Traveller's checklist for holiday and business travel

Planning a trip for many travellers is a deeply satisfying and exciting task. However, the actual trip, especially the very start of it might be stressful and usually it starts to cause concern already days before. To help you start your trip the best way possible we've created this traveller's checklist for holiday and business travel.

Are you about to go on a trip very soon? Then this international travel checklist is what you need right now. If, however, you're still in the planning process, check out our ultimate pre travel checklist.

A day before the start of your trip and just before leaving for the airport open this checklist, and make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. Double checking is a great cure from pre-travel stress everyone has to deal with.

24 hours before departure

1. Go through your packing list

Before starting an arduous task of packing your bags you must have created a packing list of sorts. To make sure you don't leave any essential travel items at home. Be it digital or on a paper, it’s a great help for anyone with empty travel bags and piles of “must-take” stuff on the bed in front of them.

One day before departure go through your packing list once more and check if you have packed everything.

Don't forget about the international travel document checklist.

2. Don’t forget about the medicines!

Is your first-aid kit on your packing list already? Good!

If you are travelling with checked luggage don’t forget to put the medicines in your cabin bag. Checked bags get lost sometimes, or you might need your medicines during the flight and / or layover if you have one.

3. Check if you have you packed all of your travel essentials

If you are travelling with checked luggage you might want to keep some items that might be useful during the flight or a layover with you.

Those travel essentials include:

• Sleep mask;
• Shawl or lightweight travel blanket;
• Earplugs, earbuds or headphones;
• Smartphone / tablet or mp3 player;
• Book or an e-reader;
• Wet wipes, hand sanitiser, a pack of tissues;
• Lip balm, hand cream, a couple of waterless toothbrushes, deodorant, etc.;
• Water bottle;
• Candies, lozenges, gum.

But it's more of a personal preference, really.

Some of the items mentioned above you might find unnecessary whereas you would add some other useful items and accessories to this list of essentials.

4. Download an offline map

Even when tourist SIM cards are widely available almost everywhere it’s good to have an offline map of the city or country (countries) you are visiting. Just in case.

Or you can download a map of the area you are travelling to on Google Maps.

5. Do you have copies of you passport, visa and other documents?

Sometimes document copies may come in handy.

Keep them in your email or on your phone.

6. Don’t forget about the emergency contacts and important addresses

We don’t normally think about the bad things that can happen during the trip but it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t prepare for such a scenario. Have a list of emergency contacts and important addresses ready, as well as the printed copy of your travel insurance not too far away.

Also you must leave flight and hotel itineraries with a relative or at least tell someone about your travel plans.

2 hours before leaving for the airport

1. Don’t leave your passport, wallet and the boarding passes behind!

Your passport and wallet are the most important items in your luggage.

Also don’t forget to take the boarding passes. If you have all the boarding passes on your phone or tablet, make sure you can access them without internet connection.

In some cases to obtain a visa on the border you have to apply for it prior to your journey. Additional papers such as filled forms and copies of your passport may be needed. Make sure you have all those papers with you. Do you need to provide a passport photo, printed itinerary and hotel bookings? Check if they are among other travel documents and you haven’t left them behind.

Check if you can access all of your bookings, tickets, itinerary, notes, etc. without the internet connection.

2. Put all the toiletries in a zip lock bag

If you have packed all your toiletries and other liquids in the checked luggage and don’t plan to bring any of them on board then you’re all sorted!

However, if you are travelling with a carry on only or plan to take some or all of your liquids on the plane don’t forget to pack all of them in 1-litre zip-lock bag.

Don’t forget that you are allowed to take only travel-sized bottles that are 100 millilitres or less per item. Total volume of all the travel bottles must not exceed 1 litre.

However, there’s no limit on liquids in your checked bag.

3. Have you charged all your devices and have a powerbank and all the cables and chargers with you?

Not only you’ll need entertainment during your flight but also phone, tablet and / or laptop are useful gadgets for travelling.

Thanks to those devices you can manage your bookings and see your itinerary.

4. Are your money, cards and passport stored safely?

Money belts and neck wallets are very popular among travellers but you don’t necessarily need to have one to keep your passport, money, ID and credit cards safe.

Put all your credit cards and money in a wallet and keep it in your front pocket rather than the back pocket. Or put it inside one of the largest compartments of your cabin bag. Don’t keep your wallet in side or front pockets! The same applies to storing your passport.

Consider bringing a safety padlock if you are backpacking or travelling by night trains and buses.

5. Know your rights regarding flight delays and cancellations

Save these guides:

• What to do if your flight is delayed?
• What to do if your flight is cancelled?
• You have been denied boarding. What to do next?
• When things go wrong, you have the right to care.

6. Prepare your home before leaving

When you're ready to go.

Just before leaving:

• Lock all doors and windows;
• Turn off the heater or air conditioner;
• Turn off the water heater;
• Unplug all appliances;
• Check if there are any leaking taps, also close washing machine taps to avoid leakage;
• Check your flight status online.

What to do in the airport and on the plane

Don't forget that mostly you must arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before the departure. Sometimes even 3 hours. Check your boarding pass for more details.

Upon arriving at the airport check which terminal and gate is your flight departing from. Is your flight on time? Check out this guide to know what to do if your flight gets delayed or cancelled.

Head to the counter and check in your luggage. If you travel with a carry on only and have checked online, proceed to the security check.

At the security check take out your phone, laptop, tablet and liquids and put them in the tray. Take off your coat, jacket, watch and belt. Put them in the tray, too. Empty your pockets of loose change and keys. See more tips on how to make it through airport security faster.

Don’t lose or misplace your passport and boarding passes.

Keep them in your wallet or your bag.

After you have gone through the security head for your gate. Don’t wait for the last moment because it might even take you more than 10 - 20 minutes to get to the gate. You might even need to take an airport shuttle bus / train to get to the gate!

Fill up your water bottle. To fully enjoy the journey you should stay hydrated during the flight.

When on the plane take out your book, tablet, headphones and other items you will need during the flight from your cabin bag before placing it in the overhead bin. If you have also a personal item with you, put these items there. Place your personal item under the seat in front of you. It should stay there during the takeoff and landing.

Enjoy the trip!