A ticket or itinerary takes a traveler to a destination and then back to the original starting point. That journey is a round trip. It is the most common structure for holidays and short business visits.

Round-trip fares are often priced more attractively than two separate one-way tickets on traditional airlines. Return dates may be fixed or open depending on the fare rules. Changing the return can incur fees. The psychological comfort of a booked way home matters to many travelers.

Multi-city itineraries complicate the simple round-trip pattern but still often end with a return to the origin. For immigration purposes a return ticket can serve as evidence of intent to leave. The round trip frames the journey with a clear beginning and end at the same place.

Booking the return closes the loop before the outbound journey even starts.