A few days before their holiday, many people get excited. Finally, the well-deserved time off and the long-awaited change of scenery await. But it is not unusual for anticipation to turn into stress. Especially if you don’t start packing your suitcase in time, you risk forgetting important travel gadgets. It is, therefore, all the more important to think about what you want to take with you on holiday well in advance. This helps you avoid forgetting what is important.
On top of that, a good strategy when packing your suitcase will prevent you from taking too much with you and possibly having to pay a surcharge for excess baggage. In our holiday checklist, we will show you how to plan and prepare for your holiday properly.
What should you take with you on holiday?
We all make mistakes. Especially when things are a bit hectic, it is not surprising if you forget something. Of course, this can also happen when packing your suitcase. To prevent this from happening in the first place, you should prepare a checklist well in advance. Depending on the length of your holiday, this list can be quite long, so it is advisable to concentrate on the essentials. If you do miss something during your holiday, most things can be easily bought on-site.
However, there are things you should never forget. These include important personal documents such as your passport and identity card. Depending on the destination country, you may also need a visa. To be able to check into your accommodation without any problems, you should also carry the booking documents for the hotel or guest-house with you. Furthermore, you should not forget your flight tickets or train tickets.
Payment options are also very important. Therefore, be sure to have your EC and/or credit card with you. But it is also advisable to have some cash in the currency of your destination country. This way, you are prepared for the first taxi ride from the airport to the hotel. To ensure that you are also covered for your health, you should take the documents for your health insurance abroad as well as your insurance card with you.
You should also think about your health by bringing a small first-aid kit. In particular, painkillers, antipyretics, plasters and remedies for gastrointestinal disorders are advisable. It is best to seek advice on this from your local pharmacy. If possible, you should not stow all these important documents in your suitcase. After all, it can always happen that your luggage gets lost, and you only receive it a few hours or days after arriving at your destination. So it’s better to stow them in your hand luggage.
What do you need for a 10-day holiday?
What you need for exactly ten days’ holiday depends not only on personal factors. The country you want to travel to and the local weather conditions also determine your packing list. One thing is certain: your important documents should always travel with you. How long you plan to stay on holiday is irrelevant. When it comes to clothing, you should also consider the local weather. If you expect a bright blue sky and a rain probability of almost 0%, then you don’t need to make room in your suitcase for a rain jacket.
If you even have the opportunity to wash your clothes on-site, you may be able to manage with hand luggage only. In this case, it is sufficient to pack enough clothes for two or three days. If this is not the case, simply pack ten days’ worth of clothes. If you want to be on the safe side, take clothes for eleven or twelve days.
After all, it is always possible that unforeseen circumstances will lead to a flight cancellation and the holiday will be unexpectedly longer. If, on the other hand, you expect arctic temperatures, you probably won’t be able to avoid a large suitcase. After all, experience shows that thick jumpers and anoraks take up a lot of space. You should also take care of a small first-aid kit. Fever reducers and plasters in particular are indispensable. If you are travelling to sunny areas, you should also remember to bring sunscreen.
How much clothing do you need for 10 days of holiday?
First and foremost, you should think about what clothes you need. Find out in advance what the weather outlook is for your holiday destination. Since experience shows that this can only be done somewhat reliably shortly before departure, it is best to draw up a checklist with three different weather options.
Perhaps divide these into the categories of good, satisfactory and bad weather. Then, when packing is imminent, you can decide on one of the three categories. If rain or a sudden change in the weather does occur unexpectedly, this too is rarely a problem. If you are not travelling to a remote region, you can easily buy a suitable jacket or another missing item of clothing.
What do people forget most?
When packing for a holiday, there are some classics that many holidaymakers tend to forget. But what do people forget when packing? An absolute classic is certainly sunscreen. Who hasn’t experienced this? Once you arrive at your holiday destination, the weather is suddenly warmer and better than expected. After the first short walk through the city, when you arrive at the hotel, you realise that your nose is already quite red. It is only at this moment that you realise you have forgotten the sunscreen.
Travellers like to report a very similar experience with sunglasses. Fortunately, both items can be easily purchased. The same applies to other drug-store items such as shower gel, toothpaste and deodorant. Many people are advised not to put such items in their suitcases for a longer stay. Instead, when you arrive at your holiday destination, you can simply go to a supermarket to buy the missing items.
