Calm departures are prepared in advance, not on the morning of the flight, when you discover that your child's document has expired or that you were going to "sort out the insurance at the airport." Most travel problems come not from bad luck but from a single step skipped a week earlier. Here's the checklist we use, split into three stages, so that nothing catches you off guard.
A week before
Now you still have time to fix anything, so this is where the checks belong that would turn into panic if left to the last day. First, the documents: check the validity of each family member's travel document — some countries outside the EU require at least six months left before expiry, and children often have documents with a shorter validity than you'd expect.
- Check the validity of the ID card / passport for each person.
- Take out travel medical insurance and save the policy on your phone and in your email.
- Order the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for EU countries — it's free and worth having.
- Scan or photograph all your documents and email them to yourself: a backup can save an entire holiday if you lose your wallet.
- Check the destination's entry rules — visa, documents for minors travelling with just one parent, any special requirements.
If you're travelling with children without both parents, some countries require a notarised consent from the absent parent. It's a one-hour formality at home and a serious problem at the border if it's missing — sort it out in good time.
A day before
The day before is about logistics, not decisions. Do the online check-in as soon as it opens — usually 24 to 48 hours ahead — and save your boarding pass both in the app and offline, as a screenshot. The signal at the airport is never guaranteed.
- Online check-in done, boarding pass saved and available offline.
- Bag weighed and measured at home, checked against the airline's exact rules.
- Phone and power bank fully charged overnight.
- City map and the route from the airport to your accommodation, downloaded offline.
- A little local currency or a card with no fees on contactless payments.
Insurance: what it should actually cover
A cheap policy ticked off in a hurry and a good one look identical until the day you need it. Check three things before you buy: the ceiling for medical expenses (as high as possible, especially outside the EU), the cover for repatriation, and whether it includes flight cancellation or delay and lost luggage. The European Health Insurance Card covers only the public system in EU countries and doesn't replace private insurance — the two complement each other rather than cancel each other out.
Money, cards and internet
At your destination, a card with low fees on foreign-currency payments and withdrawals saves you a surprising amount. Always keep a little local cash on hand too, for the places that don't take cards — markets, taxis, churches. And for the internet, check whether you have roaming included (in the EU, usually yes) or, outside the EU, buy a cheap eSIM before you leave, so you don't end up hunting for wi-fi corner by corner.
- Tell your bank you're travelling, so that payments from abroad aren't blocked as suspicious.
- Keep a backup card separate from your main wallet — lose one, and you still have the other.
- Decline the „conversion to lei" at foreign ATMs: always choose to be charged in the local currency.
- Save your accommodation address and an emergency contact on paper too, not just on your phone.
On the morning of departure
The final stretch is about staying calm, not rushing. Leave home with an extra hour of buffer beyond what you thought you'd need — the drive to the airport and the security line are the most unpredictable parts of the day. Keep your boarding pass open and available offline, your documents in a separate pocket you touch by reflex, your liquids within reach and your power bank in your carry-on. Check just once, before you close the door, the "big three": documents, phone, wallet. The rest is simply the walk to the gate.