How to Use one International Ticket to Visit 5 Countries

Introduction

If you are from Nigeria (or any part of the world where international travel ticket cost is a financial mountain), you will understand the pain – flights are ridiculously expensive, making travel seem out of reach.

For every time I want to buy a ticket, the first thought that comes to mind is how to maximise the ticket cost. I just never could sit still using that ticket to only one destination, so I got to work and mastered the itinerary planning so much so that one ticket can give me up to 5 countries visit.

Here’s the strategy I have mastered over the years, that works like magic.

Smart Ways to Travel to Multiple Countries on One Ticket

The Key principle is to think in multiples.

For every international ticket you buy, make it count for a minimum of 2 countries. With smart planning, you can stretch it to 3 – 5 countries within a one week trip. Yes, it’s absolutely doable!

Leverage National Carriers’s Hub

1️⃣ Leverage National Carriers’ Hubs:

DO NOT buy return ticket to a National carrier Hub.

Yes, you heard me right. You short change yourself when you do this. The only exception to this strategy is if you want to use the country as your base location to other countries. Otherwise, use a different base country and only stopover or layover in the national carriers’s country.

All national carriers MUST stop at their country’s hub and some offer stopover programs or you could take advantage of long day-time layovers, so use this opportunity to your advantage. Using it to your advantage means instead of booking a return ticket to their hub country, choose another destination on your bucket list as the final stop and add a stopover or layover in the hub country.

This helps to leverage one international return ticket to visit 3-5 countries.

Practical Example of Itinerary Planning

Let’s use this example;

If I want to visit Qatar, I would not buy a return ticket to Doha. Instead, I will choose another country I have on my bucket list that can give me access to maybe one or two other countries on my bucket list.

Let’s assume I have Europe on my bucket list, I will select a central location like London, Paris, or Amsterdam, which gives me easy access to other European countries via budget flights, trains, or buses.

So, my itinerary on a Qatar return ticket to London (with a 3 days stopover in Qatar at no extra flight cost), will look like the below;

Leave Days – 5 days (Monday to Friday)

Travel days – 10 days (Friday to Sunday)

Return Ticket: Lagos – London

Airline: Qatar

10 days Itinerary on Qatar Airways

Day	Country	Budget	*Notes
Day 1 – Fri Go to work in the morning; Fly out in the evening	Travel – Depart Lagos	–	Put any item you need in Doha inside your carry on bag. Your check-in bag will remain with the Airline until you arrive your final destination.
Day 2 – Sat	Arrive Doha, Qatar	Flight – $0	On a 3-days stopover
Day 3 – Sun	Doha, Qatar	Flight – $0
Day 4 – Mon	Doha, Qatar	Flight – $0
Day 5 – Tue Fly Doha to London	London	–	Arrive final flight destination (London) and collect check-in bag
Day 6 – Wed	Lyon, France	Flight cost – $15	Take an early morning flight from London to Lyon. Duration – 1hr 40min. *Budget flight – personal bag / back pack only. Explore Lyon full day
Day 7 – Thur	Paris, France	Train Ride – $20	*Take an early morning train from Lyon to Paris Duration – 2hrs
Day 8 – Fri	Brussels, Belgium	Train Ride – $25	*Take an early morning train from Paris to Brussels Duration – 1.5hrs
Day 9 – Sat (morning)	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Train Ride – $20 or Bus Ride – $8 Whatever is your preference	Take an early morning train or Bus ride from Brussels to Amsterdam Flight Duration – 2hrs *Bus Duration – 2hrs 40mins
Day 9 – Sat (evening)	Return to London in the evening/night	Flight cost – $30	*Flight Duration – 1 hr
Day 10 – Sun	Travel. Return to Lagos		No need for stopover this time, only a few hours layover for aircraft change. You will arrive final destination same day or next morning, depending on the flight schedule.

The initial country of interest for this itinerary was Qatar, but I ended up visiting the UK, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, all with one ticket, simply by changing the flight destination from the national carrier’s hub to another country.

This example is just an ideation of what is possible. Of course, your destination preferences may differ, but the key principle remains the same – maximize your most expensive cost, the international flight ticket.

If you’re determined to see the world on a budget, learning to plan a budget-friendly itinerary is crucial. Here are additional considerations to create the best multi-country plan:

Be Flexible with Destinations

2️⃣ Be Flexible with Destinations:

Look for deals to destinations served by the airline of the country or neighbouring country you want to visit . The key is finding the cheapest flight to your desired region and building a multi-country plan from there.

Sometimes, flying into a neighboring country is more affordable. From there, you can explore multiple countries using budget-friendly local transport options.

Include Nearby Countries

3️⃣ Add Nearby Countries on a Budget:

Once you reach your final destination, take advantage of low-cost flights, trains, or buses to visit neighboring countries. Platforms like Skyscanner and Omio can help you find great deals.

Pro Tip

Use tools like Skyscanner or Google Flights and the “Explore Everywhere” feature to find the cheapest routes. These platforms allow you to search broadly across dates and destinations, giving you the flexibility to find great deals.

Also, learn to plan your international flight ahead, by bookmarking flights and set up price alerts to get notified when fares drop.

How else can you stretch your ticket cost for the ultimate travel experience? Share your tips! 🌍✨

How to Use one International Ticket to Visit 5 Countries

Introduction