Roundtrip airfare starting in Europe?

Why aren’t you calling the airline? Won’t they have the right information?

Lifetime travel, they may but not always. Depends on the agent you get. And also whether they think about volunteering the info I don’t know to ask about. Like all the specifics how you can or can’t use that flight credit. The first time I had one I didn’t know all the restrictions to ask about and they didn’t volunteer it.

But I appreciate your time. I guess you don’t know have experience doing this either?

TTM, there may be some airline specific issues. If you don't find answers here try Flyertalk Forums for the airline. Those folks have a wealth of information.

jeanm, you may well be right. I will also search Flyer Talk and see what I find.

You won't have any problems with this. I do this all the time except I tend to book tickets (bus. class) that start in Tunis rather than Europe. Lots of cheap fares if you originate out of N Africa.

I am about to use the return portion of a trip I started in January (flew TUN-DEN and will fly DEN-BCN in a few weeks time to go hiking in the Pyrenees and then the Alps). And in a few days, I will book another multicity ticket either starting in Milan or Tunis and returning home and then the return portion will be to S Asia.

I know that sometimes airlines have restrictions on "nested" trips (ie you buy an A-B round trip with the dates far apart and then a B-A round trip in the middle), but idk if that applies to one-ways, too. I agree on flyertalk. This is a very avgeek question and they probably know more than any of us here.

All good information to have!

Don't know how this plays into iy but my RT BUD / IAD bought 75 days prior to the flight was under $600 on Lufthansa.

But you travel to Europe about a gazillion times a year so you know what you are doing.

TTM, Good question! I always start my travel in Europe, years ago I had a O/W as you've described & ended up buying RT from Europe. Only once, a decade ago, a (Norwegian Air) agent asked about my return trip out of Schengen. Because somewhere in the fine print, you're suppose to have a return ticket if you're just visiting. I showed them a screenshot confirmation, which could have meant anything but they accepted it. Just saying.... frankly I would do what you want to do, consider buying the next ticket back before you leave Europe after next September trip if it concerns you? (BTW, as an EU resident, now I don't think about it.)

I had a similar situation to Sandisco. I had a one-way ticket using points to Europe and a ticket on a different airline from Europe to the U.S. I was unable to complete online check in (I got a message that I needed to check in at counter). When I checked in for my flight in the U.S., the United agent asked about my return flight. When I told her my return ticket was on Icelandair, that sufficed. The agent was just checking that I was in compliance with Schengen rules.

I’d also check to make sure you can use flight credit in Nov 2026. Credits typically expire (often 1 year after original purchase). For some airlines, the expiration is a “book by” date and for others it is a “travel by” date.

All good things to think about. Thank you!

First, it’s not definitive, but after doing some searching on Flyertalk, I think it would be fine. There are rules about nesting but it seems to have more to do with 2 round trips trying to cut prices than what I would be doing. Also maybe stuff about minimum stays - don’t know if it applies but I feel like I would be well past minimums any way you look at it.

I definitely need to check on the flight credit expiration - that is the first piece of seeing whether it’s a good idea or not. If next Nov. is too far away, I will use my flight credit (not as efficiently) for my July return (if possible) and go back to normal ways of ticket buying after that.

For my 4 month trip this spring, which was ALL one ways, I was asked about an onward flight 3 times: twice I had to show my next flight booking at the airline counter before I could board to head to the next country and once I was asked at immigration somewhere (maybe Helsinki).

Mr. Ë, that is a really good price. I’ve been looking at some options, but none have been that good..… Although I have a friend who just bought a RT to Athens for a little less than that for March.

Also remember, you can always ask the airline nicely to extend the expiration of the credits. It helps if you have some status. You may luck out and get a nice agent.

Oooh, nice tip, Arnold. I do have status and will probably need the extension.