Travel Preparation
Before You Fly: The Checklist That Prevents Most Problems
Twenty minutes of preparation removes most of the panic from a disrupted trip. Here is exactly what to do.
Last checked: September 2026
A week before
- Confirm passport validity, some countries require six months beyond your return
- Check visa or travel authorisation requirements for your nationality
- Buy or review travel insurance, and read the delay and baggage sections specifically
- Check whether your connection time is realistic for the airports involved
The night before
- Download the airline app and check in
- Screenshot your boarding pass, apps fail at the worst moment
- Charge the power bank
- Put medication and one change of clothes in the carry-on
- Write the key phone numbers on paper
At the airport
- Photograph your bag tag stub
- Note the actual departure time against the scheduled one
- Keep the boarding pass after you land, it is evidence if anything goes wrong
Free guide
Our Before You Fly emergency guide collects all of this into one page you can save to your phone.
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.
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