Onward ticket for Japan and South Korea
Both Japan and South Korea admit many nationalities without a visa, and both expect short-term visitors to show that they are leaving again. The question usually comes at check-in or at the immigration counter, and a one-way booking is what draws it.
What is usually required
Japan admits visitors from many countries visa-free for short stays. Immigration officers may ask to see a departure flight along with your address in Japan.
South Korea requires many visa-free travellers to hold a K-ETA authorisation obtained online before departure, and the application asks about your travel plans. Airlines check the authorisation at check-in.
In both cases the practical checks are:
- At check-in. The airline confirms your authorisation or visa-free eligibility and may ask about your departure flight.
- At immigration. An officer may ask when you are leaving, where you are staying, and why you are visiting.
Check the official Japanese immigration and Korean K-ETA sites for what applies to your nationality — both change their rules periodically — and ask your airline what it will check.
How a ValidFlight reservation helps
ValidFlight places an unticketed reservation with an airline in your name, on the route and date you choose. You receive the booking reference (PNR), the flight details and a printable PDF itinerary by e-mail, usually within minutes. While it is held, the booking can be looked up on the airline's own website under "Manage booking". Prices start from €10.90.
The honest limits:
- A reservation is not a ticket and has no e-ticket number. If an agent or an officer insists on a paid ticket, it may not satisfy them.
- The airline holds an unpaid booking only for a limited time, typically 48 to 72 hours, and then releases it.
- Departures must be at least 10 days away. We cannot create a reservation for a flight sooner than that.
- We cannot predict how an individual agent or officer will decide. Meeting the entry requirements remains your responsibility.
If you need certainty, a refundable or changeable ticket bought from the airline is the safer option.
Timing
- Standard reservation: order it so it is live on the day it will be checked. If that day is further off, tell us the date and we create it the evening before.
- 7-day or 14-day plan: for a processing window whose exact day you do not know. We create a fresh booking each time the previous one is released and e-mail you the new PNR — always use the latest one.
- Keep the PDF offline on your phone and bring a printed copy.
What it is not
A ValidFlight reservation is not a flight ticket. It is unpaid, has no e-ticket number and cannot be used to board any flight. It is not a way around entry rules and must never be presented as a paid ticket. If you are asked directly whether you hold a ticket, answer truthfully. To actually travel to Japan or South Korea you need a real ticket.
Do I need an onward ticket for Japan?
Visa-free visitors may be asked at immigration to show a departure flight along with their address in Japan. Requirements depend on your nationality and can change.
Does K-ETA require a return ticket?
The K-ETA application asks about your travel plans, and airlines check the authorisation at check-in. Whether a departure flight is asked for depends on the agent and the officer.
Will a reservation be enough?
It carries a real booking reference the airline can look up, which is what most agents want to see. Some insist on a paid e-ticket number, which a reservation does not have.
When should I order it?
About a day before departure for a standard reservation, because the airline releases unpaid bookings after roughly 48 to 72 hours.
Can I use it to board a flight?
No. It is unpaid, has no ticket number and cannot be used to travel.
Get a flight reservation
Choose your route and date and receive the PNR and PDF itinerary by e-mail.
More answers in the FAQ. Please read our Terms before ordering.