Travel checklist

Passport… check. Sunglasses… check. Condoms… check. Good to go, right? Wait. Stop. Have you remembered to do everything else on our travel checklist? Make sure you pack right with our expert guide.

Top 10 checklist for travelling abroad

1. Passport, passport, passport – Sorry for stating the bleeding obvious, but if you don’t have a passport have you given yourself enough time to apply for one? It can take up to 10 weeks to order online, however for an extra fee you can get one in a week using the fast track service. If you already have a passport check the expiry date. Valid? Great, now pack it.
2. Travel insurance – Choosing what type is complicated, so we decided to dedicate a whole article to explaining it properly. Find out all you need to know about travel insurance here.
3. Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) – A GHIC or EHIC gets you money off (or sometimes free) healthcare when you’re travelling in the EU or Switzerland. It doesn’t cost anything and takes around seven days to apply online, although current wait times are extended, so make sure you give yourself enough time. But remember this is as well as travel insurance – not instead of it.
4. Visas – If you’re a British or EU Citizen you won’t need a visa for most of Europe. If you’re going further afield you might need a visa. You can find other countries’ entry requirements on the gov.uk website.
5. Vaccinations – Depending on where you’re going, it’s not just your packing checklist for overseas travel you need to think about. Thankfully, if you’re travelling internationally, websites like Masta tell you what jabs you need and when to get them. It’s a good idea to get these sorted AT LEAST 8 weeks before you leave, as you may need boosters to build your immunity. However, don’t panic if you’ve left it too late – get it done as soon as you remember, as some protection is better than nothing. 
6. Covid passport/testing – For a while, an important part of any international travel checklist was knowing whether you needed to be vaccinated against Covid or take a test before you leave the UK. By now, however, many countries are dropping their Covid vaccine/passport entry requirements, but it’s a good idea to check what the rules are where you’re travelling here. 
7. Medication – Ask your GP for enough medication to last you through your trip as well as a note proving it’s legit.
8. Label all of your stuff – Write your name, address and phone number on everything: small bags, big bags, camera bags and suitcases. If they go missing or end up on another flight it will make getting them back a whole lot easier.
9. Check-in online – Sometimes airlines demand that you do this, other times it just means getting through to duty free faster. Check what’s required when you buy your flight tickets.
10. Onward travel – Make sure you know how you’re travelling to and from the airport, train station or coach stop. And have the address and directions to where you’re staying to hand.

Bonus tip: REMEMBER YOUR FLIGHT TICKET – If this needs to be printed, now’s not the time to find out your printer’s run out of ink.

Top 12 holiday packing checklist essentials:

Before we start, a pro-tip for anyone who likes a neatly packed bag is to bring packing cubes. These can be used to organise and compress your luggage and personal items, and they also make it easier to unpack all your stuff on the other side of your flight. 

1. Money – Whether you’ll just be using your debit card/credit card or getting some cash out via the bureau de change before you travel, make sure you’ve got easy access to some spending money. There are plenty of fee-free spending accounts out there too, so if you plan to use your card make sure you’re getting a good deal.
2. Your vaccination certificate – This is very useful to have with you, especially your yellow fever certificate that you might need to get into some South American and African countries. Some countries might also want to see an NHS covid pass.
3. Malaria medication – The Masta website also tells you if you need this. But take plenty of insect repellent anyway to avoid being bitten by mosquitos, plus a net if you’re not sure your accommodation will have one.
4. Water purification tablets – Essential if you’re going somewhere where you can’t drink the water without losing all control of your bowels. And if that’s the case, buy some water bottles when you get there.
5. Condoms – Don’t forget to bring some protection if you plan on keeping everyone in your hostel up with raucous bunk sex.
6. First aid kit – Definitely an important item on your packing checklist for overseas travel. The NHS website has a long list of what should be in it here, or you can buy a fully-stocked kit from a travel health clinic or pharmacy.
7. Sun lotion – Because, as you know, sunburn is bad.
8. A guidebook – Preferably one that has some basic phrases in the native language and maps, too.
9. Toiletries – Creams, toothpaste, toothbrushes, tampons, pads, hand-sanitizer and (if you’re not going to a posh hotel) shampoo. Remember liquids bigger than 100ml can’t go in your hand luggage if you’re flying.
10. Plastic sealable bags – for your liquids that can go in your hand luggage – although you can get these at the airport.
11. Clothing essentials – Sunglasses/swimming gear/sun hat for warmer climes; thermals, base layers, woolly hat and extra socks for colder climes. Pairs of shoes can be difficult to fit in if you’re packing light, so maybe wear something smarter to the airport and slot some flip flops into your luggage.
12. A camera – Check, check, then check again, as you’ll be kicking yourself if you forget it (or accidentally leave it behind in your hotel room). If you’re using your phone as a camera then a portable battery pack might be useful to make sure you don’t run out of juice when you need it most.