An open-jaw ticket makes sense when your route is a line, not a circle. If you start in the north and end in the south, flying out of the last city means you never spend a day going back.
It is also fine to keep things simple. A normal return can still be the calmer choice if your trip is short or your bags are heavy.
When does open-jaw save you time?
Ask two questions. First, does your route end far from where it starts? Second, is the rail or flight back to the first city longer than half a day?
If both answers are yes, open-jaw is worth pricing. If your trip loops around one region, such as Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou, a normal return is simpler.
Which pairings suit Malaysians?
Start from the gateways you can actually fly to. When we checked in October 2026, Malaysia Airlines named Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Taipei, Chengdu, Shenzhen and Changsha[1]. Check the other carriers on your dates too.
| Pairing | The link between them | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Fly into Beijing, home from Shanghai | High-speed train, as little as 4 hours 18 minutes[2] | First-timers who want north and east |
| Fly into Shanghai, home from Guangzhou | High-speed train, as little as about 6 hours 39 minutes[3] | A long journey south with stops |
| Fly into Chengdu, home from another gateway | A short domestic flight or a long rail day | Sichuan plus one more region |
Those train times are the fastest listed, so book a normal day for the journey, not a squeezed one. Read the Beijing to Shanghai train guide for the practical steps.
How do you book it?
Use the multi-city option on the airline’s site, or a booking app with the same feature. Add your arrival city first, then the departure city.
- Enter your name exactly as in the passport.
- Put the middle leg in the plan: a train ticket or a short flight.
- Keep the total stay inside 30 days per stay if you are travelling visa-free[4].
- Leave a buffer on the last day before your flight home.
Our China rail versus domestic flight guide helps you choose the middle leg. The rail versus flight tool compares the two on your dates.
What can go wrong?
The most common slip is a final-day train that leaves no room for a delay. Take the train a day earlier than you think you need, or fly the middle leg and keep the last evening free.
Prices can also jump if one half is much dearer than the other. Compare the whole trip, not each half alone.
What should you do next?
Write your two cities and the number of days, then price a normal return and an open-jaw ticket side by side. See flights from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and flights to Shanghai for the airports and terminals you will meet.