“Return ticket, please,” the gate agent informed me as I approached to board my flight from Mexico to Costa Rica.
“But I possess your annual pass,” I responded to the Volaris representative. I can only book a return flight three days or fewer in advance.
“You cannot board without a return ticket,” she insisted, misleadingly claiming that Costa Rican immigration would mandate it. (In reality, they did not.) So, I stepped aside, purchased a one-way ticket back on Volaris, presented it, and boarded the aircraft. Before I even reached my hotel following the taxi ride across the airport in San Jose, it had been cancelled.
When I initially launched this Cheapest Destinations Blog back in the early 2000s, individuals would inquire about some official stipulation they had heard regarding the necessity of having an onward ticket upon entering a new country. I would typically reply with something along the lines of, “Don’t worry about it,” because in traveling to dozens of countries over a span of 15 years, it had only come up once.
Up until the last few years, I had only been requested to provide proof of this one time, which was in England. I believe that was in 1995, if my memory serves me correctly. Recently, however, it has occurred a few additional isolated instances, necessitating that I address it at the boarding gate or during immigration.
We are currently living in anxious times, with many refugees on the move and heightened immigration concerns. I am receiving an increasing number of messages from individuals encountering border issues. Locations where passports were once stamped without hesitation are abruptly transforming into troublesome areas, including the Costa Rican borders with Panama and Nicaragua. Some experts suggest that the European Schengen zone might soon cease to exist, and the free movement we westerners have come to rely upon may not remain so unrestricted.
I believe this situation remains isolated for now. After all, most countries appreciate the income that tourists generate (even those budget-conscious backpackers) and seek to facilitate our extended stays. What they are wary of, however, are individuals who will remain beyond their visa duration and attempt to work illegally.
Consequently, many border agents and airport customs officials are being instructed to request proof that new arrivals will be departing afterward. This is not a novel experience for many: during a return trip from Istanbul, I witnessed Turks being interrogated about any previous travels to Syria, Afghanistan, or Iraq, and they all had to provide either a return ticket or a college acceptance letter. Some spent five minutes responding to inquiries—and that was merely at the boarding gate!
The notable change now is that we are all seen as potential suspects in some areas. The regulations are being enforced universally, even in places where many travelers cross overland. Thus, if you’re considering going without any plans, you might face an unpleasant shock. You could be barred from boarding your flight, have your visa application denied, or receive a negative immigration record while on a tourist or business visa. You may be asked to present proof of onward travel at immigration, an embassy counter, or most prominently at an airline check-in desk.
Recent reports indicate that the US, New Zealand, the Philippines, the UK, Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Peru require proof of onward travel, but other nations, such as Panama and Mexico, might require it too, based on the airline. (For example, Aeromexico seems to request it occasionally just for spite.) It’s essential to investigate the regulations of the country you’re visiting if you’re not planning on securing a return ticket right away.
My standard advice still stands: first, ascertain what’s truly occurring on the ground. Read local news online, check out online message boards or Facebook groups focused on that country. Explore expat blogs pertaining to the area.
Then follow one of these steps to ensure your safety:
1) Purchase an Actual Onward Flight Ticket
Clearly, the simplest method to demonstrate that you will leave eventually is to hold a round-trip ticket to where you came from or a ticket to your next destination. If that’s sorted, you’re in the clear.
Opting for a budget ticket to the nearest country just for this purpose frequently ends up being affordable as well. In some instances, bus, ferry, or train tickets may also be accepted, but that’s not guaranteed. A flight is always accepted.
A flight to a neighboring country is often the most cost-effective choice. In Asia and Europe, this is incredibly easy through airlines like AirAsia and various carriers in Thailand for the former, as well as RyanAir, EasyJet, and WizzAir for the latter.
It’s becoming increasingly easier in the Americas as well. Certain Mexican budget airlines facilitate travel to Central and South America. When I had the Volaris Annual Pass last year, it enabled me to reach Costa Rica, and the year prior, I flew with Colombian carrier Wingo from Cancun to Bogota.