Booking return flights originating overseas

[danige]

My wife and I are Australian but have spent most of the last 10 years living in Malaysia. We now divide our time between Malaysia and Australia travelling back and forth each three months.

As return flights from Malaysia to Australia are far cheaper than return flights from Australia, I'm wondering if I can't take advantage of this fact. My thoughts are to take a one-way flight to Malaysia and then book return flights to Australia. I'd use the outgoing flight from Malaysia as my return to Australia and the return leg to return to Malaysia. We would continue this pattern for the foreseeable future until such time as we no longer want to travel to Malaysia where we'd just need to book a single flight back to Australia.

Are there any downsides to this strategy? Although we are now only on tourist visas I do have an ongoing residential address in Malaysia so I don't forsee any problems booking the return flights.

However Malaysian immigration does insist on seeing a return flight when entering Malaysia. I'm wondering if they will be happy enough to see the outgoing leg of a return ticket as our ticket out of Malaysia. I'm hoping that as long as I'm leaving the country it shouldn't be an issue.

If anybody has experience of this strategy or just some thoughts to contribute I'd love to hear from you.

 

[jase05]

Have done it a few times from KL to take advantage of the PR J fares and ver had an issue. I only do it if I have firm travel dates in mind and have read the fare rules just to make certain it suits our needs.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Use an award to get to KL first.

Lots of benefits buying tickets from another country, I have done it from Germany and London, others have from Jakarta, New Zealand and South Africa.

The best way is to look at business class airfares that is where the savings really take flight.

Also passport control only care you have a flight leaving the country, the only problem is the airline might want to see your onward or return flight before check in.

 

[danige]

Have done it a few times from KL to take advantage of the PR J fares and ver had an issue. I only do it if I have firm travel dates in mind and have read the fare rules just to make certain it suits our needs.

Haha precisely my plan! Good to hear you've had no problems. My main concern was showing an ongoing ticket but I've just discovered it's very easy to buy a dummy ticket (genuine, fully valid for 48hrs) for visa purposes....

 

[danige]

Use an award to get to KL first.

Lots of benefits buying tickets from another country, I have done it from Germany and London, others have from Jakarta, New Zealand and South Africa.

The best way is to look at business class airfares that is where the savings really take flight.

Also passport control only care you have a flight leaving the country, the only problem is the airline might want to see your onward or return flight before check in.

Great, sounds like a common practice so shouldn't be any problems. Phillipines Airlines have very cheap return J fares, in fact not much more than I've been paying one way economy MEL-KL so that'll be the plan.

 

[jase05]

Haha precisely my plan! Good to hear you've had no problems. My main concern was showing an ongoing ticket but I've just discovered it's very easy to buy a dummy ticket (genuine, fully valid for 48hrs) for visa purposes....

It’s easier for me because I’m not staying in Malaysia so have an onward ticket to another destination. The PR J fares are great value one way so for a few hundred dollars more you get a brilliant return fare

 

[JohnK]

I did this for many years before the AUD went into free-fall and I got married and had a child.

When airfares from Australia to SE Asia were $750-$1000 return those same airfares were $600-$750 originating in SE Asia and there was no seasonality to worry about.

Good things don't last forever.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There’s no real downside to the return ticket originating overseas, but there are a couple of things to watch out for, which may not necessarily be applicable to the OP, but might be important for others.

Firstly, as already mentioned, some countries require an onward or return ticket.

Secondly, make sure any travel insurance covers your travel pattern. Most insurances bought in Australia, or provided by credit cards, will require a return ticket to Australia. Nesting tickets can invalidate that cover. Best to confirm if this might affect you.

 

[danige]

There’s no real downside to the return ticket originating overseas, but there are a couple of things to watch out for, which may not necessarily be applicable to the OP, but might be important for others.

Firstly, as already mentioned, some countries require an onward or return ticket.

Secondly, make sure any travel insurance covers your travel pattern. Most insurances bought in Australia, or provided by credit cards, will require a return ticket to Australia. Nesting tickets can invalidate that cover. Best to confirm if this might affect you.

Thanks, great point about the insurance. I'll keep it in mind.

 

[dajop]

Secondly, make sure any travel insurance covers your travel pattern. Most insurances bought in Australia, or provided by credit cards, will require a return ticket to Australia. Nesting tickets can invalidate that cover. Best to confirm if this might affect you.

I thought the return ticket problem was something that related to credit card travel insurances where you had to purchase the ticket on the credit card.

For most paid travel insurances are you required to have a "return ticket" ( as in all in the one ticket), or a return ticket - in the sense of a ticket returns you to Australia? I had always assumed that it was the latter, and they way I read the PDS's complications arise if you depart but don't have any sort of ticket that gets you back to Australia - it is assumed your journey is just one way.

 

[JohnK]

Secondly, make sure any travel insurance covers your travel pattern. Most insurances bought in Australia, or provided by credit cards, will require a return ticket to Australia. Nesting tickets can invalidate that cover. Best to confirm if this might affect you.

So on my recent trip of Qantas Classic award outbound followed by SQ/VA one way flights inbound, I was not covered?

I don't understand why it needs to be a return flight to be covered under travel insurance.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So on my recent trip of Qantas Classic award outbound followed by SQ/VA one way flights inbound, I was not covered?

I don't understand why it needs to be a return flight to be covered under travel insurance.

