Worked example: the €120 ticket loses to the €160 ticket
The calculator starts with invented inputs, not verified fares. Option A has a €160 return ticket and €40 baggage/seats per traveler, with €20 home-airport transport and €30 destination transfers shared by the party. Option B has a €120 ticket and €70 baggage/seats, with €60 and €50 in shared transport. For one traveler, A totals €250 and B €300. The lower base ticket creates the higher trip cost.
For two travelers, A is (160 + 40) × 2 + 20 + 30 = €450. B is (120 + 70) × 2 + 60 + 50 = €490. The saving changes from €50 to €40 because baggage is per traveler while the entered taxi/transfer costs are shared. If your train tickets are per person, enter the party total in the shared transport field.
This gives a useful break-even calculation: B saves €10 per traveler on ticket plus extras, but costs €60 more in shared transport. At six travelers the totals tie; above six, B is lower under these assumptions. That arithmetic does not say either trip is better. Capacity, actual transfer prices, connection protection and usable arrival time still need verification.
| Cost category | Option A | Option B | Applied as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return ticket | €160 | €120 | Per traveler |
| Baggage and seats, both directions | €40 | €70 | Per traveler |
| Home-airport transport | €20 | €60 | Whole party |
| Destination transfers | €30 | €50 | Whole party |
| Total · one traveler | €250 | €300 | A is €50 lower |
| Total · two travelers | €450 | €490 | A is €40 lower |
| Total · six travelers | €1,250 | €1,250 | Break-even under these inputs |
Compare the same scope on both sides
Begin with return prices for the same passengers and travel dates. Then make the included services equivalent. If one fare includes cabin baggage and the other does not, add the missing bag before comparing. Do the same for checked luggage, seat selection, and payment charges you know you will incur.
Keep optional comforts separate from necessities. A seat upgrade can be valuable without being required, while a checked bag for specialist equipment may be unavoidable. Separating them makes the decision easier to explain and revise.
Price the journey to and from every airport
Include transport at both ends of the trip. At home, that can mean rail tickets, fuel, tolls, parking, or a taxi after public transport stops. At the destination, compare the airport transfer with the transfer required by the alternative flight.
Use the cost that matches the flight time. A train fare is not a realistic allowance when the final train leaves before you land. Likewise, an early departure may require a hotel near the airport or a more expensive taxi.
Give connections a cost and a risk label
A protected connection on one ticket and a self-transfer are not equivalent. With a self-transfer you may need to collect baggage, pass security again, satisfy entry requirements, and absorb the cost of a missed onward flight. Check the seller’s exact conditions instead of inferring protection from the itinerary display.
You do not need to invent a precise monetary value for every risk. Mark each option as direct, protected connection, or self-transfer, then decide whether the saving is large enough for the extra uncertainty and time.
Measure usable time, not only flight duration
Count the time from leaving home to reaching the accommodation, and repeat the exercise for the return. A cheap itinerary with an overnight wait can consume a day of annual leave and require meals or accommodation. A more expensive direct flight may buy back meaningful time at the destination.
This is not an argument that direct flights are always better. It is a reminder to make the trade explicit. For a longer holiday, a connection may be easy to accept; for a two-night break, losing half a day can change the purpose of the trip.
Build one comparable total per itinerary
Add the ticket, required baggage and seats, home-airport transport, destination transfers, necessary accommodation, and other unavoidable fees. Divide by the number of travelers only after all shared and per-person costs are included.
- Ticket total for every traveler.
- Baggage and seat fees for both directions.
- Transport, parking, tolls, and airport hotels.
- Destination transfers and unavoidable overnight stays.
- A written note for connection risk and total journey time.
Choose the option you can defend after the headline price disappears
Once both totals are complete, compare schedule quality, flexibility, seller support, and connection risk. The cheapest total may still be the right choice, but now it wins for a reason stronger than the first number shown in a search result.
Keep a small contingency outside the comparison. The calculator is a planning aid, not a guarantee of what an airline, airport, hotel, or transport provider will charge.