Before departure: The holiday checklist for the start of the journey
The evening before departing for the sandy beach usually gives you butterflies. Often it is not just pure anticipation. For many, there is also uncertainty. They wonder whether they have everything in their suitcase and hand luggage. We have compiled a small checklist for you for the last few hours before departure.
- Identity cards (note the expiry date!)
- Passports (note the expiry date!)
- EC and credit cards
- Documents for international insurance
- Visa
It is not only the contents of your suitcase and rucksack that you should pay attention to. You should also make sure you have the right vaccinations early on, if necessary. You should also organise transport to the airport in good time. You should also leave your home in a safe condition. This means turning off the water and heating and turning off the refrigerator. It is best to take the food that is still in the fridge with you on the way to the airport. To protect yourself from unpleasant odour surprises, you should also take out the rubbish. You should also close windows and doors after a final home check.
Packing list for your holiday
A packing list is essential so that you do not experience any unpleasant surprises on holiday. We advise you to make this travel checklist as clear as possible. This means that you list and categorise the individual items in bullet point form if possible. Popular categories into which a list can be divided are documents, clothing, travel utensils and first-aid kit. If you group your suitcases in this way, they can be packed more systematically, which is particularly useful for longer holidays with correspondingly more luggage.
Checklist for a holiday with a child – what to pack in your suitcase
A checklist for a holiday with a child looks even more complicated. It is best to add a category with things for the child to your packing list. What you should take for your child depends above all on its age. For babies, you should also take food in the form of porridge and/or powdered milk, depending on the holiday destination. Here you should allow for a sufficient buffer so that your offspring can be supplied with the usual food without any problems even if the flight is cancelled. With small children, on the other hand, the situation is somewhat less complicated. You don’t have to worry about food here. However, you should take enough entertainment with you in the form of small card games, books or a tablet. This is a good way to bridge waiting times.
Checklist for a holiday with a baby – what to bring in your suitcase
Taking a flight with a baby is naturally rather exciting. Especially, the first flight with the young addition to the family comes with many unknowns. For example, you don’t know whether your offspring will sleep peacefully or entertain the entire aircraft. To keep the excitement as low as possible, at least in the run-up, you should tackle a holiday with a baby checklist early on. Among other things, we advise you to pack enough porridge and, if necessary, powdered milk in case of an emergency. Also, find out whether the right food for your baby is available at your destination. If not, make sure you take enough with you.
Holiday checklist – a few weeks before departure:
While you can now buy clothes, medicines and cosmetics anywhere in the world, if you forget them, you should never leave important documents at home. Pay particular attention to the validity of identity documents. Ideally, you should take a quick look at them a few weeks before departure. Then you can quickly apply for a new identity card.
The following documents are important:
- Identity card and passport
- International insurance
- Vaccination certificate (if required by entry regulations)
- Visa (if required by entry regulations)
- EC and credit card
Holiday checklist – a few days before departure:
If there are only a few days left between departure and the start of your trip, you should start thinking about what you want to pack in your suitcase. To avoid chaos when packing your suitcase, it is advisable to make a suitcase packing list. You should also take a look at your medicine cabinet. If essential medicines are missing, it is advisable to restock your first-aid kit.
Important medicines for any holiday are:
- Antipyretics
- Painkillers
- Gastrointestinal medicine
- Plasters
Holiday checklist – Immediately before departure:
With only a few hours to go until the plane takes off, anticipation is already high. But nervousness is also on the rise. After all, you don’t want to forget anything. Shortly before departure, you should take another look at your checklist and check whether everything has been ticked off. It can also be worthwhile to check your travel documents once again. It is best to keep them in your hand luggage together with other important documents such as your passport and visa in a place that is easily accessible.
In addition, you should check the flight guidelines once again. After all, you want to prevent long waiting times at the security checkpoint. Once all this has been done, you should make a final check of your flat. Turn off the water and heating. Empty the fridge and the rubbish. Last but not least, it may be worthwhile to take a look at the internet. Check once again whether the flight will take off on schedule.
- Turn off the water and heating
- Empty the fridge and rubbish
- Check travel documents
- Check flight regulations
Have you experienced a flight delay/cancellation?
According to the EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation, the amount of compensation is calculated according to the flight route (distance):
| Short distance up to 1500 km | Medium distance up to 3500 km | Long distance from 3500 km |
| e.g. London – Edinburgh | e.g. London – Athens | e.g. London – Tokyo |
| 250€ | 400€ | 600€ |
Our holiday checklist briefly summarised for you
Since some people find it difficult to create an individual checklist, we have taken action for you. We have compiled various checklists for you below. In addition to a checklist for hand luggage, we have created a checklist for holidays with children, a checklist for holidays with babies, a holiday checklist for summer and a holiday checklist for winter.
