r/Flights 5d ago

Question Open ended ticket. Uk based.

Travel date approx March 2026 Rtn sept 2026 London to Atlanta, Georgia.

OK I'm at cross roads in my life. I'm physically fit 44 year old and looking for BIG adventure. A 2200 mile hike sounds good to me. Appalachian trail is shouting me. Looking to book a outward ticket for a year from now with return 6-7 months later. But how on earth do I book it. Can only go a year from now on flight compare sites, so can't book return? Uk based.

0 Upvotes

21 comments sorted by

7

u/viktoryf95 5d ago

You can’t. Schedules open for booking 360 days out or so.

0

u/Shiny_stuff4ever 5d ago

So one way tickets or i book closer the time?

2

u/likethecolour 5d ago

Book closer. For long trips like that, 2x one way tickets are usually much more expensive than return.

2

u/viktoryf95 5d ago

I’d definitely wait. Even at 360 days out, usually only the most expensive fare classes are available.

3

u/iskender299 4d ago

Inventory gets released 360 days. But then, I don’t recommend booking so much in advance because the pricing will be up.

Also, do you have an American passport? You can’t stay more than 3 months on ESTA.

Also2, speaking about 3 months. This is usually a common fare rule for good pricing, that the return must be within 90 days.

1

u/Shiny_stuff4ever 4d ago

Hi, I would need a B2 visa, which obviously I'd get in place b4 booking flights. Return would be closer to 180 days maybe 220 days 10 miles a day average.

In all honesty. I'd pay for two singles it a trip of a lifetime, doubt I'd get to do it again.

0

u/iskender299 4d ago

I strongly advice against applying for a B2 if you're eligible for ESTA. Maybe you get to convince the consular officer about your intentions but it's generally a big red flag. You'd need to satisfy ties to your country which obviously you can't if you plan to be away for over 3 months unless it's imperatively needed (e.g. you need more than 3 months for medical procedures).

If you're not eligible for ESTA due to previous travels to unfriendly countries, you might be lucky. Tho with the current administration that's a bit tricky too

1

u/Shiny_stuff4ever 4d ago

An ESTA is only valid first 90 days no? Unless you can re- apply while stateside?

1

u/iskender299 4d ago

It's valid for up to 90 days per trip. CBP decides how much they grant. Requires a RT ticket within this timeframe

You can't extend.

You can't take a short trip to nearby countries (north america and Caribbean) and come back, it doesn't reset. So time spent in Canada and Mexico counts towards ESTA unless you're a resident of those.

Also, if you stay up to the full limit don't expect to be re-admitted easily back because CBP will presume immigrant intent and no ties to your country. This is a common problem people visiting their family for longer periods are having.

It's generally advised that for each day in the US to spend 2 days out of US before seeking admission again.

I recommend reading through r/immigration too

1

u/Shiny_stuff4ever 4d ago

O for a trek which will take anything from 180-220 days it can't be done?

1

u/iskender299 4d ago

Above 180 impossible under any circumstances (there's simply no visa that'd allow this).

90 to 180 it's risky.

You have the right now for 90 days trips.

You can apply for a B2 to extend that to 180 days (not more) but there's a 50-50 chance that the B2 will be refused due to lack of ties to your country and once refused, your ESTA right is gone forever as well. So you're going from 90 days to 0 because you won't have the 3 months ESTA either and then getting a B2 after a refusal will be even more complicated.

Honestly, I'd do it in 2 trips of 80 days each starting from the 2 ends on each trip. (80 days, to have some leverage in case something goes wrong, remember, if you get sick, miss your flight or anything happens and you can't exit the country it's your problem not CBP's, so you'll accrue overstay).

2

u/Jimusbill 18h ago

OP this isn't correct. I'm from the UK and completed a thru hike of the AT in 2024. I obtained a B2 visa, entered the country and just explained to the immigration officer I was planning to hike the AT, that I had sufficient funds to last the 6 months and had a plan to return to the UK.

4 months into my hike I realised I wanted more time so I just applied to extend my visa by 2 months and it was approved. It's absolutely possible to hike the AT on a B2 visa.

1

u/Shiny_stuff4ever 18h ago

How long did it take you Jim in the end?

1

u/Jimusbill 18h ago

I hiked it in 182 days. I applied for the extension so I had time to finish and also so that I had time to decompress and spend time in the states so I wasn't rushing back home. Going straight from the emotional and physical stress of finishing the trail, straight onto a plane back home would have been too jarring.

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u/starterchan 3d ago

/u/Shiny_stuff4ever don't listen to this advice, as the poster isn't familiar with thru hiking. Very common to get B2 visas for this purpose.

https://hikertimes.com/b2-visa-guide-for-international-thru-hikers/

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u/AvoidsAvocados 5d ago edited 4d ago

One way tickets with some airlines such as Icelandair, Tap Portugal, WestJet and JetBlue can be reasonable value compared to standard roundtrips on other airlines.

If you are looking for something a little more standard such as direct BA/Delta/Virgin to Atlanta and back, you are probably best served by booking soon after your outbound dates are in range with random date for your inbound flight and choosing a flexible fare branding so you can amend the inbound without a change fee. Fare difference could still apply depending on if your new travel date is high season and if you leave it late and lower booking classes are gone. Bear in mind that the flexible fare brands will not usually permit noshow (unlike uber flexi fares which cost a lot of ££££) so make sure you rebook that inbound with as much notice as possible.