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Do I need to book a return flight?

Do I need to book a return flight?

Old May 18th 2015, 5:42 pm
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Default Do I need to book a return flight?

Hey guys,

Just wondering if you guess can help answer a question for me, as I'm getting mixed messages from looking online.

I'm heading over to Toronto to spend the summer with my parents. I have a job due to start here in the UK sometime towards the end of September. They haven't got an exact date yet, as its a construction job and it could start sooner, it could start later.

Anyway, I plan to be back by October 1st at the absolute latest regardless, but I don't want to book a flight back for then, in case they want to start earlier than that.

CIC website says you need to either have a return flight OR the funds to purchase one at the end of my stay. Which I obviously do have.

But I'm also reading that so airlines dont let you travel without a return flight. and you're more likely to encounter problems at the border without one.

Do you think it will be an issue to go without the return flight and just ensure I have proof of funds?

Thanks.
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Old May 18th 2015, 6:13 pm
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

When I flew over on Air Transat in 2007, they said I could only fly on a one-way ticket if I had a visa. Otherwise it had to be a return.

Assuming you can find an airline with a reasonable date change policy, I'd just book a return and change it when you know the actual return date. If not, ask them before buying a one-way ticket.
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Old May 18th 2015, 6:45 pm
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

Depends on the carrier at the time of check in. Your biggest risk though is when entering Canada, if you have a one way, are a visitor with close family in Canada, immigration may not let you in (which is why carriers usually require a return).

None of us can tell you if this is going to be an issue, you will only find out for sure when you try and travel. What has happened for one, may not happen for another.

You have a several options, book a changeable ticket, a refundable ticket or an open ticket. All will cost more, but allow flexibility. Changeable tickets have a charge for making the change, AC charge $200 to change the ticket. Also, if the booking on the flight you have changed to is a different seat class, you have to also pay the fare difference (all carriers do this).
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Old May 18th 2015, 8:12 pm
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

How much is a one-way ticket versus a return ticket? If there's not much difference, buy the return anyway. Often return tickets are actually cheaper than one-way tickets. If you don't use the return ticket, no big deal - just get the ticket home you were going to get in the first place. Alternatively, you could get a flexible ticket where the return date can be changed later but those are usually more expensive.
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Old May 18th 2015, 9:28 pm
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

A return ticket is as cheap as a on way ticket and you can (for a fee) change the return date on a lot of airlines.
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Old May 18th 2015, 9:37 pm
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'll go ahead with the return ticket and go from there.
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Old May 18th 2015, 9:40 pm
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

Originally Posted by JGK
A return ticket is as cheap as a on way ticket and you can (for a fee) change the return date on a lot of airlines.
With all carriers, it depends on the seat class (not the same as cabin class), not all tickets are changeable. As well as the fee, there is also any difference in fare to pay, which can be substantial depending on advance booking, flexibility of travel and the season.

I just changed one for someone, $200 admin for the ticket change and $600 fare difference, for the same seat, but a week later, it cost them $800 on top of what was already paid to the change date, they even had the same seat number.
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Old May 19th 2015, 2:13 am
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

I booked a return ticket in March with Air Transat, but for the return leg I paid extra so that the ticket could be changed, plus extra again so that when I book a return flight I pay not 1 penny extra. The website was not straight-forward, so I called them and booked over the phone. All in the ticket was £540 Glasgow to Toronto from mid March to mid September.
Enjoy your holiday Redgamble!
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Old May 19th 2015, 2:33 am
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

Originally Posted by MrsKickasso
I booked a return ticket in March with Air Transat, but for the return leg I paid extra so that the ticket could be changed, plus extra again so that when I book a return flight I pay not 1 penny extra. The website was not straight-forward, so I called them and booked over the phone. All in the ticket was £540 Glasgow to Toronto from mid March to mid September.
Enjoy your holiday Redgamble!
You paid more, just in advance.
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Old May 19th 2015, 8:49 am
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

Slightly different question, kinda relates, but do you think I'll have any issues at the border if I'm staying for a few months? I'll be staying with my parents and they have said they will support me if I run low on funds, but I don't physically own a house in the UK. My job has me travelling all over the country so makes no sense to buy, I've been renting.

Just wondering if it's worth buying a return for say a month after I get there, but paying the extra to be able to make amendments and change it at a later date.
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Old May 19th 2015, 11:50 am
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

Originally Posted by Redgamble
Slightly different question, kinda relates, but do you think I'll have any issues at the border if I'm staying for a few months? I'll be staying with my parents and they have said they will support me if I run low on funds, but I don't physically own a house in the UK. My job has me travelling all over the country so makes no sense to buy, I've been renting.

Just wondering if it's worth buying a return for say a month after I get there, but paying the extra to be able to make amendments and change it at a later date.
Buy it for when you expect to go back. If you have proof of a new job, have that with you. So long as they believe you are going home at the end of your stay, should be no issue.
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Old May 19th 2015, 12:38 pm
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

Originally Posted by MarylandNed
...Often return tickets are actually cheaper than one-way tickets....
Originally Posted by JGK
A return ticket is as cheap as a on way ticket...
I have never seen an example of this. I've not flown anywhere in ten years but I flew between England and Canada many times (plus all the associated fares checking) in a matter of months (BA, KLM, Air France and Canadian Affair) and I've been doing a lot of recent checking for a future trip to France planned. Do people mean it's sometimes literally cheaper or just that a return isn't always double the cost of one-way and is cheaper overall?

I've seen plenty of fares where the price of the one-way trip reduces if a return is added but never where the cost of both flights is lower than the one.

Last edited by BristolUK; May 19th 2015 at 12:40 pm.
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Old May 19th 2015, 3:06 pm
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

Originally Posted by BristolUK
Do people mean it's sometimes literally cheaper or just that a return isn't always double the cost of one-way and is cheaper overall?
Used to be that returns could be cheaper than one-way. When I emigrated, a return was almost the same cost as a one-way... until you loaded on all the taxes and 'surcharges' and then it magically became far more expensive.
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Old May 19th 2015, 3:30 pm
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

I had issues when i flew one way with Thomas Cook when i came here, the Canadians messed up the spelling of my surname so when i turned up at the airport they weren't going to let me board with a one way ticket as i didn't have the right to stay here (or so it seemed) they told me the airline faced a 60,000 pound fine if they let me travel without a visa, as stated different airlines may have different approaches i'm just repeating what i was told, We did clear up the mistake with a phone call to the Canadian Consulate in London so i got to board all be it been escorted, running, with a girl with a radio telling them to "Hold the Door" lol
Oh just an FYI the paperwork was correct that i had with me it was the electronic side that they could see that was all wrong.
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Old May 19th 2015, 3:55 pm
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Default Re: Do I need to book a return flight?

Last week, I changed my flight at Toronto Pearson with Air Canada and it only cost me $85

Is this just because it was an earlier flight to the same place, on the same day?
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