Return ticket to Australia that is fully refundable without hassle for visa and insurance reason, which airline and which route?

Lhot223 on 30/09/2023 - 17:09
Last edited 30/09/2023 - 17:13

I am buying a one-way ticket to go overseas, but may be asked for a return ticket by immigration before I can enter the country. Also my travel insurance requires me to have a return ticket to Australia, to be eligible for coverage.

I can choose any country for the return ticket to Australia, and any city in Australia. Does anyone know what is the best route?

Would it be best to choose a route that is the shortest, for example:
Auckland to Sydney.
Dili or Port Moresby to Darwin.

Or would it be best to choose a route that is most popular, for example:
Singapore (hub city) to Sydney.

And which airline? I know only the non-budget airlines offer fully refundable tickets, but I am unsure which allow refund without hassle or fighting. For example I have heard that even though Singapore Airlines offer fully refundable tickets, they will try to force a credit instead of a cash refund, and you need to fight them for weeks before they follow their terms.

I do not want to sink too much money into the ticket, because that is interest lost. For example, a ticket that costs $2500, is $0.34 a day of lost interest at the market rate of 5% for deposits. I am looking for the cheapest possible fully refundable ticket.

I know there are services that book a return ticket for about $10 without fully paying for them, but I prefer to have a real fully paid ticket for peace of mind.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Travel Airfare

Comments

  • mskeggs on 30/09/2023 - 17:16
    +4

    Maybe ask your insurer which ticket you intend to use to defraud them is the kind they accept?

    • hot223 on 30/09/2023 - 17:19
      -2

      People buy a return ticket to show immigration, only to cancel it right after, and nobody ever said that is defrauding.

      • Ramrunner on 03/10/2023 - 17:20

        I actually have said that before because I believe it is.

  • 7ekn00 on 30/09/2023 - 17:25
    +1

    Sure, we will help you with your immigration / insurance fraud …

    What if they cross reference your IP address to find this thread?!? The latest "online safety bill" (aka "5 eyes spy bill") recently passed in Australia will easily allow this :/

    • hot223 on 30/09/2023 - 17:35
      -7

      I think you are misunderstanding. You have to look at the purpose of these requirements. The purpose of a return ticket for immigration is to assure them I have the money and means to exit the country later, and a fully refundable ticket demonstrates that. The purpose of a return ticket for insurance is to show we have an intention to return to Australia, and a fully refundable ticket demonstrates that, only I do not want to lock myself in to a specific date for return.

      • 7ekn00 on 30/09/2023 - 17:39
        +4

        Frame it any way you like, it's still fraud as you have no intention on returning on that date (for insurance or immigration purposes) :/

        Just hope whatever incident you are getting travel insurance for happens before the return date on the refunded ticket ;)

        Do it at your own risk, coming from someone that is now banned from US travel unless I get express permission from the embassy prior!

        • hot223 on 30/09/2023 - 17:47
          -1

          How did you get banned, was it a similar situation? If it was I am very surprised, because an intention to return on a different day than the return ticket, should be nothing wrong in itself, provided people are not overstaying in the country, which I never suggested would be done.

          • 7ekn00 on 30/09/2023 - 17:47

            @hot223: If you say so ;)

            Wasn't the case in my case :P

            • callum9999 on 30/09/2023 - 18:19

              @7ekn00: The US does not ban people who leave the country on a different flight than that they showed immigration on arrival (who often won't even ask). You must have done something else.

              • 7ekn00 on 30/09/2023 - 18:27

                @callum9999: Read carefully and slowly:
                Not banned from US travel, but banned from entry on ESTA, requiring an embassy visit to get permission to enter …

                • callum9999 on 30/09/2023 - 18:35
                  +1

                  @7ekn00: Read carefully and slowly:
                  The US doesn't ban people from using the ESTA scheme for leaving the country on a different flight to the one you show immigration on arrival. You must have done something else.

                  • 7ekn00 on 30/09/2023 - 18:52

                    @callum9999: If you say so, will hire you as my immigration lawyer next time then ;)

                    I will try "Yes US government, you are wrong, some rando internet know it all said so" …

                    • callum9999 on 30/09/2023 - 20:23
                      +1

                      @7ekn00: That won't help as you have no right to legal representation while using an ESTA.

                      I wasn't saying the US government is wrong (though they are on so many things…), I'm saying you're wrong. You've either misunderstood their concern (which itself may have been unfair or unjust) or are leaving out an important detail.

                      Did you tell them on arrival that you have no intention of taking the flight you booked? If so, I'd imagine they may have been worried you planned to overstay.

                      I regularly leave the US on flights that are different to the ones shown on entry. Sometimes by train or bus in fact.

            • GOCAT9 on 01/10/2023 - 14:53

              @7ekn00: I think there is more to him being banned from ESTA or whatever than he is letting on about!!

  • djones145 on 30/09/2023 - 17:29
    -3

    qantas
    definately, with all the issues they have, they will cave in for anything

    any issues, news.com.au, 7 news, bikies

    • hot223 on 30/09/2023 - 17:37
      -1

      Good suggestion, thanks, do you know what the cheapest route would be?

