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Here is the potential situation: You buy a round-trip ticket from Tokyo to Paris via Beijing, and go to Paris. After spending time in Paris, you want to spend some time in Beijing.

In this case, is it feasible to get on the return flight to Beijing, but instead of returning back to Tokyo, get off at Beijing using the return ticket?

In other words, I want to ditch the return ticket only from Beijing to Tokyo. Surely I know I have to buy another ticket to leave Beijing (and for your information I don't necessarily like to return to Tokyo; maybe next to Seoul or Hong Kong).

If this is possible, what should I do? Is it enough to just notify a staff at check-in counter that I want to get off at Beijing and thus don't want the airline to transfer my check-in baggage?

NOTE: I consider it only on return trip. If you do this in an outbound ticket you will lose the ticket, won't you?

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  • How about an open-jaw ticket Tokyo-Paris-Beijing? – fkraiem Jun 5 '16 at 4:09
  • Ah, the decision to stay in Beijing was made after the ticket is bought. Then I'd say you should get better at planning, and about the actual question, it has been asked many times already. – fkraiem Jun 5 '16 at 4:15
  • You know, there are many questions on doing this outbound. But I've never thought about dumping the "last half only of the return trip". Interesting! – Fattie Jun 5 '16 at 18:28
  • Right, my primary question is not on the travel plan/strategy but on the possibility of using only the last half of the return ticket, which I'm sure has never been posted here. – Blaszard Jun 5 '16 at 18:38
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Can you do this, yes, but the airline will reprice your ticket based on the new routing and will charge you any difference if the new airfare is higher plus a change fee.

If you try to avoid re-ticketing by not informing the airline, traveling with only carry-on bags and then leave the flight in Beijing, you may have issues with Chinese Immigration, as airlines provide them with advance lists of who is disembarking and who is transiting. Now whether the Immigration officers check each person against that list, I am not certain, which is why I said 'may'.

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Yes, you can. And I did.

I just tried it from my recent trip from Narita to Shanghai Pudong via Incheon transit. I first asked Asiana Airline via email if it is possible, and they answered I must call by phone to cancel the flight.

Then I called, and the operator said I should cancel the flight at the check-in counter. They seemed to not cancel my flight at that time.

Then at the time of check-in, I asked again and the staff there said I can, as long as I book another return ticket and show him the ticket. I didn't have another ticket, so I immediately tried to search for and booked my return ticket, which is from Incheon to Narita in 6 days after.

He accepted it, but during him checking my (original) ticket, he said that I can change the date of the ticket!. According to his explanation, I didn't have to book another return ticket; I should just change the date of the ticket of the only Incheon to Narita part.

Hmmm... it's too stressful. It meant that I replaced my Asiana ticket with the cheap LCC one and also lost my US$100. Sigh... My ignorance...

But if you want to ditch only the last part of your return flight, it is possible!.

NOTE:

Because I just booked my flight shortly before the departure, and hadn't booked my hotel, I got myself into the investigation room at immigration. You shall be better off expecting a slightly more demanding, scrutinizing inspection.

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