On route to BsAs - reassurance please!

[Kirst]

Hi guys, I have finally booked my one way ticket & shall be arriving mid December. I could do with some reassurance on the airline ticket issue. I know there have been various posts on this before.

Should I buy another one way ticket eg BsAs to Santiago in case my airline in Madrid has an issue with me trying to board on a one way ticket?

Are customs going to have an issue at EZE with me arriving on a one way ticket especially after my 3 previous visits this year?

Can you recommend an airline where I could buy a one way BA Santigao ticket who'd give me a refund when I dont use it?

Many thanks

 

[hepdoll]

Hi Kirst! Congrats on buying your ticket, that's so exciting.

I got advice on the same issue a couple of months ago before I came here on a one-way ticket. (http://baexpats.org/expat-life/6133-how-many-pieces-luggage-ok-bring-tourist.html#post37218)

My one-way ticket to BsAs from the United States was purchased with frequent flyer miles on American Airlines. After reading the advice on this site, I also bought a fully-refundable one-way ticket, BsAs to Montevideo, on American Airlines. (Because I trust them to refund my money if/when I cancel it.)

I was never asked for my "proof of onward travel" - not when I checked in, not when I boarded the plane, and not when I went through customs here at EZE. American Airlines may have seen my "proof of onward travel" in their computer system, and that could be why they didn't ask, but the folks here in BsAs never asked about it at all.

From my experience and from what I read on here, it seems like the problem is most likely to come from your airline if they are afraid that you'll be rejected at customs, since they are responsible for sending you back to your home country if you're denied entrance. But I have yet to hear about someone coming here who was denied entrance by Argentina customs for that reason.

For a second data point - a friend of mine just came down here one a one-way ticket, flying different airlines than me, and I believe that he did *not* have proof of onward travel purchased beforehand. I think his plan was to buy it at the check-in counter should his airline decide to require it. He just made sure to go to the airport early enough that he had time to deal with that, if he needed to. I don't think he ended up being asked or needing to buy anything, and he made it through customs just fine.

Anyway that's a long answer, but I hope it helps! If you're really worried, buy the refundable ticket and have a copy of it with you when you make your trip. Your trip will be stressful enough as it is! Good luck and enjoy your last month or so wrapping things up in Scotland. (or wherever you're coming from!)

 

[Hockey_Nut]

The answer is actually pretty easy. It´s illegal, if you get send back is another matter though it all depends on who does your check-in

If you are worried you can buy a round trip to Colonia after almost 3 months and print it

 

[BAJoe]

There was a time when one-way tickets had the same cost as round-trip (I think this was true for an open-ended year-long return flight.)

I don´t know if that has changed at all, but you should find out what the difference is. Even if it´s 1 or 2 hundred dollars more it may be worth having that return coupon, just in case you need to travel back within the year.

Or maybe now, after you´re here, you can swap it for some other destination, and not loose it totally. I would inquire with the airlines.

 

[EliA]

If the airline or customs demands proof of onward travel say you are taking two years to travel through S.A. and that your onward travel to another country will be by bus. If they argue, say that airplane tickets are not yet for sale for your return date so it is impossible to buy.\

If anyone gives you trouble it'll be the airline, not customs (they don't even blink, they'll just say "tourista?" to which you will reply, "si" and you get 90 days) but I'm pretty sure they can't obligate you to buy a return fare so just be firm in your explanation.

 

[NoVegetables]

I say don't worry about it, i came on a one way ticket from mexico, and no one asked for any forward travel plans. Then i came in on a one way ticket from Chile and again no one asked for anything. I think you will be fine.

 

[alexios]

i would by a round trip ticket, they are usually cheaper and they would ask even less questions.

 

[katti]

I was never asked for my return ticket, but then I always had e-tickets. Now that I live here and want to fly back for the holidays, AIR FRANCE asked me if I had a return ticket (to Europe) or a DNI or a document stating that I have applied for DNI. Otherwise I might have problems coming into Argentina, eventhough I have a 1 year visa in my pasport.

I got a go and return ticket (as it was cheaper than a 1-way ticket), my return ticket expires at the end of august so I am fine until then.

 

[senorverde1]

Hi, I'm in the same boat as the original poster. I leave for BA in a week on just a one-way ticket from the US and I am thinking it may be safest to buy a refundable one-way ticket to Santiago or another nearby city to show proof of at the airport. How would I go about finding such a ticket (that is refundable), and do these even exist? Thanks for any help.

 

[Kirst]

Thanks a million guys for your help!!!

kirst