  • Outrageous on 30/09/2023 - 17:56

    Buy a reward flight with points. Costs ~$50 to get everything refunded on the itinerary and very easy to do. You don't even need to worry about the routing.

  • JimmyF on 30/09/2023 - 18:04
    +1

    I am buying a one-way ticket to go overseas

    Ok where are you going?

    but may be asked for a return ticket by immigration before I can enter the country. Also my travel insurance requires me to have a return ticket to Australia, to be eligible for coverage.

    So you're not coming back?

    I can choose any country for the return ticket to Australia, and any city in Australia. Does anyone know what is the best route?

    Confused, won't you be returning from the country you are flying out to?

    Any advice will be appreciated.

    Look up fraud and see if you think what you are doing falls into this.

  • deme on 30/09/2023 - 18:11
    +1

    I am buying a one-way ticket to go overseas, but may be asked for a return ticket by immigration before I can enter the country. Also my travel insurance requires me to have a return ticket to Australia, to be eligible for coverage.

    Do you need one from the country you are going, or anywhere?

    • hot223 on 30/09/2023 - 18:31
      -2

      They said I need a ticket to show I am going back home, meaning I do not need a ticket from the country I am going. I need a ticket from any country to Australia.

  • deme on 30/09/2023 - 18:13
    -1

    OP never said they are going to overstay, just they want a one way ticket. They probably want to buy one later or don't know where they are going and will figure it out later.

    Do yourself a favour OP if you go to USA, you must have a ticket out of the whole continent (unless you live there etc).
    So if you go to USA and have a ticket to Mexico but nowhere else, they'll likely deport you

    • 7ekn00 on 30/09/2023 - 18:25
      +2

      So if you go to USA and have a ticket to Mexico but nowhere else, they'll likely deport you

      Yep, and ban you from ESTA travel, requiring an embassy visit to get permission to get back in ;)

  • holdenmg on 30/09/2023 - 18:14
    +1

    Member Since
    1 hour 17 min ago

  • callum9999 on 30/09/2023 - 18:17
    +6

    The lack of imagination from the people commenting is ridiculous…

    It is completely normal to go on an extended trip abroad without knowing exactly where and when you are going.
    It is completely normal to buy random flights to fulfil entry requirements (which are simply that you HAVE a flight leaving the country - not that you are required to actually take it)
    It is completely normal to fly to one country and fly back from a different one.

    The only valid fraud argument would be for the travel insurance, but even that is debateable. You are not required to return on the date that you tell them you will be and again, you are simply required to possess a return ticket, not a definitive plan to actually use it. It would only be fraudulent if they weren't planning to return at all.

    To answer the question, I usually use reward points with a programme that allows free cancellation. If you don't have points to use, there isn't a "best route" - just look for whatever routes makes most sense to your itinerary and book the cheapest refundable ticket you can see.

    • hot223 on 30/09/2023 - 18:35
      -2

      Spot on, I do not know what my plans will be when I am in the other country, I want to have the flexibility to buy the real return ticket later while fulfilling the requirements to enter the country and be insured. Immigration and insurance policy never said the return ticket cannot be refunded, and never said we had to return on that ticket, would have been easy for them to specify it but they didn't. Which means no fraud.

      Which rewards points programme has free cancellations? I looked and they all seem to be flights that are non-refundable. I want it to be fully refundable, which means not even a $50 fee for cancellation like someone above suggested.

      • callum9999 on 30/09/2023 - 20:27
        +1

        Just to clarify, with the insurance there is a difference between a return and one-way policy. You could argue it's fraudulent if you use a refundable flight to pretend a one-way trip is a return (you'd be gaining a financial benefit using deception).

        I usually use BA, AA or United, but if you don't have miles in their schemes that doesn't help. It shouldn't be hard to find a refundable cash ticket anyway.

  • holdenmg on 30/09/2023 - 18:17
    +2

    Flying to Pyongyang International Airport?

  • freefall101 on 30/09/2023 - 18:48
    +1

    If you're going somewhere expensive, I'd be careful about your insurance not being valid if you cancel the return ticket. Racking up a pile of medical fees doesn't take long in the US.

    What about a ticket with a low cost of adjusting? Plenty of airlines will let you change the flight for a fee, just book a return 6-12 months in the future then bring it forward if needed.

  • Ocker on 30/09/2023 - 19:11
    +2

    Seriously, some of the people that sign up to OZB just to make such contentious posts and are very bored, or gi-normous piss takers.
    Either way, IMHO they do detract from the value of OZB to those that have genuine questions to ask.

    • bdl on 30/09/2023 - 21:40
      +1

      It's OK, once OP leaves country we can watch their antics on Locked Up Abroad and/or Border Security/Nothing to Declare :D

  • bobbified on 30/09/2023 - 19:56
    +1

    For example, a ticket that costs $2500, is $0.34 a day of lost interest at the market rate of 5% for deposits

    Wtf? 😂

    • callum9999 on 30/09/2023 - 20:30
      +1

      If you're away for a year that's $140 (at 5.65%). Maybe nothing to do, but not an insignificant amount to me!

