The last few days before any big trip get noisy in your head. “Did I lock the door?” “Did I cancel the streaming subscription I started for that one show?” “Wait, does my passport even work in that country?”
The fastest way to silence the noise is to know you’re prepared. The best way to know you’re prepared is a checklist. So here are the 30 things to do before traveling abroad that actually matter, plus a printable version you can stick on your fridge.
Grab the printable PDF checklist of 30 things to do before traveling abroad if you want a quick reference, or keep reading for the longer breakdown.
1. Check the Expiry Dates on All Your Documents
Make sure your passport, ID card, driver’s license, and bank cards aren’t about to expire. Most countries won’t let you in if your passport expires within six months of your travel date.
Document renewals take weeks, sometimes longer. Do this at least a month before you fly, ideally three.
2. Email and Print Copies of Important Documents
Scan your passport, visa, driver’s license, and ID card. Email the scans to yourself and print physical copies. If your originals get stolen, the replacement process moves a lot faster when you have copies.
Keep the copies separate from the originals so you don’t lose both at once.
Tip: An [amazon link=”B07DKXRB61″ title=”RFID-Blocking organizer”] keeps your documents protected from skimmers and organized in one place.
3. Get Your Visa Sorted Early
Check whether your destination requires a visa, and if so, apply with plenty of buffer. Some visas process in days. Others take months. The official U.S. embassy site tells you which countries need what.
4. Get Child Travel Consent if Needed
This one trips up a lot of families. If a child under 18 is traveling without both parents, you’ll usually need written consent from the absent parent. Border agents can deny entry without it.
5. Print and Screenshot Everything Important
Print or save to your phone every booking confirmation: flights, hotels, attraction tickets, transportation passes, anything time-sensitive. WiFi at airports and hotels is unreliable, and your phone battery isn’t.
6. Check If You Need an International Driving Permit
An International Driving Permit (IDP) lets you legally drive in most countries that don’t recognize your home license. This map shows which countries require one.
In the U.S., the American Automobile Association issues them for around $20. You apply online and print the permit at home.
7. Get Travel Insurance
Check your credit card first. Many premium cards include travel insurance automatically when you book the trip on that card. If yours doesn’t, buy a policy. Look for coverage on:
- Medical emergencies and hospitalization
- Trip cancellation and interruption
- Theft and lost belongings
- Lost or delayed luggage
- Missed connections
8. Get Vaccinated
Check the World Health Organization for required and recommended vaccines for your destination. Common ones include yellow fever, typhoid, hepatitis A, and malaria prophylaxis.
Some vaccines need to be administered weeks before your trip, and some require multiple doses spaced apart. Don’t leave this until the last week.
9. Pack Essential Medicine
Most medications can fly with you in your carry-on, per TSA. Keep them in original packaging and in reasonable quantities.
For a basic travel kit, pack pain relievers, fever reducers, anti-diarrhea medication, bandages, a digital thermometer, and something for sunburn. Add motion sickness pills if you’re prone to it.
10. Bring Your Prescriptions
If you take prescription meds, bring the actual prescription paperwork. TSA may ask for it, and you’ll need it if you run out and have to refill abroad.
11. Book Big Activities in Advance
Some attractions sell out months ahead. Spontaneity is great until you fly to Spain to hike El Caminito del Rey and find out tickets sold out 90 days ago.
Anything popular, expensive, or limited-capacity should be booked before you leave home. Day-of availability is for casual stuff like museums and walking tours.
12. Check Travel Warnings and Register With the Embassy
A few weeks before your trip, scan the U.S. State Department travel advisories for your destination. They flag political instability, disease outbreaks, and crime spikes.
It’s also worth registering with the local U.S. embassy through STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program). If something goes wrong, they’ll know how to reach you.
13. Notify Your Bank Where You’re Going
Banks flag international transactions as fraud by default. Tell them when and where you’re traveling, or your card gets frozen the first time you try to buy lunch in Lisbon.
Most banks let you set travel notices through the app. Takes about 60 seconds.
14. Pay Your Bills or Set Up Auto-Pay
Pay anything due during your trip in advance, or set up automatic payments. Coming home to an overdue rent notice or a shut-off utility bill is a brutal way to end a vacation.
15. Check Exchange Rates and Withdraw Some Cash
Look up the current exchange rate for your destination so you know when you’re getting ripped off. Also check your bank’s foreign transaction and ATM fees.
The cheapest setup: exchange about $100 in cash before you go for taxis and tips, then pull the rest from local ATMs once you arrive. ATM exchange rates are almost always better than airport currency exchanges.
