Travel Planning Checklist: 30 Things to Sort Before You Fly
Use this travel checklist to cover the essentials: documents, money, bookings, health, packing and home. Work through it in the weeks before departure and you will arrive relaxed.
Four to six weeks before
- Check that your passport is valid long enough (many countries require several months beyond your return date).
- Check visa or electronic travel authorisation requirements for your nationality.
- Book flights and accommodation, and save every confirmation in one place.
- Arrange travel insurance.
- Check vaccination or health recommendations for your destination.
- Set a budget and estimate daily costs.
Two weeks before
- Check the weather forecast for each stop.
- Plan airport transfers and local transport.
- Book tickets for must-see attractions and restaurants.
- Tell your bank you are travelling, and check card fees abroad.
- Share the trip with travel companions.
- Download offline maps and translation packs.
The week of departure
- Check in online if available (usually 24 hours before a flight).
- Pack, using the weather outlook as a guide.
- Charge power banks and pack adapters.
- Print or save tickets and key addresses.
- Set an out-of-office or arrange for post and plants.
What to carry in your hand luggage
- Passport or ID, boarding passes, insurance details.
- Phone, charger and a small power bank.
- Medication, a change of clothes and essential toiletries.
- A little local currency or a travel card.
Let the app remember for you
ViaHub builds a checklist for each trip based on your destination and nationality, and reminds you at the right moments: documents a month before, visa checks two weeks before, and check-in or packing a day before.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do before travelling abroad?
Check passport validity and entry requirements, arrange insurance, book and save confirmations, check the weather, tell your bank, share the plan and pack.
How far ahead should I check visa requirements?
At least four to six weeks before departure, because some visas and authorisations take days or weeks to process.
Is there a travel checklist app?
Yes. ViaHub generates a checklist for every trip with entry requirements, documents and a packing list.
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