      • bobbified on 30/09/2023 - 20:58

        And if OP is away for 10 years, it'll be $1400. We can make the amount sound bigger if we assume he's away for 100 years.

        If OP's whole post is about travel insurance coverage, there's travel insurance for one way travel so don't require a return ticket itself. If it's about immigration, the country that wants to see the "return" ticket will probably want to see a ticket out of their country rather than a ticket back to the home country some months later..

        • callum9999 on 30/09/2023 - 21:08

          I've had several year long holidays. I was merely responding to your "Wtf? 😂" to point out that could be a decent chunk of money. I assumed that's why you were laughing at them - because you thought it was insignificant?

          There is, and it costs significantly more.

          Yes they will. Though occasionally they will want to see proof of a flight home too (or a feasible explanation for why you're not going home that doesn't then make it look like you're likely to overstay there!).

          • bobbified on 30/09/2023 - 21:15

            @callum9999: The amounts being "saved" is all relative in the whole scheme of things. There's a point where one should ask themselves "Is this really worth the amount of effort?"

            • callum9999 on 30/09/2023 - 21:29

              @bobbified: A slightly bizarre take from someone currently spending their time posting about this for no financial benefit whatsoever!

              • bobbified on 30/09/2023 - 21:45
                +1

                @callum9999: I'm not the one trying to save $0.34c/day….

                • callum9999 on 30/09/2023 - 22:04
                  -3

                  @bobbified: Yes - my point is that you are criticising effort to save 34c/day because it's insignificant, while spending a similar amount of effort replying to this which will save you 0c per day. Perhaps you should be asking yourself whether $0 is really worth this amount of effort?

                  • callum9999 on 01/10/2023 - 20:37
                    -1

                    @callum9999: Any chance people disagreeing with this could give an explanation? Surely the fact you're using your time, completely free of charge, means you should inherently know that sometimes it's worth doing something for little/no financial gain?

                    This is a common argument and I've never understood the logic behind it, maybe I'm missing something?

  • kiitos on 01/10/2023 - 08:55

    Are you intending to return to Australia from that country, or a different one?

    • hot223 on 01/10/2023 - 16:20
      -4

      Either could happen, but that does not matter when answering my question.

  • valuer on 01/10/2023 - 09:29
    +1

    Sounds like, at least, two requirements.

    A country you enter may, technically, require an ONWARD ticket. They just want to be sure you leave. It doesn't have to be to your country of citizenship.

    Credit card insurance will often require a ticket returning (from somewhere overseas) to your home for a date within a specified range. Check their wording for any specifics.

    Fully refundable tickets are often not the cheapest - BUT - many airlines will allow you to pay a change fee to alter a sector of booked travel, which can be useful if the airline operates where you might happen to be or will be travelling again (another trip?) within the next year or so.

    • hot223 on 01/10/2023 - 16:30
      -1

      I have an onward ticket to a nearby country, didn't mention it because it would complicate the original post. But I was told that's not enough, because they worry I will be rejected by the next country for not having a ticket back home, and be sent back to them. They will want to see a ticket back to Australia, to prove that whichever country I am going to next, will let me in knowing I have a way back home. Does that sound right? We need to not only have an onward ticket, but also a ticket that goes home?

      The travel insurance specified range of dates is no problem for me, I only need a ticket to Australia for it.

      I know fully refundable tickets are not cheap. That is to be expected. But should not matter if I get a refund in the end, all I lose is some interest on the ticket price. I do not want to pay any fees, why pay when is possible to not pay?

      • valuer on 01/10/2023 - 17:16
        -1

        I've never had a problem entering a country without an onward ticket, even those that 'officially' require it - but that's not to say that you won't. Every passenger is profiled.

        I once had an airline balk at processing me at check in as we didn't have an onward flight - but I simply said that they should sell me a fully refundable ticket for a flight a month out and I would cancel it as soon as I landed. They then had a standard form for me to sign - which basically said I would cover any possible expenses (which is what I was intending anyway). I suppose that by then they had determined that I was sufficiently solvent.

        Most of our international travel has involved hopping from one country to the next which obviously occurs without holding a ticket to head back down south. We buy one when we want to, during the travel.

        But, as I say, everyone is profiled. If you look like you might be aiming to find a job and stay - you might get asked more questions.

  • hot223 on 01/10/2023 - 16:33
    -3

    People have not answered the question I asked, can we please get some answers, instead of diverting to other topics??? What route, what airline?

  • dtc on 01/10/2023 - 17:37

    I’m pretty sure the rule for most countries is that you have to show onward travel, so it’s weird that the airline (or whomever) is asking for a ticket back to Australia. Or do you not yet have a visa for your onward country?

    It makes little sense for the airline so say ie if you are entering Thailand, that a ticket home from NZ is acceptable, since you can’t get to NZ from Thailand without a flight. But if that is what they are saying…

    In any case, the cheapest international flight to Australia is probably either Denpasar or Ho Chi Minh to Perth; or Auckland - Sydney

    The other option is something like https://onewayfly.com. Apparently some of these sites are a bit scammy so do your research

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