Airlines that allow post-paid flight tickets when applying for a visa?
In the Schengen visa application process (or other visas requiring a flight schedule), having a flight itinerary confirmation (Flight Itinerary) is mandatory. However, the common mindset is fear of "wasting money" if the visa is rejected after full payment for the ticket.
In reality, consulates do not require you to issue the ticket (Issue ticket) immediately. You can fully use the "Hold my booking" feature of major airlines to get the booking code (PNR) for submission.
Below are some highly reputable airlines that allow "hold booking and pay later":
✈️ Airlines with "Hold My Booking" feature
Instead of paying immediately, you only need to pay a small fee for the airline to hold the seat for 24h to 72h.
Qatar Airways: This is the "national" airline for visa applicants. You can select Hold my booking to hold the seat for 24-72 hours. The hold fee is quite cheap and the PNR code sent via email is extremely professional.
Vietnam Airlines (VNA): At the payment step, you can select the "Pay later" option. VNA usually allows holding the seat for 12-24 hours depending on the ticket class. After this time, if you do not pay, the booking will automatically cancel without fee.
Etihad Airways: Similar to Qatar, this airline also has the fare hold (Hold my fare) option to give you more time to prepare documents.
Lufthansa / Turkish Airlines: Depending on the route, these airlines often allow holding seats or pay later through official agents.
📝 Steps to get a standard "Visa Booking"
Go to the official airline website (don't use the app as features may be limited).
Find the flight matching the schedule declared in your visa application form.
At the payment step: Absolutely do not select "Pay now with card". Look for phrases like: Hold my booking, Pay later, or Cash payment.
Receive confirmation email: After completion, the airline will send you a PDF file or email with full flight details and PNR code (Booking code).
Print and submit: Use this exact file for your visa application dossier.
⚠️ Critical notes
Hold fee: Some airlines charge this fee and it is usually non-refundable. But compared to losing tens of millions on a full ticket, this is a very small amount for peace of mind.
Expiration time: Booking is only valid for a short time (usually 24-72h). So, time it close to your submission appointment date so that when consulate staff checks the system, your PNR is still active.
Absolutely do not use "fake bookings": Some services create fake PDF files without real PNR on the system. If the consulate checks and finds the booking does not exist, your application is very likely to be rejected for fraud!
💡 Advice from me:
The best way is to use the hold feature of major airlines like Qatar or VNA. It's legal, has real codes on the system, and no financial risk. After getting the visa, you can return to pay for that exact ticket or find a cheaper one.
Depending on your strong or weak profile, apply accordingly, as you know how many dossiers the consulate staff receive daily, seeing these airlines is no surprise. So mainly the schedule and you can use the flight selection screen to submit with a cover letter is still reasonable.
