kanechattey

Hi,

This is quite an urgent thread as I am flying later today!

Basically im flying to NYC from London today and plan on staying with my friend in Lower Manhattan for 2/3 weeks. I am flying in on a 'one way ticket'.
This is because my friend is talking about taking me to Vegas for my 21st (30th July), then from there I would go and visit some other friends that I have on the West Coast.

The reason for no return is because I dont know if we will end up going to the West Coast so I dont actually know where i will be returning home from! It could be LAX or JFK!?

I really do intend on going home; I just finished the 2nd year of my degree, I have a job at a very prestigious company which ties in with my degree, and i have the funds ($5000) to support myself and purchase a return trip.

Im just looking for some advice, confirmation or assurance that all will be ok so i dont spend the next 7 hours sh**ting myself on the plane!

Thank you!!

Noorah101

If you are traveling on the VWP, it's a REQUREMENT to have either a return ticket or onward (outside the USA) ticket. You might not even be allowed to board the plane at all with a 1-way ticket. You may end up buying the return portion right there at the airport, so go early!

Even if you are allowed to board the plane with a 1-way ticket (which you aren't supposed to be allowed to do), the POE agent has the right to ask to see your return ticket. If you don't have one, you risk being turned away at the POE.

Not wanting to scare you, but wanting you to be prepared, just in case.

Rene

Pulaski

You need to (should have) bought the return ticket from JFK. The worst that could happen would be that you would have to change planes at JFK on the way back. If possible book a return ticket NOW, on line.

kanechattey

Thanks for the replies, greatly appreciated.
I don't get why i have to depart from the same airport I arrived at? What happens when people travel across America, why would they have to go all the way back to where they started?

Lion in Winter

You don't, you just need the round trip ticket. But you don't know the exact route of your travels, so what Pulaski is suggesting is you get one from JFK, which is at least on your way back. The if you end up going somewhere else, you could then buy a ticket from that place to JFK, and then get on your previously purchased return flight from JFK to the UK.

kanechattey

Ah yes! I get that, that does make sense actually, until I have to pay for the flight from LAX to JFK ha!

Lion in Winter

I understand, but if Noorah and Pulaski say will need a return trip ticket to be allowed into the country at all, then I would go with what they say.

Which means you just bite the bullet on the extra cost, sadly.

md95065

Actually you don't even need a round trip ticket - you just need a ticket for onward travel that will get you out of the US (and its adjacent territories unless you happen to be a legal resident of the one that you are going to) ...

Pulaski

Agreed, but a ticket to, say, Venezuela might meet the CBP requirements, but isn't going to help the OP get back to her life in the UK after her stay in the US.

Michael

Round trip from London to JFK is currently about $1,100.

LAX to JFK one way tickets can be bought for about $200 but one way from London to JFK is about $1,000 and LAX to London will cost another $1,000. So it makes very little sense to book only one way from London to JFK and one way from LAX to London.

lansbury

or go to the ticket counter at the airport before check in, and chance the ticket to a return one.

penguinsix

What he said.

One way + One way internationally is almost always more expensive than a roundtrip ticket. You are probably better off to buy a roundtrip out of NY and then connect from LA / San Fran / Wherever to New York on your return flight.

bruceba

If you can afford it, buy a fully refundable (be sure) then buy the new ticket when you know your plans.

tonrob

There's a lot more chance of the airline not allowing you to fly than there is if the COB asking to see proof of your onward travel arrangements.

That said, buy a fully flexible one-way ticket from anywhere in the Stares to the UK and then just cancel it either as soon as you're inside the US or else once you know what you're really wanting to do. Drama over.

Lion in Winter

I think she's on the plane now anyway, judging by the first post. Or we can hope she is anyway.