How much does a dummy ticket cost?
A dummy ticket — a temporary verified flight reservation with a real PNR — typically costs a small flat fee, a tiny fraction of what an actual airline ticket would. Prices vary by provider and validity window, but the point is the same: instead of paying a full non-refundable fare you'll never fly, you pay a modest fee for a genuine, checkable reservation you can use for a visa or airline check-in.
Compared with a long-haul ticket that can run into the hundreds, a dummy ticket is a rounding error.
What affects the price
- Validity window: A short 48-hour reservation is usually the cheapest; longer or date-specific bookings can cost a little more.
- Number of passengers: More travelers on the reservation means a higher total.
- Round-trip vs one-way: A return itinerary has two legs, so it may cost more than a single onward flight.
- Provider quality: Services issuing genuine, verifiable PNRs may charge slightly more than ones selling unverifiable PDFs — and that difference is worth paying.
Cheap isn't always safe
Be cautious with prices that look too low to represent a real booking. Some providers sell "editable" tickets or PDFs with codes that don't exist in any airline system. Those fail the moment someone checks them, and submitting a fake to an embassy can count as fraud. The safety trade-off is covered in our guide on whether a dummy ticket is safe.
The goal isn't the lowest possible price — it's the lowest price for a reservation that's actually real and verifiable.
How much you save vs a real ticket
A refundable or throwaway ticket costs a full fare and ties up your money; a verified reservation costs a small fee and simply expires when you're done. For a visa applicant who may apply more than once, or a traveler who just needs to satisfy a check-in agent, the savings are substantial. See our comparison of a dummy ticket vs a refundable ticket for the full breakdown.
When you're ready, get a verified onward ticket with a real PNR in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are dummy tickets so much cheaper than real tickets?
Because you're not buying a flight — you're paying a small fee for a temporary reservation held in the airline system. There's no seat purchased and nothing to fly, so the cost is a fraction of a real fare while the booking is still genuine and verifiable.
Should I choose the cheapest dummy ticket I can find?
Not necessarily. The cheapest options are sometimes fake PDFs with invalid codes that fail verification. Pay for a reservation with a real, lookup-able PNR — it costs slightly more but actually protects you at check-in or in a visa application.
Does a longer validity cost more?
Often yes. A basic 48-hour reservation is usually the cheapest option, while extended or date-specific validity may cost a little more. Choose the window that matches when your booking will actually be checked.