Booking onward travel?
While waiting to check-in for my flight, I was ready to be asked if they could see my onward travel plans from Argentina. I wasn’t expecting to be told that my travel plans weren’t good enough. And that they’d need to see something else or I wouldn’t be able to board the plane.
My original plan was to arrive in Argentina and spend a few days in the city’s capital, Buenos Aires. Before flying up to Iguazu Falls. But I didn’t realise that for both Argentina and Brazil, you need proof of onward travel. And that your onward travel cannot be to one of these two countries. It has to be to the likes of Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia etc. Of course, a return to your home country works too.
What does this mean for you?
The good news is that booking onward travel doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to have a flight booked. It could be as simple as a bus ticket. Thankfully, most bus companies offer refunds. As long as you cancel your journey more than an hour before departure.
Whatever option you choose, just make sure that you don’t need a visa to enter the country. For example, British citizens need a visa before they enter Paraguay. Don’t go through the hassle of booking onward travel if you don’t have a valid visa. You’ll be left having to rush around the airport, trying to find an internet connection, so you can book some sort of bus or plane ticket to ensure you can actually board the plane. That doesn’t make for a good start to the trip.
I was so happy when they let me board the plane as there was less than an hour left till my departure. I honestly thought I’d have to head home with my tail between my legs. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case and I made it to Buenos Aires three flights and 27 hours later.