Travelling without a return ticket: what are the risks?

Many globetrotters travel through different countries or go around the world without booking a return ticket or a continuation ticket in advance. What risks do they run, and how can they deal with them?

Why travel without a return ticket or a continuation ticket?

While many globetrotters have an idea of how long their trip will last, few of them plan ahead to buy their return ticket in advance, or even the various tickets that will let them move from one country to another. They often don't know the exact date of their return, which airline they'll choose, or sometimes even which country will be the last one they visit. As a result, they decide on the spot and at the last minute which transport ticket to buy (by air, land or sea).

But this practice carries a risk. Since these travellers can't prove the exact date they'll leave the country they're visiting or return to their home country, local authorities or transport companies may cause them problems.

Why is it risky to travel without a return ticket?

The airline or carrier

An airline is (in principle) supposed to check the travel documents of its passengers. If the authorities of the destination country refuse the traveller entry into their territory, the traveller will be turned back and the airline will be forced to fly them back to their point of departure. This means extra costs for the airline, administrative hassle, and the disadvantage of losing a seat on the return flight.

However, few transport companies actually check whether their passengers have a return ticket, and they rarely question their passengers about it. But some airlines (such as those flying to the USA, for example) systematically put their passengers through a questionnaire before boarding.

If there's no return ticket, it's also possible that the traveller will be forced to buy a ticket before being allowed to board.

Customs or immigration services

The authorities of the countries visited want to make sure that anyone entering their territory stays for no longer than the legally permitted period, and that this person leaves the territory within the allotted time. The aim, of course, is to prevent illegal immigration. The date of onward travel or return to the home country can be proven by a return ticket or continuation ticket issued by an airline. This proof may therefore be requested by customs or immigration services from any foreign traveller arriving by air (or other means).

If this proof can't be provided, the traveller may be held at the border or turned back.

How often are these checks carried out?

According to the experience of most globetrotters, as reported on blogs, forums or specialist travel sites, these checks are frequent but often random (in other words, "depending on the officer's mood"), particularly in certain countries in Latin America and Africa, as well as in Mexico and Thailand. If you can't comply, the consequences may prevent or seriously complicate the continuation of your trip.
Travel within European Union countries and, even more so, within the Schengen area, undertaken by nationals of these countries, does not in principle present this type of problem, given the principle of free movement of people that applies there.

How can you avoid or get around this risk?

In principle, all you need is to be able to prove that you have a transport ticket (by air, land or sea) showing the date you'll leave the country before the maximum authorised length of stay expires. When travelling by plane, it's always recommended to be able to show a return ticket issued by an airline, as proof of overland transport isn't always accepted.

• You can, of course, take your chances ("at your own risk") and travel without a return ticket. In that case, it's very much in your interest to keep a low profile, avoid drawing attention to yourself, and of course make sure your passport and boarding pass are in order.
• Other tricks are possible, such as showing a hotel booking in another country or a transport ticket from another country, but without any guarantee.
• Some travellers make fake plane tickets (!) and manage to fool the checking services this way. But be careful: airlines and customs services have increasingly sophisticated systems that let them quickly check the authenticity of the ticket and the flight booking online.
• Buying a plane ticket at the last minute remains a possible solution, even if it's a ticket that won't actually be used afterwards. Many low-cost airlines offer cheap tickets (check whether cancellation is possible). Websites specialising in comparing and selling plane tickets also often offer tickets that can be cancelled within 24 hours (e.g. Orbitz, Onetravel, Expedia, and others).

It's not just the ticket that counts

It's clear that being denied boarding or having a problem at customs can also be down to other reasons, including a visa or passport that isn't in order, the lack of required vaccinations, the traveller's insolvency, or being flagged by the authorities. Some countries (including Cuba and Russia) also require proof of travel insurance.

What's more, assistance companies assume that every traveller has a return ticket. If that's not the case, and in the event of a medical repatriation, the person being repatriated may be charged an amount equivalent to the price of a return ticket.
Also check that your assistance cover is valid for the entire duration of your (long) trip.

Also read: [Register your long-distance trips on Travellers online](/en/blog/register-your-trips-on-travellers-online).\