Questions and Answers

Hi, I am planning to visit Korea and stay for 5nights and visit to Saipan by Korean air again. But I was told that I am breaking Cabotage rule. I never heard about it. I google it but I couldn’t clearly understand that. Am I allow to enter Saipan by Korean air and stay there for 3nights and come back to Korea and stay for few weeks and fly back to the US by Korean air? Please advise if I am breaking law or I am all right.

TPG had an article with a similar situation to yours, involving the same countries and carriers. Basically, if you’re in Korea for more than 96 hours for each connection, you’re fine

[URL]https://thepointsguy.com/news/illegal-itinerary-mistake-story/[/URL]

[QUOTE=”David W, post: 64578, member: 29″]TPG had an article with a similar situation to yours, involving the same countries and carriers. Basically, if you’re in Korea for more than 96 hours for each connection, you’re fine

[URL]https://thepointsguy.com/news/illegal-itinerary-mistake-story/[/URL][/QUOTE]

Thank you David. I was concerning if I get denied to enter into Saipan or back to the US when I get there using Korean air not by the US air. Sounds like Cabotage rule is for the air line which sells the ticket illegally. However, I want to hear clearly from government so, I contacted the US Department of State and US Customs and boarder protection but they kept referring me back and forth. No one could clarify about that as you did. It was so disappointed.

I wouldnt be surprised if they’re especially vague to consumers to try and force you to book travel on a US airline instead.

It’s up to the airline to issue you a ticket though, so if Korean air let you book US-Korea-Saipan and back as a single ticket with long stopovers in Korea, it’s they who’ll be fined if it’s an illegal itinerary.