American on one-way flight

I am an American going to Madrid this August for an extended stay (more than 3 months). I found a really good deal on a one-way plane ticket (about half the cost of the cheapest round-trip tickets I looked into). I am going on only a tourist visa and today I just heard from a travel agent that I will not get through customs in Madrid if I come in on a one-way ticket. Is this true? Should I just buy a round-trip ticket instead, just to be on the safe side?

My friend had that same issue. I think you should just do the best you can with a roundtrip ticket.

I came like that, don't worry about it. If they ask (which they won't) say you are not sure when you want to leave but you know about all the rules, da da da.

I've come and gone on one-way tickets several times. No one has ever looked at my tickets, asked me anything, etc. They just take your passport, leaf through it, stamp it and "NEXT!".

Anessa, I just returned from Madrid on 5/2. Not one person stamped my passport, looked at my luggage, or did anything. I went from Chicago to Paris, to Madrid. Nothing. My husband went separately as he had to stay longer and make a stop in Hanover Germany. He also didn't get stopped, stamped, or anything. We did go round trip, but I hear with the exchange rate, it is cheaper to buy a ticket in EU for the return. Our ticket was only $378 roundtrip from Chicago, so I don't know how much cheaper you can get.

My daughter will be travelling to Spain as student for 6 months. The program supplies her one way airfare to Spain but we are responsible for her one way fare back. What was the great deal you have. All I have seen have been very high. She'll be flying from Boston or Providence. Thanks

I'm leaving for Spain soon on a one-way ticket because I can't find a round trip since I'm staying for a year (the restrictions are always that you return within 3-6 months, at least from what I've seen online), and it's super expensive to go from Hawaii to Spain and this was the only good deal that I could find. Anyway, this might be a dumb question, but when they look at your passport, how do they know that you only had a one-way ticket?

ilovemadrid, they won't know. The problem may arise when you check in. The airlines ensure that all passangers aboard the plane have propper visas, etc. so they aren't faced with returning the passanger. "Most" airlines will let you slide with a one-way ticket but I've encountered a couple counter agents who have required a return ticket. Be prepared to buy a one-way (return) ticket when you check in. If you have a credit card handy you can purchase a very expensive refundable one-way and cash it in once you arrive at your destination. I've had to do that twice before, once with BA and also with Air France. On British, I had to purchase the one-way ticket and when I went back to the counter to check in, the new agent didn't bat an eye at my one-way ticket! I had just wasted a half an hour and a $2000 temporary credit card charge for nothing. If you have problems and there are plenty of check-in agents, you could go to another one and see if you get a different answer! It really will be in the hands of the counter agent.

Marcia, does your daughter have a student visa? If so, she'll be fine. It's very common for students to travel on one-way fares. If she doesn't have a student visa, see if you have time to get one. There is paperwork involved so you should start early. Since she's going on a program my guess is they have arranged for student visas.

I came Spain on a one way ticket, all they did was ask me about that before I left and I just told them that I didn´t know when I would be comiing back. Since I was going one-way, i did get searched but that was it. If you just tell them that you are going to traveling and are going to leave from a different airport or something like that. It seems logical that you could have bought a one-way ticket back on another airline from a different airport, right? I can´t believe the stories from people who have had problems!

Thanks for the help and suggestions! I hope that it goes without any problems