hypothetical flight question
 

Hypothetically, what would happen if you had non-refundable tickets and you missed your return flight home? Planning my trip to Europe this summer and was just curious. I was guessing you would just be able to pay the difference for a later flight. Is that right? Thanks.

I've heard of several scenarios:

1) You have to buy a completely new ticket, at the going rate for a walkup fare (very expensive). I think in most cases, the airline can force you to do this if it wants. Anything else is a kindness on their part.
2) You have to pay some fee, but less than a full ticket.
3) The airline puts you on a later flight without charge.

If you can see you are going to miss your flight, phone the airline right then and try to make arrangements to change your tickets.

What you do mean by "missed your flight home"?

Do you just doesn't show up at the airport, and then call the airline or walk to the airport 5 days later to try get on a flight? In that case, you'll need to buy a new ticket.

...and any advance purchase benefit will be squat, nada, SFA, etc.

There's this classic thread about a worst-case scenario:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34533129

partly depends on why you missed the flight. If it is the airline's fault - you're usually OK. But it doesn't sound like that is your scenario.

If you just miss your flight you are totally at the mercy of the airline. Don't count on merely being able to pay the difference. That is pretty unlikely. You'd probably have to buy a full fare, walk up ticket - and then only if seats are available.

If you were on a full fare ticket in the first place you'd have lots more options - but non-changeable/non-refundable usually means just that.

There are so many fares and types of restrictions that it is virtually impossible for anyone besides your airline to give you the correct answer. In general, though, if you simply don't show up and do not call to change the reservation in advance you are SOL and would have to buy a new - and likely very expen$ive - ticket. If you do call to try to change your return flights, sometimes you can do so for a penalty fee plus any difference in fare.