One Way Plane Ticket Questions.

[soon_enough]

I am going to be flying into bangkok in february from vancouver canada. I hope to only buy a one way plane ticket as i plan on doing over a years worth of traveling around s.e asia and australia and will buy a return when i decide to return home. I do not plan on staying in thailand or any other country longer than my allowed 30 days. But will be returning to thailand 4 months later.

My question to you is will only having a one way ticket cause me trouble at thai customs or customs at any other borders in asia? Any help would be great thank you very much.

[chiang mai]

I am going to be flying into bangkok in february from vancouver canada. I hope to only buy a one way plane ticket as i plan on doing over a years worth of traveling around s.e asia and australia and will buy a return when i decide to return home. I do not plan on staying in thailand or any other country longer than my allowed 30 days. But will be returning to thailand 4 months later.

My question to you is will only having a one way ticket cause me trouble at thai customs or customs at any other borders in asia? Any help would be great thank you very much.

Not having an onwards ticket from Thailand may cause the Thai Immigration some problems and in most cases airlines will not sell you just a one way ticket to a country for which you do not have a valid long stay visa. Check out the requirements for this with the Thai consulate in Canada and then check that the airlines will sell you a one way ticket using the visa you have. Certainly from the UK to Thailand you cannot buy a one way ticket unless you have a longer stay (retirement or equivelant) visa.

[Krub]

I am going to be flying into bangkok in february from vancouver canada. I hope to only buy a one way plane ticket as i plan on doing over a years worth of traveling around s.e asia and australia and will buy a return when i decide to return home. I do not plan on staying in thailand or any other country longer than my allowed 30 days. But will be returning to thailand 4 months later.

My question to you is will only having a one way ticket cause me trouble at thai customs or customs at any other borders in asia? Any help would be great thank you very much.

Not having an onwards ticket from Thailand may cause the Thai Immigration some problems and in most cases airlines will not sell you just a one way ticket to a country for which you do not have a valid long stay visa. Check out the requirements for this with the Thai consulate in Canada and then check that the airlines will sell you a one way ticket using the visa you have. Certainly from the UK to Thailand you cannot buy a one way ticket unless you have a longer stay (retirement or equivelant) visa.

The requirement is that you have an onward air ticket within the 30 days of your arrival in Thailand to be able to enter without a visa for 30 days.

The airline will sell you a one way ticket but might not let you board the plane with a one way ticket if you do not have a visa for Thailand.

Having said that my own experience is that I have never been questionned neither by the airline nor by the immigration in Thailand

although I travel more than 10 times in and out of Thailand every year for the last 10 years on one way tickets as the tickets bought in Thailand are a great saving.

In the present climate I would apply for a visa at your lical Thai Consulate if you intend to travel with a one way ticket into Thailand.

Edited November 19, 2006 by Krub

[mosquitoman]

In most cases airlines will not sell you just a one way ticket to a country for which you do not have a valid long stay visa.

Most airlines if not all will sell you a one way ticket, but they may not let you on the plane when you get to there check in, unless you show a visa for the country you are travelling to, or an onward ticket from that country

I personally have never experienced any problems coming into Thailand with a one way ticket, even on a 30 day visa,

Friends tell me that they have been asked by Thai immigrationton to prove adequate funds for their stay in Thailand, in one case my friend went to the ATM and withdrew 20,000 baht, immigration then let him in.

Good luck on your travels

MM

[ltdknowledge]

I've always used a one way ticket to Thailand and i have never been questioned. I never even thought about it to be honest.

[naka]

Best to get a tourist visa in Canada. The airlines are more tolerant if you

already have a visa than if you plan to get a 30 day stamp on arrival.

Naka.

[Maestro]

I've always used a one way ticket to Thailand and i have never been questioned. I never even thought about it to be honest.

The topic is about one-way ticket and no visa. If in these circumstances the airline is willing to let you board, no problem should be expected with Thai immigration, based on past history, but they may have been getting stricter since October 1st. One thing is sure: Immigration does have right to refuse you entry if you have no onward booking.

The truth, soon_enough, is that you won’t know until the last moment: for the airline, when you check in for your flight; for immigration when you present your passport after arrival in Thailand. One thing we know already: different airlines handle it differently. Some ask for a confirmed return or onward flight if you have no visa, some don’t. Some may not ask for it today, but may ask for it tomorrow. Nobody can give you any guarantee.

---------------

Maestro

[endure]

You could buy yourself an eticket with Tiger Airways or Airasia for an outbound flight from Thailand which might solve your problem.

[Mahout Angrit]

I've always used a one way ticket to Thailand and i have never been questioned. I never even thought about it to be honest.

I have, it was a few years ago at Heath Row, London, Sing Air didn't want to let me on a through flight to Phuket using the return half of a return ticket they flew me out on as I didn't have a Visa, I was with my wife and managed to persuade them I lived there and showed them my bank savings book with a Thai bank but still had to sign a disclaimer that I was responsible if I was not allowed in.

