two different airlines for going and coming

[dumby]

If I book one-way going with SW and the returning with Delta I get the times I want and the airfare is cheaper by $30 or so. Would this be a big hassle to do it this way. Is it easier to book round trip and deal with one ticket as apposed to one-way and two tickets?

HELP. This is driving me crazy.

 

[sorcerermick]

I will be doing the same thing this December. i'll be flying down from NY on Jet Blue but returning on Delta song. i did not have any problem booking the airfare at all and I don't anticipate a problem on the travel days either. good luck to you and i hope it works out for you.

 

[ohsodisney]

Hi

We are also doing the same , we are taking Jet Blue down and Delta home . I think it will be perfectly fine

 

[ohsodisney]

Socerernick

Where in Ny are you from . We are also NY , about 20 minutes from Syracuse !

 

[Tigger_Magic]

This is from "The Traveler" (an industry newsletter):

One-way Ticket to Secondary Search
The TSA has told the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) that conducting secondary searches on passengers holding one-way tickets is a top priority. The practice is problematic for some travelers who are trying to save money. "One-way tickets are known to be a source of red flags," said ACTE President Greeley Koch. "Yet to take advantage of new fare discounts, many travelers may be flying out on one carrier and coming back on another."

Just be prepared. But from an August issue of the Washington Post

The memo also calls for a new formula to replace the set of computer-screening rules that select passengers for more scrutiny. Currently, the system commonly flags passengers who book one-way tickets or modify travel plans at the last minute. The new TSA plan would give TSA managers assigned to each major airport the authority to de-select a passenger who has been picked out by a computer system.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

We did this once. And, we had SSSS marked on our boarding passes, so we had an extra search at the airport.

 

[antmaril]

We did this in February. We flew down to Orlando on Southwest Airlines and returned to Detroit on Spirit Airlines. I was prepared for extra security screening, but it didn't happen.

 

[dvc guy]

We do a lot of one ways tickets to Florida these days, Never had an extra screening, but we always buy the seats months in advance on a CC.

 

[hockeygirl]

On my recent trip two weeks ago, I flew down to Orlando on Jet Blue and flew home on Song, to get the times and fares I wanted. I was prepared to go through the extra security check, but I didn't have to.

 

[cranbiz]

I have done this frequently, usually Southwest one way and Song the other. I have had to change the itinerary a couple of times and I have had no problems as of this point. I an always prepared for extra security screening, but have not had it yet.

I am a member of boths airlines Frequent Flyer clubs (and FlyI and JetBlue's clubs) and have also used those airlines together on my trips to MCO.

All of these airlines book one way flights as a matter of business, so one way tickets are not uncommom for them. I do try to avoid last minute changes though.

 

[iluvflorida8]

I have done this with SouthWest and AirTran and have never had a problem.Got $59 flights for each way from Pitt-MCO.

 

[Skroops]

Most major airports have done away with the secondary screening. If you are randomly selected, it will just be that your carry on bags may be randomly searched at the regular screening point. No biggie. For awhile, they were doing additional screening at the gate area for selected passengers, but they are no longer doing that now that the federal screeners are all in place.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Southwest, Song and JetBlue (and I'm sure other airlines, but these are the ones with which I've flown) all sell only one-way tickets, in that there's no bonus to buying a round-trip ticket and no penalty for purchasing a one-way fare. Your round-trip fare on any of these airlines is simply the combination of two one-way fares.
So, to answer your specific question - no, regarding the ticket purchase, no hassle of any size.
Regarding TSA screening, yes, one-way fares DO supposedly raise a red flag and make one more likely to be chosen for a secondary search at Security. Just to be safe, try to arrive at the airport a little early. Chances are you'll get through fine. One "clue" for Southwest - it seems, from what I've read here, if you try to check in online and can't, you've probably been randomly preselected for additional screening.