Travel Checklists

Last Updated: January 2011

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Disclaimers, Warnings and Acknowledgements

Please see the disclaimers, warnings and acknowledgements in the first article of the series, Introduction to the Travel Health Series, which is available at www.wanterfall.com.

Note particularly that the checklists below are intended only to provide a convenient way of checking off travel preparations as they are completed. They do not contain comprehensive travel advice. Also, although quite extensive, they cannot be guaranteed to include everything.

Series Context

These travel checklists should be read in conjunction with other relevant articles in the Wanterfall eBooks Travel Health series. The following articles are particularly relevant:

Introduction to the Travel Health Series
Fitness for International Travel
Preparing for International Travel, Part 1
Preparing for International Travel, Part 2
Preparing for International Travel, Part 3

Advance Preparations

This checklist includes items which may need to be purchased, organised or planned during the weeks or months prior to departure. Where appropriate, the items will also appear in the packing lists below. If an item on the list is not relevant in your particular case, cross it out. When a relevant item has been partially attended to, make a note about the next step, and set up a reminder for it in your diary or calendar. When an item has been completely attended to, place a check mark in the adjacent box.

Advance Preparations Checklist

[ ] Allergy identification (bracelet, necklace, paper, tattoo etc)
[ ] Authorities which may need to contact you (e.g. Electoral Office) – inform them about your period of absence
[ ] Birth certificate – if required for visas or work permits
[ ] Bookings – air or other fares
[ ] Bookings – accommodation
[ ] Bookings – car hire
[ ] Bookings – tours
[ ] Bookings – other
[ ] Cancellations – newspaper and any other regular deliveries
[ ] Carry-on luggage which conforms to airline regulations
[ ] Clothing suitable for insect and sun protection
[ ] Consulates – see Embassies
[ ] Contraception issues – discuss with doctor if necessary
[ ] Credit cards, international – overpay to avoid fees
[ ] Customs regulations information (en route and return)
[ ] Debit cards, international – acquire if needed
[ ] Dental checkup – should be done well before departure
[ ] Drivers licence – check that this is valid until after return
[ ] Driving permit, international – also valid until after return
[ ] Duty free shopping if desired
[ ] Electrical appliances – turn off or choose "vacation" setting (and consider whether to turn off the electricity supply)
[ ] Email – set up a webmail account or other solution to enable collection of email from all other accounts while travelling
[ ] Embassies or consulates – contact for advice about Customs regulations, visa requirements, any particular hazards etc
[ ] Essential documents – especially tickets, vouchers, receipts, credit and debit card details, passport number, serial numbers of travellers cheques, birth certificate, vaccination record and all insurance documents:

