Booking Multi-City Flights: Which Sites Give The Best Combos?

Planning a trip with several stops? Then you're probably wondering where to find the best multi-city flight deals without spending hours comparing prices. The good news is that some sites make booking a multi-destination flight far easier than others. Let's explore which ones truly deliver.

1. Google Flights: Fast, Flexible, And Transparent

Google Flights remains one of the fastest tools to use when you want to book a multi-destination flight. It offers a smooth interface that allows you to enter up to five cities, and prices are updated in real-time.

One of the most significant benefits is its transparency. You can view pricing trends, check nearby airports, and compare different airline combinations instantly. It's beneficial if your dates are flexible and you want to spot the cheapest days to fly.

The only catch? You can't book directly through Google. Once you've selected your itinerary, it redirects you to the airline or online agency to complete your booking. Still, for initial research, it serves as an excellent starting point.

2. Skyscanner: Best For Mixing And Matching Carriers

Skyscanner is another strong contender, especially when you're looking to mix low-cost and full-service airlines. You can enter multiple legs of your trip, and it will give you combinations that you might not find elsewhere.

It's beneficial for international travel, where local budget carriers often don't appear on U.S.-focused sites. Skyscanner includes smaller and regional airlines, which can significantly reduce your costs.

However, its filtering tools for multi-city searches are more limited compared to single-destination searches. Still, for wide-ranging itineraries, it's one of the few that finds rare combos.

3. Expedia: Ideal For Flights + Extras

If you're booking a multi-city trip and need hotels, car rentals, or experiences bundled in, Expedia makes it easy to plan everything in one place. It offers a multi-destination search option, allowing you to input each leg of your journey and compare prices on a single page.

What makes Expedia stand out is its frequent promo codes and package discounts. Sometimes, booking a hotel along with your flight reduces the total price.

Just note that Expedia sometimes prioritises its partner airlines. You may miss out on a better deal unless you compare it with another tool, such as Google Flights.

4. Kayak: Visual Route Planning And Smart Filters

Kayak combines good functionality with an intuitive design. It allows you to book multi-city flights and provides access to its "Explore" map, which displays the cost of flying to different cities from your origin point.

It’s one of the few tools that help you plan a spontaneous, budget-conscious route. Say you know your start and end cities but want to explore options for the middle leg—Kayak will show you affordable alternatives that still fit your plan.

Its price prediction tool can also help you decide whether to book now or wait. However, Kayak is more useful for flexible travellers than those with strict dates.

5. Kiwi.com: Best For Custom Routes And Hidden City Tricks

Kiwi.com is built for creative travel planning. Its most prominent feature is the ability to create custom routes that aren't shown on airline websites. That includes combinations like flying into one city and out of another—even if the airlines don't have an official partnership.

It also allows for layover stays of 24 hours or more, helping you "sneak in" an extra destination without needing to book it as a separate stop.

This site is particularly appealing for backpackers or travellers looking to stretch their budget. Just be cautious: because it books separate tickets from non-partnered airlines, you may not be covered for delays or missed connections. Read their protection policies carefully.

6. Booking Direct Through Airlines: Reliable But Limited

Some airlines, such as Emirates, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines, offer multi-city searches directly on their websites. While this is a good option if you're loyal to a specific airline or want complete control, the variety of route combinations will be limited.

These tools often don’t support combinations with other airlines, so unless your entire trip can be managed under one airline alliance, you’ll probably end up paying more.

Still, for long-haul trips with minimal stops, this method offers reliability and better customer support in case of changes.

When Should You Use A Travel Route Optimiser?

If you're planning a complex route, especially one that spans different continents, using a travel route optimiser can save you both time and money. These platforms help balance cost with time, showing whether it's worth paying a bit more for shorter flights or fewer layovers.

They also reveal routes you may not have thought of. For instance, flying from New York to Rome, then from Rome to Athens, and finally to Istanbul, might be cheaper than flying directly to Athens and adding the other cities separately. Route optimisers perform this calculation for you.

Tips To Maximise Savings When You Book Multi-Destination Flights

Be Flexible with Dates: Flying on weekdays often results in lower costs. Tools like Google Flights and Kayak show you alternate prices if you can shift your trip by a day or two.

Use Nearby Airports: Don't lock yourself into just one city. For example, if you're flying into London, consider checking nearby airports such as Gatwick or Stansted. You might find better multi-city flight deals by including smaller hubs.

Avoid Backtracking: Book your destinations in a logical order to minimise extra costs. A looped itinerary (like NYC → Paris → Rome → NYC) often costs more than a one-way chain (NYC → Paris → Rome → Athens).

Mix Airlines and Alliances: While booking all flights with one airline is convenient, mixing can reduce costs. Just make sure to leave enough time between flights if they're not on the same flight.

Book in Advance: Prices usually rise closer to departure. Try to book at least six weeks ahead for the best deals.

What’s The Bottom Line On Booking Multi-City Flights?

To get the best multi-city flight deals, don't rely on just one site. Use a combination of Google Flights for price tracking, Skyscanner for mixed carriers, Expedia or Kayak for planning extras, and Kiwi.com for full customisation or unconventional routes. Then compare with direct airline options to check if you're getting the best value.

Whether you're travelling for leisure or a mix of both, using the right flight booking tool serves as your travel route optimiser, simplifying a complicated itinerary into a transparent and efficient journey, saving you both Stress and money.