My Dummy Ticket
Plain-English answers from people who've worked both sides of the border counter. Written daily by four travel-industry insiders.
Costa Rica's airlines and officers may ask how you'll leave, even if you plan to cross by bus. Here are honest answers to the questions backpackers ask most.
Who checks a dummy ticket, when, and what do they actually see? Straight answers on airline desks, officers and the three things that get flagged.
Heading to Barbados on a one-way flight? Here are the questions backpackers ask about onward proof, who checks first and how to keep your plans flexible.
Do you need an onward ticket for a Canada eTA or visitor visa? Here are the real questions travellers ask, answered simply, from who checks to how to test your booking.
Bolivia checks onward-ticket proof differently at El Alto airport than at land borders like Copacabana. Here are the real questions backpackers ask.
Kenya's eTA confirms you can travel, not that you're leaving. Here is what the airline actually checks before you board for Nairobi.
The UK and US governments both tell visa applicants not to buy flights before a decision. Here's what embassies really expect from a dummy ticket, and five myths to drop.
Some passports skip Japan's visa entirely, others need a full application with a flight itinerary attached. Real backpacker questions on when a dummy ticket actually covers it.
One-way digital nomads need a repeatable onward-ticket kit, not a one-time booking, since airlines and visa applications check for it differently at every border.
An approved India e-Visa is not the last checkpoint. Airline check-in asks a separate question, and here is exactly what to have ready for both.
The Dominican Republic requires proof of onward or return travel, and expects you to carry it throughout your trip, not just at the airport. Here's what airlines and immigration actually check.
A backpacker's Q&A on what actually separates a dummy ticket from a real one, and when a refundable fare is worth the extra cost instead.