When it comes to booking and planning your next holiday, it isn’t just the flights and hotel you need to look at. These are 8 common travel mistakes people make when planning a holiday.

Budget Airlines – The Fine Print

This is a big one for me. How often do you see those super cheap airfares and you book them in quickly without reading the fine print? What does your ticket actually include? Short domestic flights are probably ok, but if you’re looking at international flights it is worth checking the fine print.

Does it include luggage, food, drinks, entertainment?

Quite often, you will be stung with additional fees for some or all of the above and before you know it you could have flow with a full-service airline.

Overpacking

I know we’ve spoken about this before but overpacking is a huge problem! Not only do you not need to pack as much as you think, but if you fill up your suitcase before you’ve even left for the holiday, it doesn’t leave any room for souvenirs or shopping along the way.

Passport Expiry

Do you know when your passport expires? Did you know a lot of countries require at least 6 months of validity on your passport to be allowed access to their country? Check the date and make sure you allow enough time for a new passport to arrive if required.

Visa requirements

This one is so important. We recently enjoyed a cruise which stopped in Shanghai, China. There were a large number of guests who did not do their research and in fact didn’t get a visa to enter China. These tourists had to disembark the cruise terminal at the previous port, purchase additional return flights home and forfeit the rest of their cruise and return flights from Shanghai. It was a very expensive mistake to make!

Another example is arriving in the US where you can be denied entry if you haven’t got your ESTA.

Vaccinations

We personally always ensure we receive the appropriate vaccinations prior to any holiday. It is best to book in with your GP or travel doctor to ensure you’re covered. Some vaccinations last several years so there is always a chance you don’t need to get it done for every holiday! I would recommend looking at the CDC website and searching for the country you’re visiting. It includes all of the updated information and relevant viruses and warnings out there.

Money exchange at the airport

We’ve all been guilty of this one. However, if you are more prepared and can do some research on rates you will find yourself with a much better deal. Quite often, if you ask for a better rate, they will give it to you as well. No harm in asking!

Airports are convenient but given the location, the rates aren’t always the best and what if they don’t have the currency in stock and you are stuck with nothing!

Depending on your bank, an option could also be withdrawing cash from an ATM in the country you’re visiting. Check with your bank for associated fees.

Landing at the wrong airport!

This might sound silly to most, but I can promise you it does happen! London for an example has a number of different airports. For example, if you’ve booked tickets to somewhere in Europe via London, ensure the airport you land at, for example, Heathrow is the same airport you will depart from for your next destination. The last thing you will want is landing at Heathrow and realise you need to be at Gatwick Airport for your transfer.

For a guide to London airports, click here.

Forgetting to book travel insurance

This should be a priority! You never know when you may need travel insurance. We have personally had to claim on our insurance when I was involved in a bicycle accident in Croatia. Depending on the severity of your injuries, the cost can run into the thousands if you’re not covered.

Remember if you’re going on a cruise or a ski holiday, these often aren’t included as standard so you’ll need to take out the optional extras!

Click here for information on travel insurance.

Is there anything else you would add to the list? Let us know in the comments below!

“The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.” – Henry David Thoreau