You’re planning on heading out on a big adventure abroad, but you might be thinking of all the things that could go wrong. Did you pack everything you need? Is there something you should know now that will dampen your trip later? Even the most pragmatic packers can miss out on details or spend more money if they do not know these expert tips. What if you could have saved hundreds of dollars with an EU flight compensation for example?

Here’s some of our greatest insights for international travelers in 2020.

1. Check the Essentials: Passport, Money, International Roaming…
There are three big important necessities when traveling abroad:

• Your passport and IDs
• Money
• Cell phone

our passport or visa is an essential component of you traveling safely and quickly overseas. Without it, you are doomed to get detained at some airport. In addition, most countries overseas require that your passport be valid for at least six months after the return date listed on your travel voucher. You should renew your passport nine months before the expiry date.

As for money, you may want to bring some cash to exchange into paper money wherever you go, but credit cards are also accepted in big cities. It’s important to have a widely accepted credit such as Visa or Mastercard, and if you have an AmEx, leave it at home for most smaller cities as merchants won’t accept it. In addition, you should inform your bank that you are headed overseas so that they do not lock you out of your account. Some banks may also let you exchange to foreign currencies, but you should watch out for high exchange rates and fees at some institutions.

Finally, does your cell phone company allow international roaming? Even if they do, you may need to call to activate it before heading abroad. In other cases, you may need to get a wireless mobile hot spot or install apps like Skype or Discord to communicate with friends and family back home while you are away.

2. Search for Travel Warnings and Advisories
The US government issues travel warnings when it believes an area is not safe. You can look up all countries to see how safe it is for travel. You may want to also look into travel medical plans just in case you need help while you are abroad. This unlocks better hospital and emergency care in most countries.

3. Check Rules for Prescriptions and Get Vaccinated
Are you headed somewhere that does not allow Adderall? One American traveler learned a life-altering lesson when she was detained in Japan for over two weeks in 2015. Her crime was carrying a prescription of Adderall. She was stopped at the airport and taken into custody, then she was immediately placed in jail. Japan and many other countries in Asia have strict policies when it comes to prescription drugs, marijuana, and other substances.

You should also bring photocopies of doctor prescriptions, pack your medications in correctly labeled prescription, and know the generic name for the drug. You should also get a letter from a doctor if you are taking any syringes.

Most large cities abroad do not pose any exotic disease threats, but if you are headed to a destination listed on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, then it’s best to protect yourself, especially if you must get a required shot. These typically are necessary six weeks before you head abroad.

4. Biggest Tips for Saving on International Airfare
The best tip we have is to be flexible with the dates and seasons that you book. You can look up “off-season” for any destination to see when a good time is to travel without suffering poor weather or missing fun events.

There are over 20 budget airlines that travel around the world. Here are our top favorites:

• Canada
• Flair Airlines
• Swoop
• Jetlines
• Porter
• United States
• Southwest
• Allegiant
• Frontier
• Spirit
• Asia
• Air Asia
• Jeju Air
• Jetstar
• Hong Kong Express
• Nok Air
• Spring Airlines
• Vanilla Air
• Europe
• Ryanair
• Easyjet
• Eurowings
• Flybe
• Norwegian Air
• Wizz Air
• Australia
• Jetstar
• Tiger Air

If you book a flight and something comes up, it’s best if you have travel insurance and a EU flight compensation plan. This helps you get back any money that you lost if you have to cancel or if something else happens to your flight.

5. Packing: What’s Your Travel Personality
Some international travelers pack light and others need rolling luggage to accompany them wherever you go. When you have a big bag, wheels are the best thing, but you also want to make sure that your carry-on can keep your essentials. You may also want to pack a travel backpack. There are pouches that you can purchase to keep all of your essentials organized, too.

Experts say the best way to save space is by rolling your clothes tightly. You should also keep your passport, ID, money, and cell phone on you, but you may want to keep cash in a separate or locked compartment.

Wrapping Up
Traveling abroad is one of the best experiences, but you have to vacation smart. With the essentials in hand and these tips, you have all the basics covered. Now you just need investigate where you are headed and plan some wild exhibitions!