What is the highest number of airlines you’ve had on a single ticket?

Usually when you book an airline ticket, you’re going from A to B and back again on one airline. Nothing interesting about that, is there? It gets better on complicated international itineraries, and I was curious about the highest number of airlines you’ve ever had on a single ticket.

The world record holder in this area is Alex Frater, who is the author of the book Beyond The Blue Horizon. He decided to fly from England to Australia using the route from the Imperial Airways days in the 1930s. Lots of paper tickets and lots of airlines flown on that trip.

My Highest Number of Airlines

Recently I made a booking from Ireland to Australia and back. You always have to stop at least once and often twice, so instead of a speedy four flights, I’ll be doing a slightly longer six.

Six flights can be on one airline, for example, British Airways Dublin to London, London to Singapore, Singapore to Sydney and back. Not in my case. On this trip, I happen to be using five airlines on one ticket.

This will be Aer Lingus from Dublin to London, Finnair from London to Helsinki and Japan Airlines from Helsinki to Tokyo. On the way back, it is Cathay Pacific from Sydney to Hong Kong and then British Airways from Hong Kong to London to Oslo.

A long time ago, I had an around the world ticket with oneworld. On that ticket – which was 20 sectors – I also managed five airlines, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, British Airways and American Airlines. I’m sure I could have fit in many more had I tried.

Overall Thoughts

While five airlines on a six sector ticket is pretty good going, I think others may have had more. Around the world tickets are especially good for trying a lot of different carriers.

I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to choose a bunch of different airlines. In my recent example, the reservations system online gave me the options and I took advantage of them wholeheartedly.

What is the highest number of airlines you’ve had on one single ticket? I’m pretty sure plenty of people can beat mine! Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

Like planes? See my “Does anyone remember” series.
Flight reviews your thing? Mine are all indexed here.
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Featured image by Beckett P on Unsplash.
Airline tickets by Austrian Airlines and Eric Diao via Wikimedia Commons.