I thought the return ticket problem was something that related to credit card travel insurances where you had to purchase the ticket on the credit card.

For most paid travel insurances are you required to have a "return ticket" ( as in all in the one ticket), or a return ticket - in the sense of a ticket returns you to Australia? I had always assumed that it was the latter, and they way I read the PDS's complications arise if you depart but don't have any sort of ticket that gets you back to Australia - it is assumed your journey is just one way.

Some CC polies don’t require you to purchase the return ticket to be eligible for cover. For example ANZ platinum only requires $250 spend, on anything related to your trip, for cover to be activated. That could be one hotel night, train tickets, or hiring a car.

The issue can arise in that travel insurance will usually terminate once you arrive back into Australia, and you then need to activate a new policy. To activate the new policy you require a return ticket to be purchased anew.

Nesting tickets can invalidate that insurance because you haven’t purchased new tickets, ex Australia.

For example I purchased an AU-Europe return, but while in Singapore flew back to australia on a nested ticket. The cover for the original AU-EU ended as soon as I landed back in Australia on the first leg of the nested ticket.

That original AU-EU cover couldn’t be reactivated. The return leg of the nested ticket wasn’t covered, nor was SIN-EU and back to AU. As far as the insurance company was concerned, that was now a separate itinerary, and I hadn’t met the spend requirements prior to new itinerary.

For paid policies, it’s easy, you just need to buy another policy. Or potentially have an annual policy.

Worth keeping in mind for nested tickets, or purchasing tickets while abroad that you are covered by insurance.

 

[danige]

I just checked the terms of the credit card insurance I've been relying on to date. HSBC allows qualification with a $500 spend, not necessarily on airfare. However one requirement is : "... you have a return overseas travel ticket before leaving Australia."

Looks like I'll have to find an alternative. Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I just checked the terms of the credit card insurance I've been relying on to date. HSBC allows qualification with a $500 spend, not necessarily on airfare. However one requirement is : "... you have a return overseas travel ticket before leaving Australia."

Looks like I'll have to find an alternative. Any suggestions are welcome.

Purchase insurance ex the overseas country? Or potentially a multi-trip annual policy ex AU.

 

[dajop]

I just checked the terms of the credit card insurance I've been relying on to date. HSBC allows qualification with a $500 spend, not necessarily on airfare. However one requirement is : "... you have a return overseas travel ticket before leaving Australia."

Looks like I'll have to find an alternative. Any suggestions are welcome.

This is where it is ambiguous and probably needs some advice from insurer.

I would argue having a ticket booked (before you leave Australia) that gets you back to Australia is a return ticket whether it is on the same ticket you are leaving Australia on or a different ticket.

 

[RealtimeY]

Amex travel insurance specifically spells out the details regarding this, and it should be sufficient to provide “evidence of your intention” to go back to Australia:

 

[danige]

This is where it is ambiguous and probably needs some advice from insurer.

I would argue having a ticket booked (before you leave Australia) that gets you back to Australia is a return ticket whether it is on the same ticket you are leaving Australia on or a different ticket.

Good point, I will check this out. I've been looking at having to pay insurance and the extra cost eats a long way into potential savings by booking overseas return flights.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This is where it is ambiguous and probably needs some advice from insurer.

I would argue having a ticket booked (before you leave Australia) that gets you back to Australia is a return ticket whether it is on the same ticket you are leaving Australia on or a different ticket.

I think that’s right. The ticket booked (prior to leaving) that gets you back will cover you.

But once you’re back, you’re going to be using the return leg of a ticket purchased overseas. That’s not a ticket purchased in australia. What if you had to cancel that return leg - say due to illness. It wouldn’t be covered as your insurance terminates as soon as you land back in Australia.

It’s only an issue I mention because of my situation with a nested ticket. It wou,d pay to confirm individual plans with any respective insurer as YMMV.

 

[danige]

I think that’s right. The ticket booked (prior to leaving) that gets you back will cover you.

But once you’re back, you’re going to be using the return leg of a ticket purchased overseas. That’s not a ticket purchased in australia. What if you had to cancel that return leg - say due to illness. It wouldn’t be covered as your insurance terminates as soon as you land back in Australia.

It’s only an issue I mention because of my situation with a nested ticket. It wou,d pay to confirm individual plans with any respective insurer as YMMV.

I think I'd still be fine in this situation. My CC just requires me to spend $1k (for both of us) on any expense of the trip to be covered. If I have to cancel the flight back out of Australia, I can show the price of that airfare was put on the card and I should be covered? The fact that the ticket is a return leg should be irrelevant I should think.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think I'd still be fine in this situation. My CC just requires me to spend $1k (for both of us) on any expense of the trip to be covered. If I have to cancel the flight back out of Australia, I can show the price of that airfare was put on the card and I should be covered? The fact that the ticket is a return leg should be irrelevant I should think.

No, because your insurance will terminate on your *first return* to AU.

So for example if you are buying AU-Asia, then Asia-AU-Asia.

You will be covered AU-Asia, and Asia-Au. Once back, your cover terminates. You are left with the Au-Asia, which as far as the insurance company is concerned means nothing as (a) you have returned and (b) it’s not purchased in Au and (c) possibly doesn’t have a return attached to it.

Even if you spend another $1000, that Au-Asia return leg may be considered a previous itinerary, partially flown. You may not be able to insure that after travel has started.