How to book a flight when the exact return date is not known yet?
I need to book flights that leave on July 9 and return on either July 15 or July 19 - the return date depends on whether I am accepted to a certain conference or not. I will know this only months from now. I can wait with the booking until then, but the tickets might be more expensive. I can also book a two-way ticket with a modification penalty, but then I will have to pay the price difference in addition to the modification penalty, which creates uncertainty in my planning.
My main goal is to ensure that I know in advance the exact flight expenses, with no surprises due to increasing prices. So, I thought of the following scheme:
- Buy two two-way tickets: one from 9/7 to 15/7 and another one from 9/7 to 19/7. Each such ticket has a pre-specified cancellation fee.
- Once I know the return date, I just cancel the other ticket and pay the cancellation fee.
While this scheme might be more expensive than paying the price difference, it might also be cheaper, and it gives me a known, risk-free price.
My question is: is this possible? One travelling agent told me it is impossible to do with the same airline, since they do not allow overlapping bookings for the same person. But what if I buy the two tickets from different airlines? Is this possible then?
Best Answer
If predictability and price is your main concern, by one round trip returning 15 July and a one way returning 19 July. Buy whichever itineraries are less expensive. For the segment you don't fly, you should still be able to use some of the fare for future travel, minus any fees.
This is not an overlapping itinerary, which isn't usually a problem, so you can book this with the same airline, but you will probably find the airline offering a reasonable one-way fare will not be the airline that offers the best round trip fare.
Pictures about "How to book a flight when the exact return date is not known yet?"
How do I book a flight with an unknown return date?
Choose a departure airport and write down where you wish to go. Consult a calendar to pick a loose date for your return. Some airlines allow you to purchase an open-ended ticket as long as the return flight is redeemed within one year from your departure. A few airlines allow only a seven-day window for adjustments.Can I buy a plane ticket for any date?
A. You can always purchase an airfare and change the dates of travel, but the fare may change (either up or down) for travel on the date you decide to fly, and in most cases the cheapest fares will also require a change fee ($150 on a domestic fare on most U.S.-based airlines) if you change dates.Can you book a flight and come back the same day?
Depending on your airline's rules, however, you'll only need to \u201cwalk up\u201d if you want to book extremely close-in. If you don't need to fly any sooner than 2-3 hours in the future (in most cases), you should be able to book and receive confirmation for same day flights as you would any other itinerary.Can I book a roundtrip flight and not return?
Can I buy a roundtrip ticket for a one-way trip? Technically, you can buy a roundtrip ticket and only use it to go one-way, but airlines frown upon this. And, you can only skip the return flight. If you miss a segment of your trip, the airline may cancel the rest of your ticket without giving you a refund.HOW TO FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS - My Best Tips After Booking 500+ Flights
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: cottonbro, cottonbro, Elīna Arāja, Tim Samuel