A little later a friend also wasn't allowed on a flight (dunno which airline) with a one way ticket, he had to buy an onward ticket Phuket to Penang at the airport at airport prices.

In both cases there was no problem on arrival in Thailand

As previous posters have said you wont know till you arrive at check in so a Visa in advance or a ticket that you expect to use later maybe a safeguard.

[rocky]

The problem you will have with a one way ticket is getting on the plane. At thai immigration you should not have any problems,

When you check in with the one way ticket you can give the following reasons for only having a one way ticket, and they work 100%

“I have other tickets for travelling around asia, Japan Astralia but they are e tickets, so do not have any thing to show

”

Also show your credit cards, as if you can demonstrate you have the ability to purchase more air tickets, they will allow you on.

I have done this many times and always been allowed on.

[rak sa_ngop]

I've always used a one way ticket to Thailand and i have never been questioned. I never even thought about it to be honest.

I have, it was a few years ago at Heath Row, London, Sing Air didn't want to let me on a through flight to Phuket using the return half of a return ticket they flew me out on as I didn't have a Visa, I was with my wife and managed to persuade them I lived there and showed them my bank savings book with a Thai bank but still had to sign a disclaimer that I was responsible if I was not allowed in.

A little later a friend also wasn't allowed on a flight (dunno which airline) with a one way ticket, he had to buy an onward ticket Phuket to Penang at the airport at airport prices.

I flew with Emirates from London a few days ago. Yes, they are checking for visas now and when I asked the check-in staff about this they confirmed that they are more strict these days.

Best get a visa (although as has been pointed out in another posting a tourist visa does not in itself guarantee entry into Thailand. It is still at the discretion of the immigration officer).

[drummer]

Most likely no problem... but you might consider getting an official tourist visa - like a triple entry Tuorist Visa at your local Embassy/Consulate ... With the current situation with the Visa-On-Arrivals, such a moev might prove useful if you plan on travelling around SE Asia and want to come in and out of Thailand during that time. As it is now, you may or may not be able to get a 30 Visa Waiver 180 days after your first one. (Even if you have only been in Thailand for a week total!) ... but if you get the official tourist visa, then that avoids the problem. It pretty comparable in price, too.

[rocky]

Most likely no problem... but you might consider getting an official tourist visa - like a triple entry Tuorist Visa at your local Embassy/Consulate ... With the current situation with the Visa-On-Arrivals, such a moev might prove useful if you plan on travelling around SE Asia and want to come in and out of Thailand during that time. As it is now, you may or may not be able to get a 30 Visa Waiver 180 days after your first one. (Even if you have only been in Thailand for a week total!) ... but if you get the official tourist visa, then that avoids the problem. It pretty comparable in price, too.

Not splitting hairs but this is a little inaccurate.

It is days that our counted not visas, for instance within 90 days you can come in and out of Thailand 90 times. Or 180 days you can come in and out as many times as you like getting voa, as long as you do not stay longer than a collective of 90 days within this period

[TomBrown]

This discussion is quite interesting to me as I plan on entering Thailand again from the UK on my multiple entry Education visa (6 months remaining from 1 year) and to stay until at least May 2007. It might be that I will require to stay longer, that being the case, I was thinking about getting a return flight ticket in the UK and paying a little bit more so that I can change the return date as required, costing a further £75 if I need to change the date of course.

From reading the responses here, it looks as if I might be able (with my ED visa) to get a one way flight ticket into Thailand and closer to the known return date I can get a return ticket from within Thailand. Is that correct?

Also, does anyone know if there is much of a saving between getting a return ticket in Thailand against getting flight tickets in the UK to Thailand and back with a changeable return date? Admittedly the £75 fee to change the return date is the obvious cost increase, but if I were to return on the scheduled return date.

For the people who go to Thailand on a one way ticket, who do you recommend flying back with? Can you also book a connecting flight to elsewhere in the UK, booked from Thailand or is it better to order an e-ticket over the Internet? What about luggage, all the way to destination or off and on at each stop?

Thanks,

Tom.

[soon_enough]

Thank you very much your replys are very helpful, keep them coming!

Edited November 21, 2006 by soon_enough

[Mahout Angrit]

This discussion is quite interesting to me as I plan on entering Thailand again from the UK on my multiple entry Education visa (6 months remaining from 1 year) and to stay until at least May 2007. It might be that I will require to stay longer, that being the case, I was thinking about getting a return flight ticket in the UK and paying a little bit more so that I can change the return date as required, costing a further £75 if I need to change the date of course.

From reading the responses here, it looks as if I might be able (with my ED visa) to get a one way flight ticket into Thailand and closer to the known return date I can get a return ticket from within Thailand. Is that correct?

Also, does anyone know if there is much of a saving between getting a return ticket in Thailand against getting flight tickets in the UK to Thailand and back with a changeable return date? Admittedly the £75 fee to change the return date is the obvious cost increase, but if I were to return on the scheduled return date.

