights are less expensive than purchasing two one-way tickets.
A few years back, while I was checking for cheap flights, while testing from different airports, and I found a really good deal on a flight from San Francisco to Delhi. The round-trip ticket was only about $950. To satisfy my curiosity, I looked up what it would have cost to purchase the same two flights separately as two one-ways. It was nearly $2,000 altogether.
That's when I learned: airlines tend to charge way more for one-way international tickets than half a round-trip.
So if you have fixed dates, and you'd like one booking that's simple to handle, round-trip is generally the best bet.
When One-Way Flights Have Saved My Neck
But there have been times when one-way flights saved me — and my sanity.
Going to India was my pick for visiting family a couple of years ago. I bought a one-way ticket for the flight, unsure of the duration of my stay. There was a wedding in the family; as you very well know, an Indian wedding is basically a one-week event that officially lasts for three.
I didn't want to lock myself down with a return date and pay change fees; hence, I booked my return ticket once the plans were fixed. It felt like a breeze to be completely unrestricted.
Using Miles? One-Way Can Be Your Friend
Another reason I sometimes book one-way flights is when I’m trying to use airline miles.
For example, I once found a great award ticket from New York to Mumbai for 10,500 miles. But when I checked the return for the same dates, it was a whopping 51,000 miles. No thanks.
And instead of using miles on the return flight, I booked one-way flights from Mumbai to New York with a travel agency (Travelopod) at very cheap prices. That mix-and-match strategy saved me a ton.
So if you're sitting on miles and want to make them stretch as far as they go, one-way tickets are a lifesaver.
Open-Jaw Trips: My Favorite Way to See More
Traveling within India is one of my favorite things, sometimes flying into a city and flying back home from another.
Some years ago, I booked a flight to Delhi, traveled by train in Rajasthan, and ultimately flew back home from Mumbai. It did not make any sense to reserve a round-trip ticket in and out of Delhi for such a trip.
Reserving individual one-way flights granted me complete freedom. No backtracking, no wasting time. Just pure exploring.
A Secret Trick: Multi-Leg Travel
Here’s one of my favorite travel tricks — though it takes a bit more effort.
Purchasing a ticket for a direct flight to India may seem like a good option. But I prefer to split the trip into parts.
First, I’ll find a cheap domestic flight from my city to a big hub like New York, Chicago, or San Francisco.
From there, I look for deals to Europe or the Middle East. I’ve flown from New York to London on Norse Atlantic Airways for very reasonable prices.
From there, I grabbed a separate budget flight into India.
A Real Example from My Travel Notebook
Last year, I did something like this:
Flew from Denver to New York.
Took a Norse Atlantic flight from New York to London.
Flew from London to Delhi with Air India Express.
All done at a very budget-friendly expense, considering the usual prices for direct flights from Denver to India.
Plus, I spent a day in London eating fish and chips and walking along the Thames. Win-win.
The Downsides No One Talks About
Of course, multi-leg travel isn’t all sunshine and samosas.
Low-cost carriers can charge you extra fees for bags, meals, or seats.
Separate tickets mean that if one flight is delayed, you might miss the next, and the airline won’t help you.
You’ll be juggling several booking confirmations instead of just one.
Still, for me, the savings and the chance to see another city often make it worth it.
When I Stick with Round-Trip
Despite all these travel hacks, there are times when round-trip tickets win, hands down.
They’re simpler.
They’re often cheaper, especially if I’m not feeling adventurous with layovers.
And if something goes wrong, like a delay or cancellation, the airline usually helps me sort it out.
Plus, I’ve noticed some airlines only offer special deals or low-mile redemptions if you’re booking a round-trip. When I see a good price, I jump on it.
A Few Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Book
Here’s how I decide which way to go. I ask myself:
Do I know exactly when I’m leaving and coming back?
Am I trying to use miles?
Do I want to visit more than one city in India?
Am I okay piecing together different flights to save money?
Or do I want the simplicity of one booking?
The Bottom Line — My Honest Advice
Booking flights from US to India is really easy when you know how and when.
If simplicity is your choice and often low prices are on offer, then by all means, fall back on a round-trip ticket.
If flexibility is what you want, go one way.
If you had the time to put in the work, multi-legged travel may just save you a ton and throw in an extra adventure for good measure.
Take your time comparing options. That money saved can well go toward extra gulab jamun or a few more days of bargaining in the markets of Delhi.
If you don’t want all this hassle, you can check with travel agencies like Travelopod to sort everything out for you. All that will be left to do is pack your bags and reach the airport on time.
Safe travels, and let the trip to India itself be an ebook-full-of-stories!
