I'm going to be flying into Suvarnabhumi in a few days. I'm planning to get a visa exemption on arrival, and then apply for an extension for an additional 30 days when here to stay a total of 60 days.

I don't currently have an onward ticket and would prefer not to buy one yet to stay flexible about my travel plans.

Wondering . . .

1) Will the airline (Cebu Pacific flight from Manila) require an onward ticket proof?

2) If so, must it be within 30 days?

3) Will immigration require an onward ticket proof?

4) If so, must it be within 30 days?

Obviously I don't want to buy a ticket out within 30 days that I won't use, and I don't want to buy a ticket out in 60 days, and find it is not acceptable proof.

Yes the airline can demand an outgoing ticket withing 30 days. See the following thread to see what you can do about without speeding any money.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/754481-boarding-to-thailand-without-return-ticket/

Immigration never asks.

Many airlines do require an onward or return ticket within 30 days of your flight if you have no visa. AirAsia will refuse boarding with no return ticket. Some airlines will permit boarding if you sign a disclaimer.

It is the absolute right of any airline to refuse to let you fly if you do not have the documents needed to enter the country you are flying to, having a to fly ticket does not mean that you will fly.! Some airlines insist on more restrictions than the destination country does.

Best advice is call Cebu Pacific and ask them. Things change

Look at AirAsia for cheap flights to neighboring country ... you should have no problem finding flights for $35 to $50 US to a neighboring country. Print out the confirmation page and bring with you to when you checkin for your flight to Thailand.

Edit: You can always get to the airport early enough to checkin and get your boarding pass and if it becomes an issue then just buy it online while at the airport.

Edited July 20, 201510 yr by JohnThailandJohn

Many airlines do require an onward or return ticket within 30 days of your flight if you have no visa. AirAsia will refuse boarding with no return ticket. Some airlines will permit boarding if you sign a disclaimer.

Interesting, I have never had an issue with AirAsia flying to singapore and neighboring countries where I buy a round trip ticket in Thailand for flying back into Thailand.

Best advice is call Cebu Pacific and ask them. Things change

Don't expect them to give you a written guarantee to let you through against the published rules.

Most likely they refuse to give any advance info about visa/immigration rules (as I experienced).

Rules that the airlines get their information from (timatic web) is publicly available here:

Visa And Health - Star Alliance

(infos not specific for Star Alliance)

Edited July 20, 201510 yr by KhunBENQ

Yes the airline can demand an outgoing ticket withing 30 days. See the following thread to see what you can do about without speeding any money.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/754481-boarding-to-thailand-without-return-ticket/

Immigration never asks.

Really?

I saw and heard an immigration officer ask a man at Swampy if he had a return ticket. The man was of "middle eastern" appearance if that is significant. This was approx 2 years ago.

Really?

I saw and heard an immigration officer ask a man at Swampy if he had a return ticket. The man was of "middle eastern" appearance if that is significant. This was approx 2 years ago.

I don't doubt that. Now find on this forum anyone else that was asked, and we'll have a total of two reports.

In all cases what satisfies an airline, will satisfy Immigration.

Edited July 20, 201510 yr by paz

Really?

I saw and heard an immigration officer ask a man at Swampy if he had a return ticket. The man was of "middle eastern" appearance if that is significant. This was approx 2 years ago.

I don't doubt that. Now find on this forum anyone else that was asked, and we'll have a total of two reports.

In all cases what satisfies an airline, will satisfy Immigration.

Not sure about asking for a return ticket but it is fairly common for Philippians to be asked to show they have money.

The couple of times that I've flown Cebu Pacific one-way & used an alternate airline for the next leg (was flying on to somewhere else) they've asked me for a Visa or details of my onward journey so I'm pretty certain you'll need something.

Edited July 22, 201510 yr by JB300

Look at AirAsia for cheap flights to neighboring country ... you should have no problem finding flights for $35 to $50 US to a neighboring country. Print out the confirmation page and bring with you to when you checkin for your flight to Thailand.

Edit: You can always get to the airport early enough to checkin and get your boarding pass and if it becomes an issue then just buy it online while at the airport.

Why would you spend a cent on Air Asia when you can just book a THAI Airways ticket for free, selecting the "pay later within 72 hours" option, print that out and show the airline? You won't pay a cent and will have satisfied airline requirements.

Yes the airline can demand an outgoing ticket withing 30 days. See the following thread to see what you can do about without speeding any money.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/754481-boarding-to-thailand-without-return-ticket/

Immigration never asks.

Really?

I saw and heard an immigration officer ask a man at Swampy if he had a return ticket. The man was of "middle eastern" appearance if that is significant. This was approx 2 years ago.

Immigration DOES ask citizens of some countries. National and/or racial profiling are used. Citizens of poorer countries, particularly those in South Asia, the Pacific Rim, Africa and also the Middle East may be asked for onward tickets. I remember seeing a citizen of Papua New Guinea being asked for all sorts of documents at immigration in Suvarnabhumi once over a year ago, but given that he was probably the first PNG citizen ever to enter Thailand I'm not surprised. Never seen anyone from that country in Thailand.

Citizens of ASEAN countries (except those entering Thailand often), western countries, Chinese citizens with pre-arranged visas, Japanese, Koreans, Taiwanese etc. are not asked for onward tickets by Thai immigration in most cases.

Look at AirAsia for cheap flights to neighboring country ... you should have no problem finding flights for $35 to $50 US to a neighboring country. Print out the confirmation page and bring with you to when you checkin for your flight to Thailand.

Edit: You can always get to the airport early enough to checkin and get your boarding pass and if it becomes an issue then just buy it online while at the airport.

Why would you spend a cent on Air Asia when you can just book a THAI Airways ticket for free, selecting the "pay later within 72 hours" option, print that out and show the airline? You won't pay a cent and will have satisfied airline requirements.

You wouldn't but suspect you will not have a valid booking confirmation and anything you print out will show is not completed or paid for but if that is not the case then great idea. I know some people actually book tickets that are refundable too, I just find a cheap Air Asia ticket works easiest for me but of course every time I do that, they never ask but same airlines will question me when I don't ... I have always been able to talk my way around this but started having bad luck traveling on a number of fronts and just buy the Air Asia ticket as insurance.

Thanks to everyone who offered advice.

Here's what happened -

I arrived 2 hours in advance of travel time with no onward ticket. My plan was to purchase one online if it was required.

I checked in on one of the computer terminals and it told me to proceed to the counter to have my documents checked. I went to the counter, dropped my bag off and presented my passport.

No onward ticket was required by the airline (Cebu Pacific). No request was made at Thai immigration either. So that went well.

In stark contrast was flying into Manila on previous journeys . . . Kuwait airlines phoned me the day before to remind me to have an onward ticket, and requested it at check in. Philippines obviously much stricter about onward tickets - foolish policy, imho, as it has lead directly to shorter holidays for me in the Philippines.