For the people who go to Thailand on a one way ticket, who do you recommend flying back with? Can you also book a connecting flight to elsewhere in the UK, booked from Thailand or is it better to order an e-ticket over the Internet? What about luggage, all the way to destination or off and on at each stop?

Thanks,

Tom.

Prices of flights out of UK can vary so much depending on airline and time of year. I would think there would be little saving if any to buy one way tickets as usually 2 oneways are more expensive than a return. Again it depends if you are prepared to travel on any airline and sit in such places as Dhaka or Columbo overnight as long as it's the cheapest

Check out fares priced in Thailand as a guide here http://www.saveflights.com/country/united-kingdom.html

Generally if you change airlines you cannot check your luggage right through to your destination . You can either book through an agent or online, probably you'll get a better deal on line.

There are cheaper flights out of the UK that have a fixed return date but allow you to change it if you need to for £75 or £100. If you have some idea maybe you want to gamble on your return date and if you need to change it you can.

[beammeup]

I tried to board a flight to BKK in Vancouver and they said no way!! with a one way ticket. i was with my Thai wife and our Thai/Canadian son. I had to buy a one way BKK - Singapore out of Thailand before they would let me on. I cashed in the ticket when I arrived in Thailand.

[Krub]

I tried to board a flight to BKK in Vancouver and they said no way!! with a one way ticket. i was with my Thai wife and our Thai/Canadian son. I had to buy a one way BKK - Singapore out of Thailand before they would let me on. I cashed in the ticket when I arrived in Thailand.

Did you have a visa or intended to enter on the 30 days rule ?

When was your flight ?

Edited November 21, 2006 by Krub

[thai_narak]

As I know, they (the airline) will not sell you a one way ticket if you do not have a proper visa to your destination. But if they will, you willl be in so much trouble when you enter the country that you might even board the next flight going back to your origin at your expense.

[lopburi3]

As I know, they (the airline) will not sell you a one way ticket if you do not have a proper visa to your destination. But if they will, you willl be in so much trouble when you enter the country that you might even board the next flight going back to your origin at your expense.

There is about a zero percent chance of a visa exempt traveler being refused entry into Thailand because he only has a one way ticket. Almost always the trouble, if there is any, will be in boarding the aircraft to travel to Thailand.

Will also point out the new IATA directive for Thailand, as listed on Delta web site, no longer lists an onward ticket as being required but has changed it to recommended.

[rocky]

I tried to board a flight to BKK in Vancouver and they said no way!! with a one way ticket. i was with my Thai wife and our Thai/Canadian son. I had to buy a one way BKK - Singapore out of Thailand before they would let me on. I cashed in the ticket when I arrived in Thailand.

Did you give any story to them

i.e. i have e tickets for journeys around asia, ?

[Mahout Angrit]

As I know, they (the airline) will not sell you a one way ticket if you do not have a proper visa to your destination. But if they will, you willl be in so much trouble when you enter the country that you might even board the next flight going back to your origin at your expense.

Who buys an air ticket from an airline these days? with so many etickets and telephone agencies offering better prices. They dont know or even care if you have paperwork in order.

Your problem is at check in when you come face to face with the airline first time

As Lopburi said, very very unlikely to have problems on arrival in Thailand as most travellers have credit cards etc to show if it ever was really necessary, but I doubt it

[soon_enough]

Well i spoke to the consulate yesterday, they said that there would be no problem with a one way ticket as long as i have a tourist visa....but what about the other countrys(laos, cambodia etc...)??? thank you all for helping me

[englishoak]

I have always in the past travelledto LOS on a one way ticket. To date I have never had a problem no matter what airline I have flown with.

Only once was I questioned at check in to which I replied. " I intend travelling around SE Asia and will purchase other Visa's in LOS when I know what date I am crossing. Since you are issued with a 30 day visa on entry to the Kingdom there is no requirement to have a visa pre travel.

I have confirmed this with the Thai consulate in Hull in the uK previously and had been told this is correct. You certainly won't have a problem once through check in!

Lets face it there are many people travelling around and very few know specifc return dates before they leave.

Having said this I am also aware of friends/people who have been messed around by certain airlines who profess to know better

At present there seems to be a lot of different stories around. If I had a problem I would ask to see a manager at check in and state the above. I believe the current problems experienced are due to airlines trying to "cash in" on unwary travellers.

If however your going for a short holiday there is no reason NOT to purchase a return ticket.

[tim77]

On my China Air flight from Taiwan to BKK on 18 Nov 06, I was not asked if I had a ticket out of Thailand (although I did have one to show if requested).

AirAsia web site is now advising that they will require a ticket leaving Thailand, as a condition of boarding one of their flights into Thailand.

As for e-tickets . . . in the past I have gone to the Airline who issued the e-ticket and they have issued to me a letter on their stationary confirming that I had an e-ticket. I made sure that this letter was dated within 30 days of the date I was to board the plane into Thailand.