I need to buy a one way ticket from Japan to the US. Are there any penalties involved if I buy a round trip ticket from the US to Japan and back and then not use the 1st leg of the ticket (to Japan). The price is so much better buying the round trip fare. Appreciate any advice

(You might try the Airlines forum.)

Technically, you are violating your contract with the airlines if you buy a round-trip ticket then you throw away the return part. In practice, they're not going to do anything about it. However, realize that this only works if you throw away the LAST part of your ticket, the return. You can't skip the first part of your trip or they will cancel the whole thing. Book your trip from Japan to the US and then US to Japan as a round trip and throw the last half away.

Andrew

Hello jandb, you do NOT want to do this. If you buy a roundtrip ticket that is from the US to Japan and then Japan to the US and you do NOT use the 1st leg of the ticket, US to Japan the airlines will cancel your flight that is from Japan to the US.

It won't work that way. If you buy a R-T ticket and don't use the first leg the airline will cancel the whole ticket and you will lose all of your money.

You COULD buy a Japan > USA > Japan ticket, use the first leg and not the return trip. That will usually work.

When we moved from the east to the west coast several years ago, we bought a round trip ticket and didn't use the second half. We knew it was "illegal" but the savings were very significant so we took our chances.
So far "they" haven't come after us.