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Single or return

Sunday, 23 Apr 2006 | Leaving the Netherlands

At times I feel that moving abroad should entail so much more things than I can think off. I feel like I’m forgetting a million and one things, it all seems to simple and straight forward. Just a few dozen tasks to complete and I’m on my way. But I guess that really is all there is to it. After all, it’s just a move. Nothing more than that.

What I do like is how some little task involves quite a bit of research and pondering, such as the shipping has been over the last 2 weeks. And this morning I wondered what would be the difference between booking a single or return ticket.

I’ve flown EVA Airways in the past and I’m a big fan of their Evergreen Class (premium economy1) so I plan to fly EVA again. I was hoping to visit Bangkok before my move, which would also have made me a silver member of their frequent flyer programme and as such allow me to take more stuff on the airplane. But helas. Regardless, it is the only carrier that offers premium economy on the AMS-BKK route2 and so the choice for the airline is fairly easy to make.

So with the airline selected, the question is: do I book a single or return ticket. I always thought that a single journey ticket is as expensive or even more than a return ticket, but it turns out a single ticket is €792,- incl. taxes and a return ticket valid for 6 months (the plan is to fly back to Amsterdam at the end of February) would cost almost €300 more.

There is ofcourse the matter of Thai immigration having certain requirements in regards to single journey tickets. But luckily, I’ll meet those requirements.

So … I figured it to be a solid financial decision and perhaps more importantly, an important statement to book a single journey ticket.

Update:
In a response to the above, Simone correctly pointed out to me that I should also take into account the pricing of tickets booked from Thailand, that if they were more expensive my math might not add up and I would be paying more in the long term. I had already looked into that. Tickets out of Thailand are approx. the same price as they are here.

Addendum:
Basically, there are 3 different ticket combinations possible. Taking into account that a ticket with 1 month validity costs €800 and with a six month validity costs €1.100. A single journey ticket also costs €800.

  1. I intend to stay there, but do have to make a return trip in march of next year for my unemployment benefits. So I’d buy a single journey ticket now and a return ticket for the trip in march. Total cost: €1.600,- at the most, €800,- if I find a job within the first 6 months and decide not to make a return trip in march of next year.
  2. I buy a return ticket now because I know I’ll be back in march and then buy a single journey ticket because I feel things will work out in the second set of 6 months. Total cost: €1.900,-
  3. Things don’t work out and I already take precautions by booking another return ticket when I go back at the end of march. Total cost: €2.200,-

I figured I’d add this to solidify the decision I have made. Only in the case of me deciding in the first 6 months that things won’t work out, will I be off more expensive because I’d have to buy 2 single journey tickets.






  1. Premium economy class is an awesome concept. It’s basically normal economy class, but with a little bit more luxury. Or rather, it’s a way for airlines to give their aged business class seats another couple of years of active duty. The food is slightly better, although I remain sceptical of airline food and usually just eat fruit and food I bring myself. The seats are spaced a bit further, which is a good thing for tall people such as myself. And the service is generally a bit better. It’s nowhere near being “almost the same as business class” that some travel agents make it out to be. But it is worth the premium they charge for it over normal economy. Other than EVA, I’ve learned that Martinair, Virgin Atlantic, Air Nippon, Garuda, China Southern, Singapore Airlines, SAS and British Airways either offer or are planning to offer premium economy class on selected flights. I suggest you give it a try, it makes flying a bit more pleasurable instead of the hell it can sometimes be.↩
  2. The other airlines that fly AMS-BKK direct are KLM and China Airlines.↩

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