Booking return flights originating overseas

[danige]

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.

Hmm I see your point, but I'm not sure I agree with your conclusions. We agree that everything is fine up until the return to Australia. Now, the previous trip out and back is over and forgotten. If my return to Asia needs to be cancelled I can show the insurance company both requirements. I'll have a ticket leaving and a new return ticket to prove I'm coming back (or can soon obtain one). I can also show I've spent $1k on THIS trip ie the ticket whose return leg I'm about to use.

I can see however that the exact amount to be claimed could be problematic. It'd need to be the cost of the return leg of the original ticket. I wouldn't need to claim the return flight as that's on a whole new overseas return ticket to be used later, once I finally leave on a new one way ticket.

One things for sure, this is no way as straightforward as I first thought. I'm grateful to all contributors to this thread for raising issues I'd never have considered!

 

[serfty]

You must know your PDS.

Looking at the Woolworths International Travel Insurance PDS, There is no such reference.

https://api.nibtravelinsurance.com/products/v1/edi/regulatoryWordingDocuments/INTCOM/2

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hmm I see your point, but I'm not sure I agree with your conclusions. We agree that everything is fine up until the return to Australia. Now, the previous trip out and back is over and forgotten. If my return to Asia needs to be cancelled I can show the insurance company both requirements. I'll have a ticket leaving and a new return ticket to prove I'm coming back (or can soon obtain one). I can also show I've spent $1k on THIS trip ie the ticket whose return leg I'm about to use.

I can see however that the exact amount to be claimed could be problematic. It'd need to be the cost of the return leg of the original ticket. I wouldn't need to claim the return flight as that's on a whole new overseas return ticket to be used later, once I finally leave on a new one way ticket.

One things for sure, this is no way as straightforward as I first thought. I'm grateful to all contributors to this thread for raising issues I'd never have considered!

That’s the thing you need to check with your CC underwriter.

The return back out of australia might be considered a ‘previous itinerary’, something that needs to be insured in advance, not retrospectively.

Even though you might be spending another $1000… the return leg was purchased prior to that $1000 spend, potentially under a different insured event. ANZ held that view on nested tickets in my example, even spending another $250 wasn’t enough to regain cover, as the tickets had already been purchased and previously covered by the original policy.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

You must know your PDS.

Looking at the Woolworths International Travel Insurance PDS, There is no such reference.

https://api.nibtravelinsurance.com/products/v1/edi/regulatoryWordingDocuments/INTCOM/2

It’s a bit confusing. The definitions say a trip must start and end at your home in australia. You’d need to prove that, which presumably means evidence of tickets returning to AU.

I don’t think there’s an issue for the OP if it were a paid policy or annual policy. It’s the CC options which might be an issue.

 

[tdimdad]

My current annual policy from Southern Cross says about 'Who can get cover under this policy':

• You haven’t already left Australia when you buy this policy​

• You’re travelling on your journey to a destination outside of Australia​

• You will return to Australia after finishing each journey​

I read the third point to mean that you need to prove intention to return back to Australia. You can probably get around it if you already have your next MY-AU ticket booked at the time of an insured event (should any ever happen) and to be on the safe side that'd be by the time you fly back to MY from each visit to AU.

There's also the maximum duration of a single trip which you will need to tune to suit your travel pattern.

 

[wandering_fred]

I work on the premise that leaving and returning to Australia is done with one way tickets.
Though I wonder what the ramifications of an international-international connection in Australia as part of the ticket purchased outside of the country would be....
RE: American has some interesting DPS-SYD-LAX return fares....
And there is enough competition to keep the PER-DPS fares mostly reasonable if purchased in advance.
Keep up the wandering
Fred

 

[Elives]

i'm confused how does this work i'm aussie wanting to travel brisbane to rome business one way is 6.5k (got return via reward) say i want to depart brissy 23/4/25

but if i book return trip rome to brissy n back it's 7.5k?

do i book rome to bris 19/4/25 n bris to rome 23/4/25 is this legal / what are the catches? it's substantially cheaper

 

[JohnK]

@Elives not for this trip.

You can book 1 way Brisbane to Rome then book a return Rome to Brisbane and use Rome to Brisbane sector to return.

