What Is a Positioning Flight?

Sometimes the flight you want doesn’t leave from your home airport.

Maybe there’s no award availability from where you live, but plenty from an airport a short flight away. Or maybe starting somewhere else gets you a nonstop flight or costs fewer points.

A positioning flight is a separate flight booked to get to the airport where the trip actually begins.

For example, say someone lives in Raleigh (RDU) and finds a business-class award to Europe from Washington Dulles (IAD). They could book a separate flight to Washington, then begin the international itinerary from there.

That first flight is the positioning flight.

Why Book a Positioning Flight?

Positioning gives you more airports to work with when searching for flights.

Award availability can vary considerably depending on where a trip starts. A flight that isn’t available from a home airport might be available from another city, sometimes for fewer points or with a better itinerary.

And positioning doesn’t always require another flight. If another airport is within driving distance, driving works too. In some places, a train might be an option.

The idea is the same: getting to the airport where the itinerary you want begins.

What to Know Before Booking a Positioning Flight

The biggest thing to remember is that positioning flights are usually booked separately from the main itinerary.

That means making the connection is your responsibility. If the positioning flight is delayed and the next flight is missed, the airline operating the main itinerary generally isn’t obligated to rebook it.

A few things can make positioning less risky:

• Leave plenty of time. For an important international flight, arriving the night before may make sense.
• Be careful with checked bags. Bags may need to be collected and checked again before the next flight.
• Consider the entire cost. Factor in the positioning flight, hotel, transportation, parking, and other expenses before deciding whether the better award is worth it.
• Have a backup plan. Know what other options exist if the positioning flight is delayed or canceled.

Are Positioning Flights Worth It?

Sometimes.

If getting to another airport requires a short flight or drive and opens up a much better itinerary, positioning can be worth the extra step.

Other times, the additional cost and risk outweigh whatever the alternative itinerary saves.

But knowing to search from other airports can open up options that aren’t obvious when looking only from home. Just leave enough room between separate itineraries that a good award doesn’t turn into a missed flight.