New Year, New Travel Rules You Must Know
Measure your carryon bag and make sure you have the required paperwork
Winter is the time of year when you should be looking ahead to your travel plans for the peak summer travel months. Advance planning will help you snag lower fares or choice accommodations. But watch out! Some new regulations could keep you grounded. In this post:
Airline Crackdown on Carry-on Baggage.
NEW ETA document for travel to United Kingdom.
Coming soon: NEW ETIAS document for travel to EU.
Real ID for domestic US flights.
The Future of No More Boarding Passes is Almost Here.
New fees and rules in popular destinations.
What’s NEW on my travel blog.
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Time to Measure Your Carry-on Bag
Get out the tape measure and check to make sure your bag fits the new requirements for the airline you are flying. Some US carriers are downsizing their bag requirements to be more in line with Europe-based airlines. This handy chart from Upgraded Points has the size limits, which vary slightly for each airline. The typical limit is 55 x 35 x 25 in centimeters, 22 x 14 x 9 in inches.
Airlines are said to be cracking down on passengers who try to cram all their worldly goods into one or more carry-on bags that are clearly over the size limit. I’ll believe it when I see it. But I’ve noticed that for flights within Europe, people are mostly content with one small roller-bag or backpack in the overhead bin plus a purse or briefcase that fits under the seat. I don’t see the cut-throat competition for bin space that is so common on domestic US flights. And if you’re worried about losing your bag, Apple AirTags can provide peace of mind. Watch the video here.
New ETA Permit Required for UK Destinations
Jetting across the pond for a pint or a theater weekend in London? Beginning this month (January), travelers holding passports from the USA, Canada, Mexico and a few dozen other countries will need a new, additional document called an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) for destinations in the United Kingdom. UK countries are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. EU passport travelers will need this document staring March 5.
Apply for your ETA on the government website. You don’t need to put in your specific travel information, so apply as soon as you know you’re planning a trip. It’s valid for two years, or until your passport expires. The ETA allows you to visit the UK for up to six months for tourism, family visits or short-term studies. To do paid work or study longer you need an actual visa.
But What if I’m Only Changing Planes in London?
Note that if you are only changing planes at Heathrow Airport, you do NOT need an ETA. You may have read conflicting instructions on this, but the government backed down. Heathrow airport officials complained that thousands of travelers would instead choose connecting flights in other European countries, resulting in a serious loss of airport revenue.
So if you’re just a transit passenger in Heathrow and don’t have to go through British immigration, you’re good. However, other UK airports like Gatwick require travelers to go through immigration before boarding their next flight. So, you need the ETA. As I write this, the cost is 10 pounds or a little over $12 USD. But the government is already considering an increase. Keep checking because there could be more changes ahead of your trip.
Once your documents are in order, you’re ready to buy those London theater tickets. And, believe it or not, you can even sing at the Royal Opera House. Even if you have absolutely zero singing talent, like me.
Coming Soon? New Document Requirement for EU Travel
Next, it’s the European Union’s turn to join the regulatory fun. Buckle up, fellow travelers, because it’s hard to tell exactly when the EU will launch an alphabet soup of EES and ETIAS regulations, even here on the official EU website. They’ve been waffling on the date since 2023, but currently it might launch sometime later in 2025.
EES is the new entry/exit system to register everybody entering or leaving the EU, with or without a visa. Tourists with USA passports (and other non-EU countries) can usually visit the European countries in the borderless Schengen immigration zone for up to 3 months at a time without a visa. But whenever the new EES system kicks in, you will ALSO need a document from ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System). The application form is not activated yet, but there is certain to be a fee of 7 euros or more. Free if you’re under 18 or over 70.
Stranger Danger: Make sure you are getting your information from an official site, ending in europa.eu. Copycat websites are happy to take your money, so don’t be fooled.
Here’s hoping that all of this will eventually result in less waiting time at the border checkpoints for people with non-EU passports. And while it feels like a money grab it’s more like payback for the ESTA travel authorization that the United States has been requiring of foreign visitors for years.
Real ID for domestic USA flights
After many delays, Americans will need a form of identification with “Real ID” to board a flight after May 7, 2025. Unless it’s delayed again. Get the details on the Homeland Security website. There’s a helpful chart to click on the rules for issuing Real ID in your home state. Most likely, you already have it.
The Future: No More Boarding Passes?
Yes, Euronews has reported that Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport will have face recognition boarding sometime later this year. It’s already being tested at two airports in Italy (Milan and Catania in Sicily). Of course, you need to consent to the collection of your biometric information in order for this to work. Officials claim they don’t store the information for other purposes.
New Fees and Rules in Popular Places
Is all of this starting to make your head hurt? Me too, because I try to keep up with all of the fees being added to popular but overcrowded destinations. In October, I gave you a heads-up on the Holy Year crowds with new fees and rules you can expect in Rome. CNN now says authorities in the Eternal City have now banned self check-in lockboxes at AirBnb type accommodations for security reasons. That’s OK, I actually prefer being welcomed by a real human being.
Venice plans to continue its new fee for day-trippers. Never mind that the crowds got even bigger when the fee was collected last year on the busiest summer days. Read more about my opera trip to Venice, and what not to do.
New fees in Greece may apply to cruise ship passengers visiting some popular islands, joining Barcelona and other overtouristed cities. Bottom line is to check the rules for popular destinations before you visit. Frankly, a few dollars or euros more isn’t going to matter much if you’ve already decided to spend thousands on your dream trip. However, there can be sizable fines in the hundreds of euros for those who don’t pay up and get caught.
NEW on the travel blog this month: Visit Sevnica
I visited Sevnica, where First Lady Melania Trump grew up. She started modeling as a child during the time when Slovenia was part of communist Yugoslavia.
Read about Sevnica on my website here.
Politics aside, it’s a charming place to visit. You can even taste a special cake in honor of the town’s most famous daughter. But sorry folks, I’m a vegetarian, so you’ll have to try the Trump burger for yourself.
Watch my video from Sevnica here.
I hope this monthly newsletter helps you travel better. See you next month. Don’t be a stranger!