A smooth trip to Europe starts with a few checks before you leave home. Passport rules, entry requirements and the usual essentials have a habit of catching travellers out at the worst moment, the check-in desk or the border. Run through this practical checklist before you fly, so the only surprise on your trip is a pleasant one.
- Check your passport's validity carefully, post-Brexit rules are stricter for EU travel.
- Confirm current entry requirements for your destination well before you travel.
- Sort travel insurance, the essentials and your airport transfer in advance for a stress-free start.
Is your passport valid for EU travel?
Since Brexit, UK travellers face stricter passport rules for the EU, broadly, your passport must be issued within the previous ten years and valid for a period beyond your stay. It is the single most common thing to catch people out, so check the exact current requirements for your destination well ahead, renewing takes time.
What entry requirements apply?
Entry rules can change, and new EU systems for non-EU visitors have been phased in, so confirm what currently applies to your destination before you travel. Check official government travel advice for the latest, rather than relying on what was true on your last trip a few years ago.
What else should you sort in advance?
Travel insurance, any required health cover, and the practical essentials, the right adaptors, enough of any medication, and copies of your documents. Get them done at home, not in a panic at the airport. Our hand-luggage guide covers what to keep with you.
Don't forget the journey there
With the paperwork sorted, the last thing to organise is getting to the airport calmly and on time, the part you most control. A pre-booked transfer handles the timing and the journey, so a trip that starts with careful preparation also starts without stress. See our when-to-leave guide.