[ ] Financial considerations – plan for all the costs of the trip
[ ] First aid kit – suitable for intended type of travel
[ ] Flight confirmation (if this is required by the airline)
[ ] Fridge and freezer – consider emptying of perishable food
[ ] Gas appliances – turn off or choose "vacation" setting (and consider whether to turn off the gas supply)
[ ] Guide books and other information about destinations
[ ] Identification labels – attach to all items of luggage
[ ] Insurance, baggage
[ ] Insurance, medical
[ ] Insurance, trip cancellation
[ ] Itinerary with contact addresses (copy to family and friends)
[ ] List of addresses of your country's embassy or consulate in each country you intend to visit
[ ] Luggage which is easy to carry and fits easily in a car boot
[ ] Mail – make redirection order (or arrange for collection)
[ ] Malaria pills – start early as directed by your doctor, but also test them well in advance, in case of side effects!
[ ] Medical Documentation (see a previous article)
[ ] Medical checkup – should be done well before departure
[ ] Medications – acquire as needed, and see footnote 1!
[ ] Money – especially traveller’s cheques, internationally accepted credit and/or debit cards, and a small amount of local currency for the next destination (in small notes and coins, if arriving outside normal business hours)
[ ] Money belt or security pouch (to be worn under clothes, with all paper contents in a sealable plastic bag)
[ ] Passport (may need 6 months remaining validity on return - see footnote 2)
[ ] Passport application or renewal, if necessary (including second passport, in cases of dual citizenship)
[ ] Pets – arrange for their care in good time
[ ] Phone cards – acquire if needed
[ ] Photographs for visas (and spare copies to carry with you)
[ ] Pregnancy issues – discuss with your obstetrician
[ ] Prescriptions – fill well in advance of departure
[ ] Purchases as necessary – i.e. anything which appears on the packing lists below, but which you do not already possess
[ ] Purpose built containers for any fragile items
[ ] Rail passes such as the Eurail Pass and Japrail Pass – must be purchased prior to departure from your home country
[ ] Recent illness or surgery – discuss with your doctor
[ ] Registration of travel and contact details with an official organisation, so that in an emergency you can be located (e.g. citizens of the USA can register at Travel.State.Gov)
[ ] Satellite navigation (GPS) downloads where applicable
[ ] Special equipment (e.g. scuba diving, mountaineering)
[ ] Special requirements – notify the airline in advance
[ ] Tools – e.g. multipurpose travel tool
[ ] Transport to airport or seaport (usually need to arrive at least two hours before departure time, but check this in advance)
[ ] Travel Advisory notices for your destinations – read online
[ ] Travel Health consultation (see a previous article) – ideally three months prior to departure, especially if visiting Africa, Asia, South America, the Middle East or any developing country (but better late than never!) If returning to your country of origin, note that immunity to many parasitic infections does not persist!
[ ] Vaccinations – see Travel Health consultation (above)
[ ] Vaccination Record Book – in official international format
[ ] Visas – start the application process well in advance
[ ] Water – turn off all taps not needed for automatic sprinklers (and consider whether to turn off the water supply)
[ ] Will (always worth making one, if not already made)
[ ] Work-related documents – prepare portfolio if relevant

Packing – Carry-on Luggage

This checklist includes items which might be carried in your pockets, money belt or carry-on luggage. If an item on the list is not relevant in your particular case, cross it out. When an item has been packed, place a check mark in the adjacent box. Remember that carry-on luggage must conform to airline regulations, so check these in advance.

On full or almost full flights, there may be insufficient room in the aircraft cabin for carry-on luggage of the size normally allowed. In this situation, you may, quite unexpectedly, be required to check in your carry-on bag at the time of entering the secure departure area. You should therefore pack it in a way that allows for quick removal of a much smaller bag containing the most fragile, valuable and essential items.

