Preparation
Ten minutes now saves hours later
You cannot stop a cancellation or a pickpocket. You can make either one much less expensive. Work through this the night before you fly.
Documents
- Photograph your passport data page and store it in your phone and in your email
- Check your passport has at least six months validity from your return date
- Save a copy of your booking confirmation offline, not just in the airline app
- Write down two emergency contacts on paper and keep them in your wallet
- Check visa and transit rules for every country you pass through, including layovers
Money
- Tell your bank you are travelling so cards are not blocked mid trip
- Carry a second card from a different bank, stored separately from the first
- Keep a small amount of local cash for the first taxi or bus
- Note the number to call if your card is lost, and save it outside your phone wallet
Bags
- Keep medication, chargers, one change of clothes and valuables in your carry-on
- Photograph your checked bag and its contents before you drop it off
- Put a card with your name, email and destination address inside the bag
- Remove old tags so the handler scans the right barcode
Phone
- Download offline maps for your destination city
- Install the airline app and enable flight notifications
- Save the embassy address and phone number for your destination
- Bring a power bank. In a disruption, battery is the difference between options and none
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Related guides
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, and every situation is different. Always check the official airline or government information for your route before acting.