You’ve booked your break and are looking forward to getting away, but a bit of extra planning now can help you get the most out of your holiday.
Whether it’s giving yourself extra freedom by hiring a car, or making sure you get the best exchange rates possible by sorting out your travel money, taking a few simple steps ahead of your holiday can help you keep costs down and make your break truly memorable.
Here’s our rundown of some of the things you might want to do once you’ve booked your holiday.
Check when your passport expires and any visa requirements
No one wants to get to the airport only to discover that their passport has expired or they don’t have the required visa to enter the country they’re holidaying in.
It’s essential to check your passport as soon as possible, especially if you booked your holiday some time ago. Bear in mind that even if it expires after you get back, you still might not be allowed to travel. That’s because if you’re heading to a country within the European Union, your passport needs to be less than 10 years old on the date you arrive, and valid for at least three months after the date you leave.
If you discover you need a new passport, you can check average passport renewal times here. Find out more in our article Planning a holiday? Check your passport now.
You can check the entry requirements for the country you’re going to at GOV.UK. You can also find out whether there are any health risks, or whether there are any warnings in place for any of the areas you plan to visit.
Do you need to make any health preparations?
If you’re heading somewhere exotic, make sure you find out whether you’ll need any travel vaccinations before you go. Your GP or local pharmacy should be able to advise on this and arrange for you to have them in advance of your trip.
If you take any prescription medications, make sure you take enough with you for your holiday. It’s also worth checking whether the medication you take is allowed in the destination country – not all medications will be allowed everywhere.
Finally, if you’re heading to Europe, remember to take a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) with you. This will provide you with access to ‘medically necessary state-provided healthcare’ while you are in a European Economic Area country and certain other countries. ‘Medically necessary’ healthcare is any healthcare that can’t wait till you come home to the UK, so it might include things like emergency treatment and visits to A&E, as well as treatment for long-term or pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes or asthma.
You can find out more about the GHIC in our guide Everything you need to know about the Global Health Insurance Card and you can apply for it free of charge on the official NHS website here.
Sort out a hire car
Hiring a rental car for your holiday can allow you to explore your holiday destination without having to depend on taxis or public transport. However, costs vary hugely depending on where you’re going and which provider you use so it’s well worth comparing prices before you book.
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You might also want to book your car hire excess insurance in advance. While it might be tempting to purchase excess insurance at the rental desk for ease, you might be able to find a more comprehensive policy that’s suited to your needs by arranging cover before you travel.
When you pick up your car, remember to inspect it for damages before driving away and take photos of any damage that’s already there.
Sean Doolan at car hire excess insurance provider, insurance4carhire, said: “Without evidence, a hire company may suspect that any damage was done while the car was in your possession, charging you for the cost of repair. Always take pictures of your hire car upon pick up and drop off, so you have proof of the car’s condition if needed.”
Make sure you’re protected
Another thing you should arrange well in advance of your holiday is travel insurance. Ideally you should sort this out as soon as you book your break, as this will provide peace of mind that you won’t lose money if your plans fall through or you have to cancel your trip. Find out more in our article When should I buy travel insurance?
Again, shop around for cover rather than getting it from your holiday provider. The closer you get to your holiday, the more the price of your insurance tends to creep up, so it pays to sort this out sooner rather than later.
Think about your travel money
You can compare exchange rates online using MoneySavingExpert’s TravelMoneyMax tool, or the website Compareholidaymoney.com. You’ll receive a list of the best deals to choose from, with options for collecting the cash including home delivery, picking it up at a bureau or at the airport. At present, supermarkets such as Waitrose, Asda and Tesco are often found in the best buy tables for exchange rates.
It’s always useful to have a credit card in your wallet that you can use abroad without incurring extra fees. Ideally, you want one that enables fee-free cash withdrawals, too.
For example, the Barclaycard Rewards credit card is fee-free for both spending and withdrawals abroad. Plus, you’ll benefit from 0.25% cashback on most spending at home and abroad.
