Should I book one-way or multi-city?

Always try multi-city first. It keeps your itinerary on one confirmation code (PNR), which makes it easier to handle if a flight is delayed or cancelled.

How long should my layovers be?

If booking separate tickets, allow a minimum of 4 hours. If booking a single multi-city itinerary, the airline guarantees the connection, so 90 minutes is usually sufficient.

Why is my multi-city flight so expensive?

Algorithms sometimes penalize complex routes. If the multi-city price is double the sum of individual one-way flights, book them as separate 'one-way' tickets, but leave a full day or half-day buffer in between.

Booking Multi-City Flights Across Asia

Use the 'multi-city' search tool on a search engine like Google Flights or Skyscanner to book segments together, which is often cheaper than booking individual one-way tickets. Confirm that your layover times allow for terminal changes, especially if you are switching between budget carriers and full-service airlines.

Map your sequence. Asia is massive. Group your flights by sub-region (e.g., Southeast Asia, East Asia) to minimize flight times. Use a tool like Great Circle Mapper to visualize your route and avoid backtracking, which wastes both time and money.
Use the 'Multi-City' search function. Go to Google Flights and toggle the dropdown from 'Round trip' to 'Multi-city'. Enter your segments one by one. This forces the engine to look for 'married segments' or partner-airline fares that are often hidden when searching one-way.
Check budget airline baggage policies. Budget carriers like AirAsia, VietJet, and Scoot frequently charge exorbitant fees for checked bags. When booking multi-city, check the baggage allowance for each specific leg. It is often cheaper to pay for the 'bundle' at the time of booking than at the airport counter.
Separate your tickets if necessary. If the multi-city tool returns an error or a massive price spike, try booking in two 'chunks' (e.g., Tokyo to Bangkok, then Bangkok to Bali). If you do this, ensure you have at least 5 hours of buffer time between flights since these are not protected connections.

Should I book one-way or multi-city?: Always try multi-city first. It keeps your itinerary on one confirmation code (PNR), which makes it easier to handle if a flight is delayed or cancelled.
How long should my layovers be?: If booking separate tickets, allow a minimum of 4 hours. If booking a single multi-city itinerary, the airline guarantees the connection, so 90 minutes is usually sufficient.
Why is my multi-city flight so expensive?: Algorithms sometimes penalize complex routes. If the multi-city price is double the sum of individual one-way flights, book them as separate 'one-way' tickets, but leave a full day or half-day buffer in between.