Carry-on Luggage Checklist

[ ] Allergy identification (bracelet, necklace, paper, tattoo etc)
[ ] Antibacterial wipes
[ ] Appliances needed during flight for any personal disability
[ ] Bag, transparent, for 100ml liquid and gel containers
[ ] Bags, waterproof, for valuables and documents
[ ] Boarding pass (obtained at check-in)
[ ] Camera (plus film if used, lenses, flash, tripod, extra cards and batteries, battery charger, connecting leads etc etc)
[ ] Camcorder (and see above regarding accessories)
[ ] Cardigan or similar (not too heavy)
[ ] Cell Phone and charger
[ ] Coat
[ ] Comb
[ ] Compression stockings for in-flight use
[ ] Contraceptive pills if relevant
[ ] Copies – see Photocopies
[ ] Cosmetics required during flight (maximum size 100 ml)
[ ] Credit cards, international (overpaid, to avoid fees)
[ ] Debit cards, international
[ ] Dental floss
[ ] Deodorant (maximum size 100 ml)
[ ] Diary
[ ] Drivers licence – valid until after return
[ ] Driving permit, international – valid until after return
[ ] Duty free shopping and related documentation
[ ] Ear Plugs for sleeping in noisy areas
[ ] Exit tax receipt, if not included with tickets
[ ] Eye mask for sleeping in lighted areas
[ ] Flashlight, small
[ ] Fragile items – preferably packed in purpose built containers
[ ] Glasses (spectacles) and/or contact lenses
[ ] Gloves (if destination will be cold)
[ ] Guide books and other information about destination
[ ] Hair brush
[ ] Handkerchiefs
[ ] Hat (especially sun hat)
[ ] Headphones
[ ] Inflatable neck pillow
[ ] Information about Customs regulations (en route and return)
[ ] Insurance certificates, baggage
[ ] Insurance certificates, medical
[ ] Insurance certificates, trip cancellation
[ ] Itinerary with contact addresses
[ ] Jewellery (preferably not too expensive, in case of loss)
[ ] Laptop computer (plus flash drives, power cord/adapters etc)
[ ] Light raincoat
[ ] Lip balm (chap stick)[ ] List of addresses of your country's embassy or consulate in each country you will visit
[ ] Medical Documentation (see a previous article)
[ ] Medications as needed, and see footnote 1!
[ ] Mirror (preferably unbreakable)
[ ] Moisturiser (maximum size 100 ml)
[ ] Money – especially traveller’s cheques, internationally accepted credit and/or debit cards, and a small amount of local currency for the next destination (in small notes and coins, if arriving outside normal business hours)
[ ] Money belt or security pouch (to be worn under clothes, with all paper contents in a sealable plastic bag)
[ ] Notebook
[ ] Outgoing passenger card (obtained at check-in)
[ ] Passport(s) and Visa(s)
[ ] Pen or pencil
[ ] Phone numbers of friends and relatives
[ ] Photo identification
[ ] Photocopies of all essential documents, especially tickets, vouchers, receipts, credit and debit card details, passport number, serial numbers of travellers cheques, birth certificate, vaccination record and all insurance documents
[ ] Phrasebooks
[ ] PIN numbers (keep securely)
[ ] Proof of ownership and country of purchase (valuable items)
[ ] Purse
[ ] Rail passes – e.g. Eurail Pass, Japrail Pass
[ ] Reading material
[ ] Receipts – accommodation
[ ] Receipts – air and other fares
[ ] Receipts – car hire
[ ] Receipts – insurances
[ ] Receipts – tours
[ ] Receipts – other
[ ] Scarf
[ ] Sun glasses
[ ] Tampons or other sanitary supplies for use during flight
[ ] Tickets
[ ] Tissues
[ ] Toothbrush
[ ] Toothpaste (maximum size 100 ml)
[ ] Towelettes
[ ] Toys, if travelling with children
[ ] Umbrella, small
[ ] Vaccination Record book – in official international format
[ ] Video Camera and accessories
[ ] Vouchers (see Receipts)
[ ] Wallet
[ ] Watch
[ ] Water Bottle
[ ] Work-related documents, if relevant

Packing – Unaccompanied Baggage

Note: Some items on this list also appear in the carry-on luggage list above. If you are only going to carry an item in your carry-on luggage, put a C in the adjacent box. However, as mentioned in the previous articles, it is sometimes wise to carry an identical item in both locations. If an item on the list is not relevant in your particular case, cross it out. When an item has been packed, place a check mark in the adjacent box.