You now have a one--Way Brisbane to Rome to use in future.

 

[Elives]

@Elives not for this trip.

You can book 1 way Brisbane to Rome then book a return Rome to Brisbane and use Rome to Brisbane sector to return.

You now have a one--Way Brisbane to Rome to use in future.

why not for the trip i said above, it only works one way? im confused i've already got the return rome to brissy paid for by rewards 13/5/25

return trip is 2.3k more cos outbound is from australia rough

 

[SYD]

why not for the trip i said above, it only works one way? im confused i've already got the return rome to brissy paid for by rewards 13/5/25

return trip is 2.3k more cos outbound is from australia rough

The gist of this thread is leveraging the cheaper inbound return airfares that originate from OS. eg FCO-BNE (return) is potentially cheaper than BNE-FCO (return).

If you have a need or use of doing multiple trips between BNE and FCO, one strategy is use points BNE-FCO (one way) and then “nest” a FCO-BNE (return) paid booking followed by a future points FCO-BNE (one way).

In your scenario, probably the optimum solution would have been to try and book revenue BNE-FCO and points FCO-BNE on one ticket. You would have been able to access the cheaper “return” pricing ex Oz.

In the meantime, if you have the time and some flexibility, you could try and use points to get to Asia (MNL, GGK, BKK, SIN) and buy a ticket to FCO from there. Even one way will probably work out out cheaper than one way all the way from Oz.

 

[JohnK]

why not for the trip i said above, it only works one way? im confused i've already got the return rome to brissy paid for by rewards 13/5/25

return trip is 2.3k more cos outbound is from australia rough

I think you're trying to say you want to book a Rome to Brisbane return because it's cheaper but use Brisbane to Rome sector first then Rome to Brisbane sector. Impossible. Sectors must be used in order. That's one of the catches.

 

[Elives]

have a need or use of doing multiple trips between BNE and FCO, one strategy is use points BNE-FCO (one way) and then “nest” a FCO-BNE (return) paid booking followed by a future points FCO-BNE (one way).

In your scenario, probably the optimum solution would have been to try and book revenue BNE-FCO and points FCO-BNE on one ticket. You would have been able to access the cheaper “return” pricing ex Oz.

i;m wanting to go yearly, so in my situation return rome to bris 9/5/25 is already been booked via rewards, my understanding is i should book a new return trip bris to rome, rome to bris. use the bris to rome flight, and nest the rome to bris flight for maximum of 12 months from the departure date is this correct so far? if i do this strategy do i get stung a cancellcation / reschedule charge? i saw somewhere qatar is $1300 no show or something

so 2026 i use rewards on the bris to rome business flight and the return rome to bris is already been paid for? from the 2025 flight i nested?

huh book revenue?

 

[JohnK]

Its confusing @Elives.

You have a flight Brisbane to Rome on 23/4/25 and a Rome to Brisbane award on 09/05/25.

Cancel the award.

Book a revenue Rome to Brisbane on 09/05/25 and return Brisbane to Rome on 23/04/26.

Now you're taking advantage or airfares booked overseas.

 

[CaptJCool]

There are the three issues here

Where your “return trip” starts, stopovers and finishes

And
if your FREE CC insurance covers

2. that “return trip” as an option

And
3. How much money spent or points rewarded from that card qualifies you for Their CC insurance


One must CLOSELY read the policy

It may be clear literal rules or it might be more of a vibe

 

[Elives]

Its confusing @Elives.

You have a flight Brisbane to Rome on 23/4/25 and a Rome to Brisbane award on 09/05/25.

Cancel the award.

Book a revenue Rome to Brisbane on 09/05/25 and return Brisbane to Rome on 23/04/26.

Now you're taking advantage or airfares booked overseas.

thats pretty good idea however , i still need to pay the high rates for the one way brisbane to rome 23/4/25, only thing that sucks. reason i got rewards for return flights was because the outbound to rome were already booked up in May.

