Prepared for flight

Will you soon be boarding the plane for a nice trip? Then make sure you are well prepared before you leave. Think of your travel documents, travel insurance, luggage, parking your car and any entry restrictions. The following tips will prepare you for your adventure abroad.

Table of contents

1. Travel documents

Be well prepared for your trip and bring the following documents with you:

Passport
(International) driving license
Yellow booklet (for vaccinations and inoculations)
Debit card and/or credit card
healthcare card
Visa (e.g. an ESTA for America)
Airline ticket

Taking your documents with you is one thing, but also check well in advance whether the documents are still valid. If this is not the case, you can renew them in time at your municipality. I once flew with a group to Jordan, where one of our tour group apparently carried an expired passport. In one way or another this went well at Schiphol, but his passport was refused during the transfer in Germany. He couldn't come to Jordan anymore, autch. So prepare yourself and check your documents at home, so that you can prevent this!

Tip: Make a copy of the above documents and keep them in a separate bag. If your travel documents/passes are stolen, you always have a backup of the information.

prepared for travel — Where is your next trip going?

2. Prepare: Travel insurance

It is always useful to take out travel insurance before you travel. In this way you cover yourself against costs in the event of unforeseen circumstances, such as a visit to the hospital. However, taking out travel insurance is not mandatory, the choice is entirely yours. Because I am crazy about extreme sports, such as kite surfing, I make sure that I am well prepared by taking out travel insurance!

3. Car parking at the airport

Parking your car may not be one of the first things you think about when you go on holiday by plane, but without good preparation you will spend a lot of money on this. Prevent this and make sure you research the different options in time. Before I go any further, I want to take a step back: buying your plane ticket. Of course we all want the cheapest deal to our destination. A handy tip is to be flexible in the airport of departure in and around the Netherlands. I myself regularly fly from Cologne (Germany) because it is cheaper. Do you want more tips about cheap airline tickets?

Then read this blog: Skyscanner | How to save (a lot of) money on flights

Back to parking your car at the airport, not really the most fun part of travel preparation, but necessary. Fortunately, there is a very nice page where you can compare various parking options. Whether you are looking for a regular parking space at Schiphol or whether you are going for long-term parking at Cologne airport, with park care find the cheapest rate. Do you also want to use ParkCare? Then you can immediately reserve your parking space and you are assured of a safe place for your car.

4. Prepare for the restrictions

Since the arrival of corona, traveling abroad has become a lot more complicated, but that doesn't mean it's impossible! As long as you keep a close eye on the travel advice of your destination. This can be done, for example, via Netherlands Worldwide.

In addition to seeing the color code of the country on this website, you can also read about the latest entry restrictions and the general measures that the country is taking against the virus. If you travel back to the Netherlands, there are also certain conditions that you must meet. Check these carefully in preparation for your trip.

Luggage preparation — Baggage on the way to the plane

5. Luggage security

When you travel by plane, your luggage must be able to take a beating. While transporting your luggage to and from the plane, it is sometimes quite thrown. To guarantee the safety of your belongings, you want a good quality suitcase or backpack.

Tip: Are you traveling with a suitcase? Then buy a safety belt or buckle and wrap it around your suitcase during the flight. This way you prevent your suitcase from jumping open. Do you prefer a backpack† Then I recommend wrapping the rain cover (which is usually included as standard) around your backpack. This helps against damage as well as theft.

In addition, be prepared for the rules regarding baggage while flying. Do not exceed the dimensions and weight, otherwise you will have to pay extra. Preferably even have a little weight 'left over' on the outward journey because there is a good chance that you want to bring a nice souvenir back to the Netherlands.

Also read: These 7 tips will make your next flight more comfortable