Buying a round-trip ticket on an international flight but not using the return ticket--tagged as suspicious?

My brother is going to Rome for about six months for culinary school, leaving the U.S. the last week of September. I was checking flights for him, and it's going to cost about $1700 if he books his return flight for six months down the road, instead of, say, scheduling his return ticket a month later but not using it until springtime. I realize there are a lot of really sticky regulations with international flights, especially flying back into the U.S., and I got to wondering if my brother's ticket would be tagged as suspicious if he didn't use his return flight on this ticket but booked another round-trip ticket later. He won't be coming back to the States for six months, but we don't have the extra $600 we'd have to pay to schedule his return trip for April--the rate quoted for a late October return was just over $1100. What should my brother do to keep from being tagged as suspicious in booking his flight? Any links for first-time international travelers would be awesome.

Buying a round-trip ticket on an international flight but not using the return ticket--tagged as suspicious?
What he probably should try is to book his return as far out as possible that still gets him the lowest fare, and then check to see how much any penalties are for rescheduling the flight. The problem is that the cheaper the flight, the more restrictions are placed on the ticket, but even if it's $200, it's still a substantial savings. It might be worth looking into. Good luck.
Reply:Depending on the type of ticket you buy, it may be non negotiable, which will mean that you won't be able to change the return date at a later stage.





Check out the cost of buying another ticket in 6 months time...flight prices are seasonal and I think you'll find out that buying two tickets will ultimately work out a lot more expensive. Easter / April is a popular time to visit Rome, as the weather is pleasant and there aren't as many tourists as in summer, hence the price difference.
Reply:in all reality i think any international flight puts you on a list

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