Is it possible to save on air fares by ordering a ticket from the USA?

dvdbunny · 2 Aug 2008 at 18:48

Hi Guys,

I was thinking of going to New York for a few days, i was searching for flights and found you can get a non-stop return ticket from New York to London and then London to New York for $130 + taxes, with the current exchange rate that's £65 return which is incredible compared to the cheapest i found leaving the London to New York and then New York to London which is return £285 + Taxes. I thought i could place an order for two tickets. Set the correct dates for each return tickets. Miss the flight leaving to come to London but use the returning flight to go out to New York and then vice versa for coming back. This way my ticket would only cost £130 return + taxes compared to £285 + taxes. What a saving.

All i need is either be able to book the tickets using a non US credit card, if not able to then setup a bank account in the USA. That would work out better in the long run as i may start going out to the USA a lot more for this great price. Or i could ask a friend to pay for a return ticket for me and then i pay him the funds later. Then when i am in new York i could just go and buy another ticket.

In fact i am sure you don't need a US credit card to order a flight to the UK from the USA as when i think of it, business men all the time have to re order tickets when their other tickets have had to be canceled due to having to work in one country longer.

Is this all possible?

any help much appreciated

Many thanks in advance

Ben M · 2 Aug 2008 at 18:50

phone the US company selling the flights and ask them.

5punk3monk3y · 2 Aug 2008 at 18:51

I like your thoughts! sounds like a great idea to me!

seaviewuk · 2 Aug 2008 at 18:56

Can see a flaw.

You will be flagged up by immigration as not making the first flight out and you will get pulled over on your first leg to New York and questioned. You may not even be allowed to board the flight from the UK.

Rich_L · 2 Aug 2008 at 19:05

Generally on return flights if you don't take the first leg you won't be able to travel on the return leg.

seaviewuk · 2 Aug 2008 at 19:11

dvdbunny said:
Hi Guys,

In fact i am sure you don't need a US credit card to order a flight to the UK from the USA as when i think of it, business men all the time have to re order tickets when their other tickets have had to be canceled due to having to work in one country longer.

Business men don't normally travel on £65 tickets though!

Business class tickets are usually date transferable if needed to be.

Biohazard · 2 Aug 2008 at 19:13

Rich_L said:
Generally on return flights if you don't take the first leg you won't be able to travel on the return leg.

Not in my experience.

G-MAN2004 · 2 Aug 2008 at 19:15

Why can't you get a single ticket from the US instead?

masterluke · 2 Aug 2008 at 19:16

i know for a fact some airlines will cancel the return leg if you dont take the outbound leg.

*Chris · 2 Aug 2008 at 19:17

G-MAN2004 said:
Why can't you get a single ticket from the US instead?

could he buy a single ticket to the US from the US?

seaviewuk · 2 Aug 2008 at 19:23

*Chris said:
could he buy a single ticket to the US from the US?

Highly unlikely, otherwise most people would do it.

mk17 · 2 Aug 2008 at 20:13

*Chris said:
could he buy a single ticket to the US from the US?

sure, if you want Homeland Security on top you!

my name was "flagged" at heathrow last September on a flight to Seattle. This I was told by the BA attendee when asked about a delay. We land in Seattle, and a good ole boy security fool at the immigration gate asks me if I'm travelling with my wife.

Now I was with the girlfriend, which I told him. Seems the clever web of words is the best that the terrorist detection net can come up with.

That and matching on names.

On the upside, I had my red rucksack as carry-on baggage - so we had many a laugh about that scene where Jason Bourne is called out in the U.S. embassy. "Hey you, the red-bag..." - ah, how we laughed (well, when we got home)

Ben M · 2 Aug 2008 at 20:14

mk17 said:
sure, if you want Homeland Security on top you!

my name was "flagged" at heathrow last September on a flight to Seattle. This I was told by the BA attendee when asked about a delay. We land in Seattle, and a good ole boy security fool at the immigration gate asks me if I'm travelling with my wife.

Now I was with the girlfriend, which I told him. Seems the clever web of words is the best that the terrorist detection net can come up with.

That and matching on names.

I don't get it =\

Vanilla · 2 Aug 2008 at 20:24

. ignore

dvdbunny · 2 Aug 2008 at 20:29

*Chris said:
could he buy a single ticket to the US from the US?

That's not possible, i was browsing the different airlines looking to try it but they won't let you book a flight out from a different country than the one you live in.

The only way is you have to buy a return ticket and like i said not fly out but use the return and then later when you want to come back, buy another ticket and fly out. Then you would have an additional returning ticket that you won't need to use. Flying back is the easy part. Flying there is the hardest part.

meghatronic · 2 Aug 2008 at 20:36

dvdbunny said:
That's not possible, i was browsing the different airlines looking to try it but they won't let you book a flight out from a different country than the one you live in.

The only way is you have to buy a return ticket and like i said not fly out but use the return and then later when you want to come back, buy another ticket and fly out. Then you would have an additional returning ticket that you won't need to use. Flying back is the easy part. Flying there is the hardest part.

I've done it once. But not US.

You MUST ring the airline and explain you missed the first flight, and found another route. But you WILL be flying with the return.

dvdbunny · 2 Aug 2008 at 20:37

masterluke said:
i know for a fact some airlines will cancel the return leg if you dont take the outbound leg.

I have heard of this, i think a lot of airlines found people doing what i want to do and stopped this.

They are not allowing you to fly on the return ticket if you happen to cancel or just not show up for your outbound flight. But i am not sure if every airline is doing this. But remember this is only in the UK as far as i know. But i actually want to book through an airliner in the USA.

I don't see why they wouldn't allow it, as it would make every airline company double the money, as people would have to buy two tickets, double the money. They win both ways. This would greatly reduce ticket prices and give a lot of competition if one airline offered it over another.

It's a tricky idea but great if it can work

I really want to use it to visit a friend in New York, buy a PS3 like the MGS4 80GB bundle which is not being released in the UK, i then want to buy myself a novint falcon which is that haptic controller for the PC which again is not available in the UK yet. Then i want to put it in a suitcase and come on over, and not have to pay any customs. Sweet!!!!

[TR]SweetSpotOz · 2 Aug 2008 at 20:40

laiman · 2 Aug 2008 at 23:27

markyp23 said:
They would also have loads and loads of empty seats. They want full planes, fuel is their biggest expense.

What does it matter if your not on the flight? They still get your money and surely and empty plane is more fuel efficient? Might even be able to fill the plane with standbys etc. Plus everyone gets extra room! WIN WIN WIN

Defcon5 · 3 Aug 2008 at 20:48

laiman said:
What does it matter if your not on the flight? They still get your money and surely and empty plane is more fuel efficient? Might even be able to fill the plane with standbys etc. Plus everyone gets extra room! WIN WIN WIN

yeah, they arent losing out at all