Buying a return ticket without booking return leg?

[Selvfolgelig]

Hi

It is possible that I will be heading to the US in August next year for 12 months. If this occurs, I'll probably be on the hunt for a cheap return ticket.

If a good sale fare comes in January for example, I won't be able to book my return leg (~August 2011) because it will be too far out.

In this situation, am I able to book a return leg with an open return leg?

Or do I have to book in a return date and then seek to change it once flights for my actual return date become available? If this is the case, am I looking at paying a change fee of $200 plus any fare difference if I book a sale fare? (I would post link to fare rules but I don't have enough posts.)

Thanks for your help.

 

[NM]

It all depends on the rules for the specific fare you purchase. Some do permit open return dates. However, I am not aware of any fare rules that have a ticket validity of more than 12 months, and the return journey must be completed within the ticket validity period.

 

[Cyclogenesis]

These days I would see no real value in it... Most buy it yourself (ie non TA) tix are itemized for each leg. And to have an open tix like that would imply a higher bucket fare (ie K,M,Y or flexi saver or fully flexible in QF speak) so your first leg is pretty certain you are probably better off getting a sale one way fare and then keeping an eye out for a sale for your return leg (unless there is some sort of issue with your Visa)

 

[docjames]

Also bear in mind you would usually require a departing flight in order to get a visa / visa waiver (ie evidence that you plan to leave the country).

(Sounds like it may not apply to you specifically as you'd book the return before you departed but thought i'd post that anyway in case others were contemplating!)

 

[Travel Guru]

Whilst there are fares in higher buckets which come with no change fees as such, I can't name a ticket that I know of which can be issued without some sort of date booked into the return.

You or your travel agent may be able to seek an authority from QF to change it later FOC, though if its a sale fare they may not be inclined to do so.

Either way you'll have to book the return leg in order to ticket it.

TG

 

[JohnK]

Probably not relevant to the OP but I was looking at booking a one-way airfare in SE Asia and it was ~3 times the price of a return airfare.

I almost booked the return airfare (with a dummy future date) and either change the return date later for a fee or just not bother to turn up for the return flight. I cannot comprehend why airlines continue the practice of overpricing one way flights. You would think that any business is good business....