Touring - One way flights

Just curious if anyone has any tips or experience with obtaining one way flights. I'll be leaving from the US this spring. Will I be hassled more when boarding with a one way? What about round trip and then cashing in the flight back, can that be done? Thanks.

Leaving from the U.S.? To where? Many countries require that you have a return ticket back to the U.S. before entering the country.

You better check the country where you are arriving before you make your plans.


As an example, I have considered crewing a sailboat on a trip back from Bermuda, I have to have a round trip ticket. Departure on sailboat is not good enough if you arrive by plane.

Sorry. US to Ireland or th UK.

I did a little searching and could not find any information either way. You might want to ask on www.tripadvisor.com or one of the many other forums out there.

Why are you getting only a one way ticket?

Check this page (http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html#i) under Ireland. It says you may be asked for onward/return ticket information.

We've used one-way tickets for all of our international trips...

-It is easier to book them through the airline website as travel agents will often balk on allowing you to buy one-way because they do not want to be held liable if you have a problem getting into the country

-The airline may give you a problem at check-in. The airline will be on the hook to fly you out of the country if immigration denies you entry.

-Obtaining a visa before leaving home (even if the country offers on-the-spot visas upon arrival) may save you hassels with the airline letting you on the flight.

-For countries with close neighbors you might consider prepurchasing (or creating an authentic looking) ticket for a bus or train out of the country. Search for the largest bus companies on LonelyPlanet.com. You could create a good looking email confirmation printout with company name, dates, route and price...

-More than likely the person you will have to convince is the airline check-in agent.

-Overdress for the flight. The airline will judge whether you are a risk of being turned back by your appearance.

We flew from New York to South Africa via London on Virgin Atlantic a few years ago. Checkin in New York was a breeze. It was when we were boarding the flight in London that the agent would not let us pass. They said we had to have a return ticket and forced us to purchase a fully refundable super-high price return ticket. When we arrived in South Africa and got past immigration without a problem, our first stop was the Virgin Atlantic office. They promptly refunded the full fare without trouble. I believe this is the option most airlines use in such a situation, so be prepared to plunk down a large amount for a refundable ticket.

My plan is to grab a flight from the US to Shannon, Ireland to start my around the world. I guess I'll just get a round trip tix and refund on arrival. Seems like it might be the least hassle(?) Aer Lingus has the best rates as of now, but that can change. Then I'll be cycling to Istanbul and then grabbing a flight to India. I hold an Indian passport along with my US passport so I don't anticipate any trouble there and won't need to worry about a Visa.

I flew Boston to Paris last April using the outward leg of a roundtrip ticket. I just didn't bother with the return portion.

It turned out to be a ton cheaper than buying a one way. I also didn't bother trading in the return leg miles as the fee charged would not have been worthwhile.

You might be able to shop around online if you have enough time ahead, but read the fine print carefully. Most of the cheap overseas online tickets have all kinds of penalties etc attached for changes/cancellations.

~Cheers from Hue` Vietnam!~

And...I wouldn't worry about the security risk at all if you do end up using a one way ticket. (Just don't buy one in cash the day of the flight).

I've taken 3 one ways, albeit overseas, so far this trip. Customs/Immigration didin't bother asking for onward proof of transit. I suppose if they did, I would just show sufficient funds available to do so.

At the land border crossings I cycled acrossed, some of the forms did want proof of sufficient funds. I just wrote down "credit cards". No problems at all.

A friend of mine just flew one-way. She went through some MAJOR security attention. It wasn't even her fault; her flight was canceled, they booked her on another flight, and she was red-flagged as a terrorism risk because it *looked* like a one-way flight.

i took a one-way flight into heathrow. they hassled me a bit but it wasn't anything bad at all. i have heard of some people catching some pretty bad **** for it, but of all the stories i heard (second-hand mostly), nobody got denied entry.

It's usually a lot less expensive to buy a round trip ticket and just not show up from the flight home than to buy a one way ticket. I've done it plenty of times with no problems.

Most travel agents I used had no luck. Using internet travel services, no luck. This past Fall finally found an agent in Mich who got me a one way thru a "Consortium" travel agents ticket finder. I never thought it possible, until I went thru this service. Great price to. Detroit to Dublin.
About cashing in two ways. Most airlines are out to screw ya. Most tickets are non refundable and non transferable. Example. I know a friend of my mom's. THe spouse died. He obviously could not fly. American Airlines will not refund a full ticket, even if you are dead Nice of them.
Hell, I am so argumentative about such policies. I'd have my wife prop me up and take the trip anyway. Would not mind being buried in Ireland.

My plan is to grab a flight from the US to Shannon, Ireland to start my around the world. I guess I'll just get a round trip tix and refund on arrival. Seems like it might be the least hassle(?) Aer Lingus has the best rates as of now, but that can change. Then I'll be cycling to Istanbul and then grabbing a flight to India. I hold an Indian passport along with my US passport so I don't anticipate any trouble there and won't need to worry about a Visa.

Your last sentence above concerns me. Indian citizenship laws prohibit holding an Indian passport while you are a citizen of another country. If you were an Indian citizen and now are a US citizen, you are required to surrender your Indian passport. You can then apply for a Overseas Indian Citizen card which allows visa-free travel to India.

Don't get caught in front of Indian officials with both passports. Even if you don't first show them your other passport, you should be able to answer how you made it to the Indian port-of-entry without exit/entry stamps at your intervening destinations.

The only exception is, I think, if you are under 18 and still deciding which citizenship to keep.

Just don't want you to spend extra time in an Indian airport (or worse) when traveling.

Your last sentence above concerns me. Indian citizenship laws prohibit holding an Indian passport while you are a citizen of another country. If you were an Indian citizen and now are a US citizen, you are required to surrender your Indian passport. You can then apply for a Overseas Indian Citizen card which allows visa-free travel to India.

Don't get caught in front of Indian officials with both passports. Even if you don't first show them your other passport, you should be able to answer how you made it to the Indian port-of-entry without exit/entry stamps at your intervening destinations.

The only exception is, I think, if you are under 18 and still deciding which citizenship to keep.

Just don't want you to spend extra time in an Indian airport (or worse) when traveling.

Oops. :o Sorry, I used the wrong terminology/language. I hold an Overseas Indian Citizen card. It looks like a passport so I just call it a passport at times. Thank you for you concern though. I don't want to be held up any longer than I have to or held in places that I don't want to be. :eek: :)

Oops. :o Sorry, I used the wrong terminology/language. I hold an Overseas Indian Citizen card. It looks like a passport so I just call it a passport at times. Thank you for you concern though. I don't want to be held up any longer than I have to or held in places that I don't want to be. :eek: :)

You should have no problems, then. Have great trip!