Unaccompanied Baggage Checklist

[ ] Collapsible plastic water bottle and cup
[ ] Compression bag to aid in packing soft items
[ ] Condoms and related items
[ ] Connectivity – telephone, laptop etc
[ ] Contraceptive pills if relevant
[ ] Copies – see Photocopies
[ ] Corkscrew
[ ] Cosmetics
[ ] Credit cards, international (overpaid, to avoid fees)
[ ] Daypack
[ ] Debit cards, international
[ ] Detergent
[ ] Diary
[ ] First aid kit – suitable for intended type of travel
[ ] Flashlight, plus extra batteries
[ ] Glasses (spectacles) and/or contact lenses – spare pairs, and copies of optometrist's prescriptions
[ ] Guide books and other information
[ ] Identification labels for luggage (spares)
[ ] Information about Customs regulations (en route and return)
[ ] Insect repellent (preferably containing 30 – 50% DEET - see footnote 3)
[ ] Insurance certificates, baggage
[ ] Insurance certificates, medical
[ ] Insurance certificates, trip cancellation
[ ] Itinerary with contact addresses (and spare copies)
[ ] Jewellery (preferably not too expensive, in case of loss)
[ ] Language Books
[ ] Laptop computer (plus flash drives, power cord/adapters etc)
[ ] Laundry detergent
[ ] Laxatives
[ ] List of addresses of your country's embassy or consulate in each country you will visit
[ ] Malaria prevention tablets, if relevant
[ ] Maps
[ ] Medical Documentation (see a previous article)
[ ] Medications – spare supplies (see footnote 1)
[ ] Membership cards, if relevant
[ ] Memory cards for digital appliances
[ ] Mobile phone and charger ([ ] international roaming enabled?)
[ ] Mobile phone company contact numbers
[ ] Mosquito net, pretreated with permethrin or deltamethrin
[ ] Notebook
[ ] Pen or pencil
[ ] Permethrin or deltamethrin, to treat/re-treat clothing and nets
[ ] Phone cards, if required
[ ] Phone numbers of friends and relatives
[ ] Photo identification
[ ] Photocopies of all essential documents, especially tickets, vouchers, receipts, credit and debit card details, passport number, serial numbers of travellers cheques, birth certificate, vaccination record and all insurance documents
[ ] Photographs suitable for visas issued en route
[ ] Phrase books
[ ] Plastic bags
[ ] Power adapters, universal
[ ] Proof of ownership/country of purchase for valuable items
[ ] Reading material
[ ] Sandfly nets (finer than mosquito nets) if applicable
[ ] Satellite navigation (GPS) device, if desired
[ ] Satellite phone, if desired
[ ] Scissors
[ ] Sewing Repair kit
[ ] Sleeping bag
[ ] Special equipment (e.g. scuba diving, mountaineering)
[ ] Sunscreen
[ ] Sun glasses
[ ] Super glue
[ ] Tampons etc (difficult to purchase in some countries)
[ ] Telephone access numbers list
[ ] Toiletries:

Useful Websites

Some very useful Travel Health websites are listed at http://www.wanterfall.com/Travel-Health/Travel-Health-Series-Introduction.htm#App1.

Bibliography

A partial bibliography for the whole Travel Health series can be found at http://www.wanterfall.com/Travel-Health/Travel-Health-Series-Introduction.htm#App2.

Declaration of Interest

None.

Not Copyright

The above article may be freely reproduced, remixed and disseminated, in any format and in any quantity, under its Creative Commons License.

For more information about the license, see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/au/

Comments

If you have any comments about this article, please address them to travelhealth@wanterfall.com.

Last Updated: January 2011

For more free articles and ebooks by the same author, on a wide range of topics, visit http://www.wanterfall.com

Footnotes

1. This includes regular medications, emergency treatments (e.g. adrenaline auto-injector for allergic reactions), remedies for minor problems such as motion sickness or headache, and specific travel medications such as those for malaria prevention etc. All medication, whether taken in your carry-on or checked luggage, needs to be correctly labelled. Check with embassies or consulates whether each item may legally be imported into each country en route, even if you will only leave the aircraft to refuel or change flights.

2. Some countries, such as Belgium, Brazil, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Paraguay, Romania, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates, refuse entry if your passport expires within 6 months of your date of arrival. Others, such as Cambodia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, New Zealand, South Africa and Switzerland, refuse entry if your passport expires within three months of your date of arrival.

3. Insect repellents containing 30% to 50% DEET (diethyltoluamide) can be applied to skin and/or clothing, and will repel most insect and arthropod vectors of human disease, including mosquitoes, to a considerable extent.