6.5k bris to rome
10k return starting from bris
7.5k return starting from rome

Post automatically merged: Saturday at 6:03 AM

There are the three issues here

Where your “return trip” starts, stopovers and finishes

And
if your FREE CC insurance covers

2. that “return trip” as an option

And
3. How much money spent or points rewarded from that card qualifies you for Their CC insurance


One must CLOSELY read the policy

It may be clear literal rules or it might be more of a vibe

cc free insurance/travel insurance if you actually pay for it is like $150 not really worth the consideration when business flights to rome are 7-11k

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A one way far is usually always far more expensive per flight than if buying as part of a return.

Can you look at an alternative carrier maybe? They have some competitive one ways? I see qantas and asiana have a one way business class to rome for $4400.

Ex sydney to rome or milan can be yours for as little as $2900 on oman air and garuda, or $3300 on air india.

 

[JohnK]

thats pretty good idea however , i still need to pay the high rates for the one way brisbane to rome 23/4/25, only thing that sucks. reason i got rewards for return flights was because the outbound to rome were already booked up in May.

Unfortunately that's the way it works. Airfares ex-Australia are always more expensive.

Keep checking if there's an award ex-Australia.

 

[albatross710]

I've use the nested bookings concept a couple of times.

Once back in the day of Apex fares I was going to Melbourne each month for a 2 day meeting, so I made 1 BNE-MEL return for 3 months return. Then made the 2 required bookings to spend 28 days (or whatever) in Brisbane. Went oddball when one of the meeting dates got changed.

In 2017 I was doing monthly turn arounds to MNL and took advantage of the cheaper MNL-BNE-MNL fares. Worked until I had to make a change and juggling two fare changes was messy.

 

[Elives]

A one way far is usually always far more expensive per flight than if buying as part of a return.

Can you look at an alternative carrier maybe? They have some competitive one ways? I see qantas and asiana have a one way business class to rome for $4400.

Ex sydney to rome or milan can be yours for as little as $2900 on oman air and garuda, or $3300 on air india.the cheaper flights are like 40 hours commuting way to long

now i search return flights rome to brisbane today and it's showing all pricing around 10k where as yesteday they were all around 7.5k for qatar is this google knowing where i am (aus) and upping it to standard price?


so business brisbane to rome is 6.5k arrival in 2pm (ideal)
if i get business brisbane to rome arrival 9:30am 4.5k ish, has anyone flown business long haul and landing in the morning and did stuff and was ok? ideally afternoon arrival is best for sleep. but i'm buying 2x tickets so it's $4k difference, not sure what to do lol

 

[MEL_Traveller]

now i search return flights rome to brisbane today and it's showing all pricing around 10k where as yesteday they were all around 7.5k for qatar is this google knowing where i am (aus) and upping it to standard price?


so business brisbane to rome is 6.5k arrival in 2pm (ideal)
if i get business brisbane to rome arrival 9:30am 4.5k ish, has anyone flown business long haul and landing in the morning and did stuff and was ok? ideally afternoon arrival is best for sleep. but i'm buying 2x tickets so it's $4k difference, not sure what to do lol

lol, yes! Many airlines arrive first thing in the morning.. 6am! As long as you’ve had a good sleep you’ll be fine!

And remembering 930am rome time is 430pm or whatever Aussie time. So even if you don’t sleep immediately prior to landing in rome, your body clock should be ‘awake’.

Plus a 930am arrival means you can put in a full day, drop in to bed tired, and get back onto regular sleep patterns.

As for fares pricing, airlines base their fares not on distance, but what they think the market will pay.

One way fares are traditionally far more expensive than returns. Qatar might offer $8000 return to europe, but charge you $6500 one way!

Then a completely different set of fares might apply if you are leaving from europe rather than australia. Or if you are leaving from asia to europe. While Etihad may charge $7000 from sydney to europe, that might drop to just $3000 leaving from manila or jakarta to europe.

A family friend is flying business class return from paris to sydney next week for just $4000 return. That’s what the market charges!

You can get fares from australia for around $5000 return to europe. It’s up to whether nesting tickets out of rome is worth it to you. The $5000 won’t be in qatar. But you need to work out what you want from your flight? All business classes have a flat bed. The food will be ok. And there’ll be something to watch. Is a premium for one airline over another necessary?