One Way Ticket To Europe

The next big thing I need to do to prepare for my extended stay in Europe next year is to figure out how to buy my plane ticket. I'm not sure what city I'll fly into yet, but I need to buy a one-way ticket. And I know this is not always easy.

I'm going to Europe for about five months beginning in February, and will be roaming around the entire time, so I'm not sure exactly where I'll depart from when I finish travel sometime in July. Night now I'm just concerned with finding an affordable way to get there. I've been studying tips on using a consolidator and trying to wrap my brain around throwaway ticketing so I understand the possible implications of only using part of a round-trip ticket if I can't score a decent one-way fare. I've read all sorts of things about problems entering certain European countries without a return ticket. Since I'm flexible on where I begin my journey (although I'm leaning towards Portugal/Spain), should I pick a country that has a record of low-hassle treatment for one-way travelers? Or do I buy a round-trip ticket and pray for no problems when I don't use the return portion? I'd rather buy a one-way tix if I can score a decent winter fare, and then depend on my proof of onward travel (Eurail pass or confirmation of accommodation elsewhere) to prove that I'm not planning to hang in one country for an undetermined length of time.

There are obviously pros/cons to these different scenarios — I'm looking for the smartest and cheapest way to get to Europe and be able to stay for five months without encountering problems with the airlines or airport security on my way over. This may be asking too much, I realize…but I'll figure out the best option for me eventually. I'm curious to gather the opinions and suggestions of other travelers who may have done a similar US to Europe extended visit. Anyone willing to share personal experiences or ideas on how best to approach this?

Filed under: Learning, Business