US Flights

meghatronic · 17 Nov 2007 at 15:37

I'm off to the US in Feb '08. But my ticket out and back is being payed for. I'd like to hung round a bit longer so will need to buy a single from JFK->MAN. However, if I do this with STA UK, for instance, it is £250. If I do it with STA US it is $222. Could I buy with STA US and pick the ticket up at the airport?

I assume I'd need to prebook a ticket home, rather than buying one on the day, like here.

meghatronic · 18 Nov 2007 at 12:45

kitten_caboodle said:
in most cases you can buy a single and buy your return there, but be prepared for some extensive questioning from the immigration guys there. Should be fine, but they do like to know when you are returning, and you will of course need to provide them with an address you will be staying at while there.

I've prebooked tickets from the US at home for the US price, but I've also done it from there too - much easier that way.

I'll have a return ticket - unfortunately the return is too early for me. So I was planning to get a single back. I assumed immigration would settle for the initial return.

I'm concerned how much the ticket would cost "on the day" in the States. Hence me wanting to buy a ticket in $ from US STA.

meghatronic · 18 Nov 2007 at 13:02

gjrc said:
take the risk and get it out there. generally as you have found they are the same price just in different currencies. so with *** exchange rate as it is, it becosme in effect half price.

take the gamble, i am sure it will pay off.

I'm thinking of one of three things.

1) Ring the airline when I'm in Boston and change my departure date of the prebooked return (paid for by someone else) and pay a fee.
2) Find an STA in Boston/NY and buy a single from JFK home in advance.
3) Turn up at JFK and buy a ticket home on the day(s).

Not sure if 1 and 2 are do-able.

meghatronic · 18 Nov 2007 at 13:18

One More Solo said:
Immigration will give you a proper grilling but I imagine if you have a permanent address out there it'll be in your favour, they'd probably not be so keen on someone travelling around with no return booked.

I'll have a prebooked return - I'm just not going to use it as it is too early.

meghatronic · 18 Nov 2007 at 16:59

Tomsk said:
I know you have a return ticket and US immigration will note the date of this and check against your actual departure. If you overstay, as you're planning too, inform the authorities with your new departure date before your original departure date, otherwise you may have difficulty the next time you travel to the US.

Last year, I almost didn't get through the Canadian-US border because of some mix-up with my travel dates the last time I was in the US (1999). They though I had overstayed, even though all the dates they quoted were within the six month limit on my visa. The fact that I couldn't exactly remember my travel dates in 1999 didn't help.

Forgive my complete ignorance - but who are the "correct authorities" I should inform?