A few minutes of preparation can save hours of frustration

• Check your passport when you start planning—not the night before you leave.
  Some destinations require passports to remain valid for months beyond the trip, and entry rules vary by country.

• Check visa and entry requirements even for countries you've visited before.
  Rules change. Europe is a good current example: its EES border system is now operational for relevant non-EU short-stay travelers, while ETIAS is scheduled to begin in the last quarter of 2026.

• Save everything offline.
  Flights, hotel confirmations, insurance information, tickets, passport copies, emergency contacts and your itinerary should be accessible without internet service.

• Share your itinerary with someone at home.
  They should know where you're staying and how to reach you.

• Check local holidays.
  That quaint museum, fabulous restaurant or entire town may be closed on precisely the day you've planned to visit.

• Check electrical plugs and voltage.
  An adapter changes the shape of the plug. It doesn't necessarily convert the voltage.

• Leave room in the itinerary.
  One of the easiest ways to ruin a wonderful trip is trying to see absolutely everything.