Is Return Ticket Required - Flying to DR

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
1,462
6
0
Do I need a return ticket to USA or other destination when flying from USA to the DR? This will be my first time trying to fly one way from the USA to the DR. Any insight is helpful and appreciated.
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
4,837
0
0
Not really

They say you do but I haven't ever been asked ( I am not sure the avaerage tourist is asked anything on arrival, frankly). If you are asked I suppose you just say you have $$ or a creidt card to buy a ticket when you are sure of the date.

One caveat: if the requirement for a return ticket is known by the airline then even if they sell you a ticket, one-way, they may not let you fly one-way unless you show them you have an onward ticket, which may not be back to where you left, on them , but another airline, say Aeropostal SDQ- Caracas, etc. Any refusals by immigration for bad documents are the responsibility of the airline.

You might find it cheaper to buy a round trip ticket anyway. One way is often quite a lot.
 

rubia_gringa

New member
May 19, 2004
40
0
0
I'm pretty sure that you have to buy a return ticket, because my friends who were planning on staying for a while bought one-way tickets to SDQ, and ended up having to buy a return ticket on the spot (for about $1000 - they got an open-ended ticket). If anyone has a different story, let me know, but I'm pretty sure you need proof of some sort of return ticket.
 

GringoCArlos

Retired Ussername
Jan 9, 2002
1,416
40
0
You need a flight ticket out of the DR ,unless you either have a DR passport or a current Temporary or Permanent Residency card as a foreigner.
 

Conchman

Silver
Jul 3, 2002
4,586
160
63
57
www.oceanworld.net
In my experience, DR Immigration does not look/ask for this when you arrive. However, American Airlines checks this when checking in and I have been forced to buy return ticket several times, before I got my residency. Not sure if other airlines check it.
 

ustelephone

Member
Mar 31, 2004
361
2
18
www.ecoislandadventures.com
My friend tried to fly American on June 7th out of Miami on a one-way ticket. First the agent said no, then 2 Metro-Dade Police officers showed up, then my friend decided to buy a return ticket without discussing it further. The cops asked questions like "Do you have a green-card there?". The agent said she WOULD NOT give him a boarding card with a return ticket. He did try saying that he was continuing on to Spain, the agent said she needed to see a ticket to Spain.

I am here on a one-way ticket, and have done it several times. Guess I just rolled the dice and won every time.

I was told by someone who knows there stuff that the reason is that if DR imigration turns you back (they require you to have a return ticket, but rarely check) the airline is fined over $2,000 USD.

A solution is to purchase a return ticket at full-fare (refundable) and when you arrive here call or go in and refund the ticket. No cost, no police, no problems.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
I have been asked

To show my residence in the DR when flying through MIA.

She looked through my passport and then asked where my return ticket was. I showed her my Residence Card and it was OK..

Maybe aith 9-11 on everyone's mind this will get tougher...Hope so.

HB
 

santanatwins

New member
Jan 20, 2004
153
8
0
9/11 long-lasting effects

One of the aftermath effects of 9/11 was the strict following of the roundtrip ticket requirements. One-way tickets set off warning bells at the checkin counter since they believe that terrorist only by one-way tickets.

Also if you purchase a ticket woth-in a 48 hour period, you will have to go thru an extra security area at the airport. I happen to experience this everytime I travel since my company usually buys my tickets with short notice.
 

franco

New member
Nov 5, 2003
144
0
0
Conchman said:
In my experience, DR Immigration does not look/ask for this when you arrive. However, American Airlines checks this when checking in and I have been forced to buy return ticket several times, before I got my residency. Not sure if other airlines check it.

AA not always checks return ticket, but it's easy to purchase a refundable ticket from Santo Domingo to San Juan for about $100 as a return ticket.
 

RHM

Doctor of Diplomacy
Sep 23, 2002
1,660
30
0
www.thecandidacy.com
Interesting

I was in the US last weekend and on my return trip was asked (in Miami) for my return ticket...that was the first time in two years(I live in SD) and I have gone back and forth 8 times...not many times compared to many on this board but quite a few to have never been asked........

I ended up buying a return ticket (refundable) and need to cancel it prior to the return flight......not a big deal but the two times that i have gone to AA (Churchill) the place has been packed....I took a number Friday....#37...they were currently serving #3....no thanks.........anybody know a better AA office in the city?....phone reps can't do it...you have to go to a ticketing agent in person...The Churchill office is conveniently located close to my work but I could probably grow a beard during the waiting period....thanks

Scandall
 

ustelephone

Member
Mar 31, 2004
361
2
18
www.ecoislandadventures.com
Scandall said:
I was in the US last weekend and on my return trip was asked (in Miami) for my return ticket...that was the first time in two years(I live in SD) and I have gone back and forth 8 times...not many times compared to many on this board but quite a few to have never been asked........

I ended up buying a return ticket (refundable) and need to cancel it prior to the return flight......not a big deal but the two times that i have gone to AA (Churchill) the place has been packed....I took a number Friday....#37...they were currently serving #3....no thanks.........anybody know a better AA office in the city?....phone reps can't do it...you have to go to a ticketing agent in person...The Churchill office is conveniently located close to my work but I could probably grow a beard during the waiting period....thanks

Scandall

There is an American Airlines office on the Conde in the Colonial Zone. I believe the intersection is Sanchez. It's in the middle somewhere. It's has always been empty when I have gone there.
 

Juan_Lopez

New member
Oct 21, 2003
74
0
0
that has also been my experience 'ustelephone' the longest i ever waited there was 30 minutes. early morning was best for me.

ustelephone said:
There is an American Airlines office on the Conde in the Colonial Zone. I believe the intersection is Sanchez. It's in the middle somewhere. It's has always been empty when I have gone there.
 

Bok

New member
Mar 13, 2004
179
0
0
It depends.....

Prior to 9-11 I have only been asked for a return ticket once. It was upon check-in at the AA desk in JFK, as I didn't have a return ticket I was asked if I had a credit card then, somehow that should 'prove' that I could always buy my way out of the DR then. Got on the plane with no further ado.

After 9-11 I've had quite some trouble getting on the plane with one-way tickets. It depends on how strict the person at the counter is.
An Alitalia woman wouldn't book me on the plane no matter what. I convinced her to book me on the first leg of the trip into Madrid where I would have to change to an Air Europa flight. Air Europa didn't ask for anything and checked me in right away.
Iberia asked for a return ticket when I checked-in in Brussels, but they let me on the plane when I told them my recidency was in the making (true). From Malaga and Madrid I've checked-in with no problems.

I has never been asked by authorities in either POP or SDQ to produce a return ticket.

I'm happy that I have recidency now. No more sweaty palms when checking in. :nervous:

Cheers,
Bok