16. Hold Your Mail and Set an Email Autoresponder
Have the post office hold your mail for the duration of your trip, or ask a neighbor to grab it daily. A pile of mail at your door tells the entire neighborhood you’re gone.
For email, set up a Gmail autoresponder so clients and coworkers know you’re out.
17. Sort Out Your Phone for International Use
Using your regular phone abroad without a plan is expensive. Even incoming calls and texts can rack up roaming charges.
Three options that all work:
- International plan from your carrier. Easiest, often the most expensive.
- eSIM through Airalo or Holafly. Buy a digital plan in 5 minutes, activate when you land.
- Local SIM card abroad. Cheapest, but you need an unlocked phone.
18. Arrange Pet Care
Line up a friend, family member, or boarding facility well in advance. Good pet sitters book up fast, especially around holidays.
19. Check the Weather Forecast
Pack for what you’ll actually experience, not what you assume the destination is like. Tropical doesn’t always mean shorts weather (rainy seasons exist), and Europe in summer can hit 100°F.
Also look up natural hazards: hurricane season, monsoon timing, wildfire risk. Knowing what could happen lets you plan around it.
20. Research Local Transportation
Look up costs for taxis, metros, buses, and ride-sharing apps. Find out if Uber works there or if there’s a local equivalent (like Grab in Southeast Asia or Bolt in Europe).
For some trips, renting a car is cheaper and more flexible than relying on local transit. For city-only trips, public transit usually wins.
21. Check Your Airline’s Luggage Rules
Weight and size limits vary wildly between airlines, and budget carriers like Ryanair will charge you $80 at the gate if your bag is one inch over.
Check restrictions for every leg of your trip, including connecting flights on different airlines. Codeshare flights sometimes follow the operator’s rules, not the booking carrier’s.
22. Get a Travel Adapter and Check Voltage
The U.S. uses 110V. Most of Europe and Asia uses 220V. Plugging a 110V-only device into 220V will fry it.
Check your charger’s small print. If it reads “100-240V,” you’re safe anywhere with just a plug adapter. If it only says “110V,” you need a voltage converter, not just an adapter.
Tip: A [amazon link=”B078S3M2NX” title=”universal travel adapter”] covers most countries in one device, so you don’t need to buy region-specific plugs.
23. Download Offline Google Maps
Google Maps lets you download regions for offline use. A 100-200 mile radius takes around 250MB.
Offline maps work just like online maps, including turn-by-turn directions. Critical if you’re driving abroad or in areas with spotty cell service.
24. Charge Electronics, Pack Cables, and Free Up Storage
TSA may ask you to power on electronics at security. Make sure they’re charged.
While you’re at it, pack chargers and cables for everything: phone, laptop, camera, headphones, smartwatch. And clear old photos from your camera and phone so you have storage space for the new ones.
25. Plan Your Airport Transportation
Airport parking is expensive and often full. Better options: a friend dropping you off, public transit, or a rideshare.
If you’re parking, book a spot in advance. Off-airport lots with shuttle service are usually 50-70% cheaper than airport-direct parking.
26. Tell Your Neighbors You’ll Be Gone
If you’re on good terms with neighbors, give them your travel dates and ask them to call the police if anything looks off. They can also collect packages so they don’t pile up on the doorstep.
27. Unplug Electronics and Adjust Your HVAC
Cut your utility costs and reduce fire risk by prepping the house:
- Unplug everything you can (TVs, computers, kitchen appliances)
- Set the AC to 80°F or off entirely if no pets
- Turn the water heater to vacation mode or its lowest setting
- Shut off the water main if you’re gone more than two weeks (prevents pipe disasters)
28. Empty the Fridge of Anything That Will Spoil
Throw out fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, leftovers, and anything else that won’t survive your trip. Coming home to a fridge full of rot is one of the worst arrival experiences.
29. Final Walkthrough Checklist
Before you walk out the door, run through these:
- Water the plants (or arrange someone to)
- Set lights on a timer to deter break-ins
- Close all blinds
- Sweep the floors
- Take out the trash
- Change the bedsheets so future-you comes home to a fresh bed
- Lock all doors and windows (yes, including the back door)
30. Hide Valuables or Move Them Off-Site
Don’t leave jewelry, watches, or cash sitting in obvious places. Hide them somewhere non-obvious, or rent a safe deposit box at your bank for serious valuables. A small fireproof safe bolted to the floor is also a solid one-time purchase.
The Bottom Line on Things to Do Before Traveling
That should kill most of the “what if” loops in your head. Run through the list a few weeks out, knock down the time-sensitive items first (passports, visas, vaccines, bookings), and save the house prep for the day before you leave.
Looking for more travel prep? Our 80 packing tips for international travel covers exactly what to put in your suitcase once the rest is sorted.
