Trip Planning Checklist: From 8 Weeks Out to Departure Day

Quick answer

Eight weeks out: passport, visa, flights, insurance. Six weeks: accommodation and any permit-based or timed-entry bookings. Four weeks: route and day-by-day plan. Two weeks: transport passes, eSIM, vaccinations if needed. One week: packing and documents. Final 48 hours: check-in, forecast, offline maps, and one last read of the plan.

8 weeks out — the things with lead times

• Check passport validity; many countries require six months beyond your return date.
• Check visa or electronic entry authorisation requirements for your nationality on the official government site.
• Book flights while dates are still flexible.
• Buy travel insurance when you book, not at the airport — cancellation cover only works before something goes wrong.

6 weeks out — lock the base and the scarce tickets

• Book accommodation near transport rather than near a single sight.
• Book anything capacity-limited: timed-entry museums, popular restaurants, permits, intercity or scenic trains.
• Note closure days for the sights you care about.

4 weeks out — build the plan

Cluster sights by area and assign one cluster per day, following the pacing rules in how to build a realistic itinerary. Destination itineraries are a useful starting shape — see Bangkok 5 days, London 3 days or New Zealand 7 days.

2 weeks out — money, data and health

1 week out — packing and documents

Pack from the forecast for your month, not the season. Destination packing lists cover the specifics: Bangkok, Kyoto, New Zealand and Maldives. Then:

• Save a PDF or offline copy of your itinerary and bookings.
• Photograph passport, insurance and tickets into a private folder.
• Check baggage allowance and liquid rules for each airline on the trip.
• Confirm airport transfer times at both ends.

Final 48 hours

• Check in online and choose seats.
• Re-read the weather forecast and swap one outdoor day for an indoor one if needed.
• Download offline maps and your plan.
• Charge everything, pack adapters for the right plug type.
• Leave a copy of the plan with someone at home.

Common mistakes

• Discovering the six-month passport rule the week before departure.
• Buying insurance after a problem appears.
• Booking timed entries on arrival day.
• Packing for the season rather than the month.
• No offline copy of the plan when roaming fails.
• Forgetting the return airport transfer.

Plan your trip

Journey Planner generates the itinerary, weather expectations, outfit suggestions, packing list and cost breakdown in one pass, exports to PDF for offline use, and the itinerary checker reviews a plan you already have.