Passports, GHIC, rising prices, travel insurance: what you need to know before booking a holiday

Being prepared may mean that your summer getaway is relaxing rather than stressful.

We are heading into summer time, which means the thoughts of millions will be turning towards our holidays.

The last few years have meant many of us haven’t had an overseas holiday, which has only heightened the excitement about some time on the beach or seeing the sites of a new country.

However, this excitement may be tempered somewhat by the fact that travelling today is far from straightforward.

We’ve highlighted some of the main issues you might face, and how to keep on top of them.

Check your passport

Having a valid passport is obviously enormously important any time you’re hoping to head overseas, but it’s taken on a new importance of late.

The passport office is currently labouring under huge delays. According to the most recent data from the Home Office, which covered January to March of this year, a whopping 35,000 people have had to wait longer than 10 weeks in order to get a new passport issued.

This is despite the Government previously claiming that documents were usually being issued within around six weeks.

As a result, it’s really important that you are incredibly prepared in checking how long you have left on your passport long before booking a trip, to give you enough time to get a new one in place.

What’s more, some nations ‒ particularly those where you require a Visa ‒ will insist on you having at least six months left on your passport, so that’s another consideration.

Check your GHIC

It’s not just the expiry date of your passport that you need to check, though.

The General Health Insurance Card (GHIC) replaced the old European Health Insurance Card following Brexit, and can be a lifesaver when it comes to limiting the cost of medical treatment abroad.

That’s only the case if it’s still valid though ‒ according to the NHS, more than five million EHICs are expiring this year, so make sure you have a GHIC in place before booking your next trip.

You’ll pay more for your holiday

The pandemic has meant that an awful lot of people have not been able to take their usual holiday abroad. And one of the knock-on effects has been that demand has been higher for trips this year, which is pushing up the prices holidaymakers are paying.

For example, TUI recently said that British market bookings were up by 11% compared to summer 2019, with the result that there will be “practically no last-minute offers at low prices” according to Fritz Joussen, the firm’s chief executive.

What’s more, those prices are likely to go up further next year too.

A host of travel firms have confirmed they have ‘hedged’ the prices they pay for things like flights and hotels for this year, but are likely to have to pay more for those deals next year, meaning you end up coughing up more money.

Travel insurance is more important

Travel insurance has always been a crucial element of any holiday, though a shocking number of people opt to take their chances and hope they won’t need it.

However, the vital role that travel insurance plays has been thrown into sharper focus of late.

For starters, there’s the Covid situation. While the pandemic may no longer be front of mind in the way it once was, it remains a presence in our lives, and a threat to our chances of enjoying a week by the pool.

As a result, having a decent policy in place, which will ensure you don’t lose out should you fall ill is really important.

Covid certainly isn’t the only danger here, though. We’ve seen absolute chaos at our airports recently, with airlines struggling due to short staffing levels.

If your flight is subject to severe delays, then your travel insurance can be a brilliant help, covering the cost of food and drink and potentially even lounge access to make the wait a little more bearable.

Be prepared

It’s always a good idea to get to the airport with plenty of time to spare, since there’s no way of knowing just how long the process of getting onto the plane is going to take.

However, the current airport difficulties mean it’s even more crucial to ensure you are nice and early in arriving. There is a balancing act though ‒ you don’t want to get there too early, since that will only add to the congestion that’s already causing issues at airports.

It may also be worth downloading your airline’s app. This means you’ll get quicker notifications of any changes to your flight details, allowing you to move quickly to rebook if necessary.

Using your mobile will be more costly

The return of roaming charges has been a particularly unpleasant by-product of Brexit, which means that using your phone while in the EU is now likely to be more costly.

These costs might seem small, but can quickly add up over the course of your trip, so try to limit your phone use.