International Flight Checklist
For international trips, the paperwork can take longer than the booking. Check these items before you pay for a ticket.
Before you book
- Passport validity: many countries require your passport to be valid for some time beyond your stay, and some require blank pages. Check your destination's rules.
- Visa or entry authorization: depending on your citizenship, you may need a visa, an electronic travel authorization or an e-visa. Use the destination government's official site.
- Names match: the name on your ticket must match your passport exactly.
- Connections: if you change planes abroad, check whether the connecting country needs its own transit paperwork.
Health and other requirements
Some destinations ask for specific vaccinations, insurance or proof of onward travel. Check the official travel advisory pages for your country of citizenship and the destination.
Money and phone
- Tell your card issuer you are traveling, if they ask for it.
- Check roaming charges or buy a local data plan.
- Keep digital and paper copies of your passport and booking details.
Within the United States
Domestic flyers aged 18 and over need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or another accepted form of identification, such as a passport, at airport security.
Examples of destinations with different entry rules are on our London, Cancun, Dubai and Delhi pages.