Don’t be too pennywise while buying airline tickets!
Often one is tempted to purchase the cheapest tickets that include multiple airlines to cut down on fares. It will have one PNR for the entire ticket but there is no guarantee that a particular airline will adjust if another airline for some reason changes their time schedule due to cancellations, delays and so on. This usually occurs at the last minute, is stressful and may involve unplanned purchase of last minute and high airfares finally (while making a dent in your budget for the holiday).
The cheapest tickets have very long layovers anyway between 5-24 hours. A long layover implies unending hours at the airport, worse when travelling with children trying to keep them occupied and entertained endlessly. I know, I have been a single mum travelling with three daughters, as the better-half hates travelling and refuses to make a passport (talk about opposites attract). Uncomfortable airport chairs, overpriced refreshments and impulse shopping at overpriced stalls put together defeats the cheaper ticket price. The long layover, I find requires some discipline, which is difficult with children (when they are on the holiday mood and you are on the budget mode). One can get already tired even before the journey has begun.
In such cases, it is best to spend a little extra and reach your destination faster. Booking an outbound journey as well as a return journey with the same airline is cheaper and will ensure that even if any leg of the flight travel gets altered, the airline will cover you. It’s worth to travel paying a little extra with reputable airlines that will not startle you with luggage and inflight service costs at the last minute. When booking on low-cost carriers, read and reread the fine lines before paying up for those non-refundable fares.
Consider buying a comprehensive travel insurance plan even for travels that do not insist on travel insurance. And please do read the insurance policy before travelling, should you actually need to lean on it for any reason.