ONE WAY TICKET?

[ka1mla]

Quick question folks,

 

My wife has her interview in Guangzhou on March 15th. I have a visa already because the last visa I was issued was a multiple entry visa and I only entered the country a single time last October. It's still good through July 2010 for up to 90 days each entry. My plan was to return now to China to be with my wife while she is in Guangzhou being interviewed.

 

I would like to only purchase a 1 way ticket now and buy the ticket(s) back home again while we are in China, (in case my wife passes and she can return home with me)

 

I was told by my travel agent today that I can not enter China without a round trip ticket. Can this be true? If it is, how are other folks making sure that they can get on the same flight and sit next to each other on the return trip back home? Do I actually have to purchase MY round trip tickets NOW and also purchase hers as well to ensure we can actually sit together should be be successful in the interview? And if we are unsuccessful, does that mean I bought her ticket and might not be able to use it? OUCH! Seems like a horrible waste of money!

 

Thanks for any clarification on this matter...

Mark

[RobertH]

I have never been asked to show my plane ticket when I entered China, only my passport. I think the agent may be wrong.

[Kyle]

Not true. The last two tickets I bought to China were one way. Get a new travel agent.

I would like to only purchase a 1 way ticket now and buy the ticket(s) back home again while we are in China, (in case my wife passes and she can return home with me)

This is doable.

 

EDIT:

 

Like Robert, my return airline tickets have never been reviewed by any Chinese border authority.

Edited February 16, 2010 by Kyle (see edit history)

[warpedbored]

I have never had a customs agent in China ask to see my return plane ticket home. That being said one way tickets are very expensive. You would probably be better off buying a round trip ticket with the option of changing dates on the return trip. There have been several people here who took a chance and booked a ticket for their sweet heart before the interview. I don't recommend this since you never know what the VO is going to do in GZ. If you do, make sure you get one with a return date you can change. The main thing is to get on the same plane. Flight attendants are usually pretty good at being able to change seating so you can sit together.

[dnoblett]

Ditto!

 

I traveled with RT ticket, however return ticket not asked for, and in fact I was on E-Ticket I did not have return tickets until checking in at the airport in Beijing for my trip home.

[Sam and Fen]

One word of caution.

If you are flying to ths US the airline is required to send passenger information in advance and that is how we know if someone is flying on a one way ticket, a huge red flag.

 

Not sure if China requires it but if it does then the govt knows you are flying on a one way ticket making having a paper ticket redundant.

[2mike&jin]

Most of my tickets have ONLY been one way...never a problem...no requirement for round trip tickets.

[Guest Pommey]

yes one way is doable your agent is talking spack.

[Dan de mingzi]

I also have traveled to China many times without a return ticket to the US (that is kind of required when you live there!). And a lot of people have lived there for years on L tourist visas.

 

I think you have a few good options:

 

1) If you have frequent flier miles, United airlines (maybe others also?) will now let you buy one way tickets by using 1/2 the normal required miles (i.e. the RT ticket to China is 65K miles, one way is 32.5K)

 

2) If you will purchase, two one way tickets are prob going to be very expensive ($1600 or more). It is likely better to buy a round trip ticket and just pay the change fee if you need to change your return date.

[ka1mla]

I think you have a few good options:

 

1) If you have frequent flier miles, United airlines (maybe others also?) will now let you buy one way tickets by using 1/2 the normal required miles (i.e. the RT ticket to China is 65K miles, one way is 32.5K)

 

2) If you will purchase, two one way tickets are prob going to be very expensive ($1600 or more). It is likely better to buy a round trip ticket and just pay the change fee if you need to change your return date.

 

Last time I flew United (Oct-09) they were running a promotion of 20% off miles travel. Like you say, 65K miles to China round trip, I got it for 50K miles! I tried to look at miles THIS time, round trip miles to China is now 130K miles!!!! I'm NOT going to burn up 65K miles on a one way ticket... :-) Thanks for all that responded. Your all a great help! I booked with Continental, 6 flights round trip for $997.00. No more United with those ticket prices and INSANE miles charges... I'm all done with them unless they can offer better deals.

[Dan de mingzi]

Last time I flew United (Oct-09) they were running a promotion of 20% off miles travel. Like you say, 65K miles to China round trip, I got it for 50K miles! I tried to look at miles THIS time, round trip miles to China is now 130K miles!!!! I'm NOT going to burn up 65K miles on a one way ticket... :-) Thanks for all that responded. Your all a great help! I booked with Continental, 6 flights round trip for $997.00. No more United with those ticket prices and INSANE miles charges... I'm all done with them unless they can offer better deals.

 

I think you must have been looking at the Standard flight options (vs. the Saver ones), or something like that. It is still 65K miles RT to China; I just bought a 32.5K one way ticket using miles a few days ago.

[smokiessky]

We had our interview in November and i bought a ticket with miles and booked the return from Beijing to the US on a flight that had several seats still available. We had no problem sitting together when i bought her a one way ticket after she got the visa in her hand.