Job Discussion Forums

[PKB]

What type of airfare did you purchase for your first trip to study/work in abroad?

Since the desired return date is unknown and since return fares are often required I was wondering what type of fares most people bought.

One way, round trip with fixed dates (change penalties), round trip with flexible dates?

I just know that tickets without restrictions can be quite pricey. Also for a fixed departure date would you set it far into the future? I figure if you have a fixed return date 360 days after arrival the arrival date immigration might be a hassle (assuming you arrive as a tourist and are seeking a TEFL certification and work).

I'm just wondering how other peope generally handled this.

Thanks,

PKB

[ls650]

round trip with fixed dates (change penalties)

Maybe you should post this question as a 'poll'.

[denise]

Round trip with flexible dates and destinations. And when I decided to stay on for a second year instead of going home, that return destination changed from San Francisco to Athens--a nice Greek vacation!

d

[Jizzo T. Clown]

One-way, every time.

[PKB]

[Gordon]

The two different employers I have worked with overseas both paid for my airfare. One was in Korea and the other Japan. Both were one way deals.

[coffeespoonman]

One way - on a ship...

Florida to Lisbon, then train all the way to Istanbul.

Flying makes me pee myself.

[ls650]

[Guy Courchesne]

One way ticket, initially. A company paid me to drive a car for a snowbird from Toronto to Miami. With what they paid me, I bought a ticket to Mexico.

[Cdaniels]

I have an idea that I might take a bus to Mexico (From Denver) I've done overnight bus trips before, they're not bad. I might have a lot of time to kill before getting to Mexico, and its cheaper than staying in a motel (or even a hostel)
I've stayed overnight in a tiny little metal bunk in a tiny metal room on an overnight ferry trip on the Atlantic. That was bad. Extreme cold can be bad too, though. An ride in an old VW bug on a freezing cold rainy night is pretty unpleasant. A ship or bus built for long trips (passengers travelling not just crew/cargo) is not too bad. Getting there is supposed to be half the fun, right?

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

If my Camel won't take me ...



Turns a few heads on the high street too ... the wings do that is

[acwilliams]

Well, for my first ESL job (in China), the school bought a one-way ticket for me and sent it to me in England by DHL... guess they wanted a teacher pretty badly. That was back in 2001. Most schools in China wouldn't do that any more - they've been burned too often by teachers doing the old midnight run.

PKB wrote:

[Calories]

Round trip with fixed dates from Buffalo to Beijing. It was cheaper than a one way from Toronto.

[Perpetual Traveller]

I bought a round trip ticket because I used my frequent flyer miles to get it and there wasn't a one way option. I didn't intend to use the return portion but then my dad had a big party for his 60th and I was able to use it to go home for the party so actually it worked out better that way.

The thing that really annoys me about the round trip tickets is that even if you get one that is valid for 12 months they usually include the booking period in that 12 so that if you sign a one year contract the ticket will expire about a month before your contract does.

Of course sometimes it pays to look into round trip fares even if you aren't planning on returning for a long time because sometimes they are cheaper than the one ways! Stupid, but there you have it.

PT

[PKB]