Using a Combined Ticket as a One Way ticket to save money?

[u/carrotic-evil]

Hi all! I'm currently planning to move to Japan for my working holiday year and stumbled across the infamous high prices for one way tickets. In my case a one way ticket would cost 1500 Euro while a Combined Ticket would cost 800 Euro in total. It's so weird and I'm inexperienced with booking flight tickets so I'll just ask y'all to feel safer.

1. Can I just buy the combined ticket and use it as a One Way ticket? I heard there are no show fees.

2. Can I buy the combined ticket and then just cancel the trip back?

3. (For those who know about the working holiday visa) Does the japanese embassy mind if I use a combined ticket? I know this sounds like a stupid question because why would they mind as long as they know which fligh I take to Japan but bureaucracy in Germany made me terribly paranoid with these kind of things and I always need to be absolutely sure lol.

[u/slip-slop-slap]

What do you mean a combined ticket? A return ticket?

[u/carrotic-evil → u/slip-slop-slap]

yes the combined ticket is one where the return ticket is included even though I don't need it. It's just a way to keep the cost low.

[u/carrotic-evil → u/[deleted]]

Ah well, guess I finally learned the definition for return ticket, thanks for clarifying.

There are non-native speaker and people who are not that experienced with plane travels. Not sure why I get downvoted for learning but I guess that's reddit for you.

[u/FelisCantabrigiensis]

If you don't check in for the return flight, no-one will care. You can even cancel the trip if you want to, though you'll get little back (maybe a few taxes).

If you are going to Japan for literally 1 year or more, then you will find it hard to buy a return ticket for your desired travel dates, because almost no airline will sell a ticket that is valid more than one year from first departure. I.e. you cannot buy a ticket with more than 365 days between outward and return flights.

I will also note that if you buy a return ticket that leaves something like 3 months after you arrive in Japan, it not only saves you money getting there but also gives you an emergency escape route if things are going very badly for you in Japan. You can decide, at the 3 month mark, whether you want to stay the whole year in Japan or leave sooner.

Therefore, I recommend you get the cheaper return ticket and put the return date 2-3 months after arrival in Japan. If things are going well, just do not check in for it, and buy a different ticket home at the end of your time in Japan.

[u/carrotic-evil → u/FelisCantabrigiensis]

Thank you so much! That's such a good approach!

[u/Kensterfly]

It’ll work. Don’t cancel the return portion. If you’re legally moving to Japan, holding a return ticket won’t matter. They won’t ask about your flight unless, maybe. You’re not officially or legally going to be staying in Japan.

There’s nothing the airline can do. If you pull the same thing again in the near future, they might detect it and ban you from the airline. So, consider a different airline next time, if you’re going to skip the return flight again.

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[u/remyrocks]

1. No show fees are typically only deducted from a refund, or if you're trying to change your flight. If you have no intention of taking the flight, I wouldn't worry about it.

2. As far as I know, there's no advantage to canceling the trip back -- it's usually recommended to just no show.

3. As long as you have a valid return ticket, or can show that you have the funds to leave Japan, you will be fine.

[u/Yazim]

1 Can I just buy the combined ticket and use it as a One Way ticket? I heard there are no show fees.

2 Can I buy the combined ticket and then just cancel the trip back?

3 (For those who know about the working holiday visa) Does the japanese embassy mind if I use a combined ticket? I know this sounds like a stupid question because why would they mind as long as they know which fligh I take to Japan but bureaucracy in Germany made me terribly paranoid with these kind of things and I always need to be absolutely sure lol.

1. Yes. You aren't obligated to take your return flight. No-show penalties are deducted from any refund.
2. Yes! In some cases you can. So you save money by getting the round-trip price, and you can sometimes refund the return leg. This is VERY dependent on the ticket class and airline policies however, so might not get you much or anything. Alternatively, you can possibly return it for flight credit, or possibly schedule it far enough out and continually reschedule it until you need a flight home (if you have a ticket with free change fees). This might not always get you the same discounted price however and you'll have to pay the price differences.
3. I don't know. I wouldn't assume that having a ticket home is problematic for any reason, but I'm not familiar with the specifics for Japan.

[u/Disastrous-Egg8923]

You are going to have to buy a ticket home at some time, so you still need to consider that. When my daughter did her University year in Germany from New Zealand we had the same problem. So we bought a return ticket allowing date changes for a $50 fee. Guessed a return date when the ticket was purchased , and then changed it twice. You could also look at one way tickets to Japan on Scoot., Singapore Airlines low cost carrier. They fly from Berlin to Singapore, and from Singapore to Tokyo. They are great value. Sure it takes a bit longer than a direct flight, but can save you a lot of money

[u/carrotic-evil → u/Disastrous-Egg8923]

That's actually a pretty good idea. Do you think I can change the date for the return ticket, say, to one year later?
Thanks for the tips!! I will also look on Scoot.

[u/Disastrous-Egg8923 → u/carrotic-evil]

When we booked the ticket it was departures in June and return mid February; we then changed it to return June, and changed again to end August I think that when you book the initial return, the maximum is 330 days so 11 months. When you are looking into it, just check that the fare allows at least 2 date changes. We used Singapore Airlines , which might not work for you , as there would be cheaper fares on ANA and Lufthansa from Frankfurt and Munich direct to Japan. I think Scoot would be a good option; you would probably find that one way Scoot Plus fares are still cheaper than what I have outlined above Good luck with it and enjoy Japan.!

[u/Guilty_Blueberry_597]

Can you tell me where you're finding return tickets cheaper than one-way please? I’m very interested

[u/carrotic-evil → u/Guilty_Blueberry_597]

Japan Airlines. I don't know why the one way tickets are that expensive there.

[u/Guilty_Blueberry_597 → u/carrotic-evil]

JAL is a premium airline. And Japan is a very popular travel destination…

I try to find the sites where a one-way fare is dear than a return - but I can never see it!

[u/One_Pangolin_999 → u/[deleted]]

It's not skiplagging, that s when you don't take the second sector

[u/jadeoracle → u/[deleted]]

Not skiplagging in this instance. This is called "throw away ticketing".