Bear in mind that you benefit from the added consumer protection of Section 75 for purchases over £100 if you pay by credit card. You can also find debit cards which don’t charge a transaction fee for spending or withdrawing cash when you’re abroad. But, unlike a credit card, you may need to open a bank account to get one of these cards.
For example, Chase, the digital bank, offers a current account with a debit card that charges no fees for spending or withdrawing cash abroad. You also receive 1% cashback for 12 months on your fuel, grocery and transport spending. Find out more in our guide What are the best cards to use abroad?
Check your luggage allowance
If you’ve booked a package holiday, then you’ll usually be allowed to take 23kg of luggage with you as part of the deal. However, if you’ve booked flights independently, you’ll usually have to pay extra to take a cabin bag or hold luggage with you.
A number of budget airlines in recent years have changed their carry on allowances for their standard seats, which means while you previously might have been able to take a small suitcase (average 55cm x 45cm x 25cm) on board free of charge as a carry-on, you may now only be allowed to bring a smaller bag or rucksack measuring no more than 41cm x 30cm x 20cm.
If you think you can manage with a smaller bag for your trip, then you shouldn’t be affected too much by this, but if you need to pay for either a larger cabin bag or hold luggage this could add anywhere between £5 and £50 or more to the cost of your ticket each way. Make sure you check the small print of the airline you’re flying with so you know the exact dimensions and weight of the luggage you’re allowed to take free of charge and, if you need to take more, pay for this in advance rather than leaving it until the check-in desk where costs are likely to be steeper.
Arrange airport transfers in advance
If you’re travelling independently and therefore don’t have airport transfers booked, it’s worth trying to arrange these before you go away. Leaving it until you arrive can sometimes be much more expensive and often involves waiting in lengthy queues for a taxi.
A quick Google search should come up with airport transfer options, but it’s well worth checking review sites such as Trustpilot to ensure any company you’re considering using is reputable.
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Check your mobile roaming charges
Many UK networks now charge for using your phone abroad, so it’s worth checking before you travel how much you’re likely to be charged to make calls, send texts or use data.
Some providers offer daily “roam like at home” passes for an additional charge, or you might be able to save money by buying a local eSIM or relying on Wi-Fi calling. Either way, it’s worth finding out what your roaming charges will be so you don’t end up with a nasty bill shock when you get home.
Plan your itinerary
You’ll want to make the most of your time away, and ensure that you don’t miss the best attractions and places to go, so it’s a good idea to plan an itinerary for while you’re away. This need only take you a few seconds with the help of our holiday itinerary helper.
All you do is say where you’re going, how long for and then tick a few boxes to indicate your interests and budget, and the planner will come up with a detailed itinerary that includes restaurants and must-see places to visit.
Research and book any excursions in advance
Once you’ve worked out your itinerary, you might want to consider booking tickets for any attractions you want to visit in advance. This often means you’ll be able to skip any queues when you get there, and you may also get a discount for booking ahead.
It may also save you the disappointment of getting to a popular museum or gallery only to discover that there aren’t any tickets available while you’re there. If you are booking attractions in advance, make sure you do so directly rather than going through third-party sellers who might add their own charges to standard admission prices.
Unlock Low Car Hire Rates
Compare and save on car hire with Holiday Autos. Choose from 1,700 suppliers in 50,000 locations worldwide – with free cancellation, no hidden fees, and 24/7 support.
Review your home insurance
Before you leave, it’s also worth checking your home insurance, especially if you’ll be away for more than a couple of weeks.
Home insurance policies will typically cover your home up to a certain period while you’re away, typically 30 or 60 days, but if you leave your property unoccupied for longer than this and something goes wrong, you may find you’ve invalidated your cover. It’s therefore worth checking your policy small print before you head overseas
For example, if you decide to head to sunnier climes for a prolonged period during the winter, and your property in the UK has a burst pipe which causes a lot of damage, your insurer may refuse to pay out as if you’d been there, it may not have happened.
Remember not to post holiday snaps on social media before you get back home. If you’re burgled whilst you’re away, insurers could argue that you’ve essentially advertised that your property at home was empty, potentially making it a target for thieves. Learn more about home insurance in our guide Your essential guide to home insurance.
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