YOU ASKED, WE ANSWERED: Can I fly into Nicaragua on a one-way ticket?

There are many countries around the world that you may not be allowed to enter as a tourist without proof of onward travel. Nicaragua is one of them.

Simply put, if you have a one-way ticket and no proof of future plans to leave the country within 90 days – either by bus, train or airplane – the agent at the airport you’re departing from can deny you from boarding your flight.

We’ve been traveling in and out of Nicaragua on one way tickets for five years. There have been times when we’ve been asked to show proof of onward travel when checking in for flights and times when we have not.

Personally we would not travel without it.

Although most fall under the category of “grey area methods” there are in fact a few different options available when it comes to providing proof of onward travel.

#1 CREATE A FAKE ITINERARY

Creating a fake itinerary has been known to work for many, especially at land border crossings. If you’re the least bit computer savvy creating a fake itinerary is an easy enough thing to do. We don’t endorse this method, but if it’s the option you’re going with and you need some help check out this post by Andrew and Emily of Along Dusty Roads.

#2 PURCHASE A FULLY REFUNDABLE AIRLINE TICKET

Another option for providing proof of onward travel is to purchase a fully refundable flight and then cancel it. This method can be a bit risky; it’s important to read the fine print regarding the ticket refund process very carefully. If you don’t remember to cancel the flight or can’t get online to do so within the 24 hour period you could end up losing the money you paid for that very expensive ticket.

#3 PURCHASE A BUS TICKET

Purchasing a $29 open ended bus ticket through Tica Bus is a great option, except for one slight problem. Ticabus doesn’t sell tickets online.  But if you happen to have a friend or family member visiting or living in a place where Ticabus tickets are sold you’re in luck. You can have them purchase a ticket on your behalf and then send you a photo or scanned copy of the ticket. 

#4 WING IT

Showing up at the airport with a one-way ticket is another way to go. But as mentioned above you can be denied boarding if you aren’t able to provide proof of onward travel. Although there are instances where travelers have been not asked to show proof of onward travel, us included, we do not recommend “winging it”. 

#5 RENT A TICKET

“Renting” a ticket for a small fee with a company like Onward Ticket is our go to method for showing proof of onward travel. Onward Ticket’s service is provided by an air travel agency who is legally allowed to purchase refundable tickets on behalf of their customers and then cancel them after a maximum period of 48 hours. In our opinion renting a ticket is the safest and easiest bet. The cost is $14 USD. 

As can be seen the answer to the question, “Can I fly into Nicaragua on a way one ticket?” is “yes” as long as you have some sort of proof of onward travel.

Bien viaje!