The travel industry is definitely booming and many travelers, tired of local haunts, are heading to far-flung destinations post-pandemic. At Curated Travel, our clients are headed to St. Lucia, Bora Bora, Cancun, South Africa, Germany, European River Cruises, the British Isles, Slovenia, France, and the always-popular Italy in the next several months. With 3 trips to Europe last year and Italy on my horizon later this month, I will attest that travel is back and more exciting than ever!

That said, preparing for international travel has never been more complicated in some ways. My advice is to check the requirements of your specific airline, hotel, and/or cruise line to understand any additional change in time frames or Covid prevention requirements from the CDC.

Hot Tips for International Travel

Pack your passport first (be sure it’s valid for 6 months or more post-return). Your passport is your most essential item for international travel. Take a picture and upload it to your phone in case your passport is lost during travel.
Pack your vaccination record with your passport. Some airlines and hotels still require it. Masks are mostly optional now (though some airlines still require them). I’m a fan, especially during cold and flu season and when using public restrooms (enough said!).
Bring your state driver’s license if you plan to rent a scooter during an excursion. If you plan to rent a car an International Driving Permit is strongly recommended. It’s easy to obtain one ahead of your travel from the American Automobile Association here.
Contact your bank and credit card companies to alert them of your upcoming overseas travel.
Call your cell phone company for the best international phone plan options during travel. Travel Hack: If you keep your phone in airplane mode for your entire trip you can use your phone functions on free wifi at hotels, cafes, and airports with ease.
Download WhatsApp on your phone (and create an account) for international texting with family and friends.
Download a language translation app like TripLingo, or, better yet, learn the language before you travel.
Check the website of your airline for luggage sizes and weight limits. If you can manage to pack your essentials in a carry-on (and congrats!!) do it! If you check bags consider tossing in Apple Air Tags to track your luggage.
Purchase a universal adapter or two to use in the hotels where you travel.

Notes on spending power: Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere these days. That said, it’s always good to have some cash on hand, especially for tipping or smaller purchases. You can exchange for cash at the airport OR you can request your transfer/taxi driver make a quick stop at a local ATM on the way to your hotel for lower exchange rates.

Notes on tipping: Tips are usually included in the meal price (check the receipt) so it is not necessary to tip at a restaurant unless service is above and beyond. In Europe, your server typically won’t bring your bill until you request it. Essentially, the table is yours for the evening if you like. That said, tours/transfers/guides do not include tips in the pricing. In Italy/France the common practice for transfers with a short drive is €10-20, for a long drive is €40-50, and for private guides, a full day is €50 and a half day is €30.

HOT TIP - When you leave your hotel, grab a business card with the hotel address and phone number included. If you get lost (and don’t happen to meet an English speaker) showing a passerby the card with the address is extremely helpful even with a language barrier. If you have an itinerary app (such as UMAPPED which I create for my clients) show them the hotel address on the app to keep it simple.

I’ve written several articles about the fine art of packing for longer trips. Read more about my travel advisor packing strategies, including the essential Carryon Capsule Collection here. If you are curious about how I survived for 6 days at my first luxury travel event in Italy with NO Luggage read here.