Do you need an onward or return ticket to fly to Vietnam from China, and will the airline check it?

Travelers departing from China reported that check-in staff in Chengdu did not ask for a return ticket at all: boarding passes were issued normally, and immigration in Vietnam also did not request onward travel proof.

There is also firsthand experience on a route via China with departure through Guangzhou: no one asked about a return ticket either in Sheremetyevo or during the China leg. The only extra thing mentioned was a QR code for China.

According to traveler feedback, airline staff in China often do not check onward or return tickets when you are leaving the country, since their main concern is that you are exiting China. That makes issues at Chinese check-in counters less likely.

Rules are not enforced the same way everywhere: one traveler said an onward ticket was checked when departing from Bangkok. If you want to avoid any boarding risk, the safer option is to hold a refundable or cancellable ticket.

A separate report from Hong Kong was also uneventful: the passenger boarded without being asked for a return ticket. This suggests the check is more airline- and airport-specific than a standard Vietnam entry requirement in practice.