#1. Holiday checklist: The perfect packing list for your holiday
Packing your suitcase in advance of a trip is probably the favourite activity of very few people. This makes it all the more sensible to create a luggage checklist for your holiday. Especially if you are travelling with children, many questions come up. What is important when travelling with children? What belongs in the hand luggage when travelling by plane? Answers to these and other questions about packing can be found in the following checklist, which the Flightright experts have compiled for you.
| Holiday checklist: Hand luggage | Checklist holiday with child | Checklist Holiday with Baby |
|---|---|---|
| Travel insurance documents (insurance policy, GCIs) Travel documents and ticketsIdentity cards for all fellow travellers Identity cards for pets travelling with you Visa Mobile phone Emergency numbers Allergy and vaccination passport House key Glasses, reading glasses, sunglasses Contact lenses and care products Cash Credit card, EC card, traveller’s chequesCamera and memory cards Travel guide Headphones Book and magazines Hand cream Lip balm Neck pillow Medication (e.g. for travel sickness) Handkerchiefs Travel provisions Thick socks Jewellery (not insured in checked baggage) Toothbrush and spare clothes | Pram with footmuff & rain cover Cap, sun hat, Floaties, floaty tyres Travel cot Sling Baby phone Children’s clothing (also in hand luggage) Children’s tableware/drinking bottle Sleeping bag Cuddly toy Toys, painting materials, sand toys Pacifier Bottle warmer Bottles BibsClinical thermometer Medicines for fever, cold, diarrhoeaToothbrush and toothpaste Bath additive/shower gel and shampoo Skin care cream Sun creamWind and weather cream Nursing wipes Baby food Potty/toilet seat Nappies Ointment/Toilet seat Paracetamol suppositories | Clinical thermometer Antipyretic Nose drops Medicines Cough syrup for colds Wound and healing ointment Bandages Insect repellent Children’s sun cream Cooling gel Baby oil Nappies Wet wipes Flannel Nail scissors Toothbrush Baby soap pyjamas, scarves Baby cot including blanket Wound cream Underwear T-shirts, jumpers Warm shoe jacket, scarf Swimwear Flannel Sunglasses Sun hat Bibs and spoons Sand and water toys Diaper bag |
#2. Holiday checklist: the perfect packing list for your holiday
One factor that has a particularly strong influence on a holiday packing list is the local weather. That is why we have created a holiday checklist for summer, a holiday checklist for winter and also a holiday checklist for autumn. These lists answer questions like “What clothes should I not forget in summer?” or “What extra clothes do I need in winter?”. You may also be asking yourself in general, “What could be useful when travelling?”. It is worth taking a look at our checklist.
| Useful | Holiday checklist summer | Holiday Checklist Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Sewing kit Batteries, rechargeable batteries, chargers Binoculars Mosquito net Clothesline and pegs Umbrella Shoe polish Dictionary Games Kettle Notebook and pens Sports licences (diving, sailing, etc.) Backpack, bag (for day trips) Lighter Scissors Travel detergent Towels Handkerchiefs Travel adapter Bottle and can opener Neck pouch/fanny pack Small handbag | Swimming trunks/suit/bikini Beach sheet Frisbee disc Water gun Sandals Air mattress Bathing slippers Kite Beach mat Parasol, windbreak Beach bag Cooler bag, cool packs Air mattress, inflatable boat, water ball Air pump/bellows Bathing shoes Diving goggles, snorkel and fins Volleyball, football, ping pong, badminton, frisbee | Cap/headband Snow chains Gloves Rescue blanket Pocket warmer Lip protection JumperSki bag Ski jacket, ski trousers/ski suit Ski underwear Ski socks Beach bag Hat, scarf, glovesThick jacket Winter boots Ski, ski boots, ski poles Snowboard, snowboard boots Ski/snowboard bag Helmet Headlamp Thermos flask |
#3. Holiday checklist: The perfect holiday packing list
When packing, make sure you sort the individual items well. Do not throw everything into the suitcase in an unstructured way. This creates chaos and prevents you from finding everything at once on holiday. For example, a toiletry bag for cosmetics and a small zip pouch for the first-aid kit are useful. But what do I pack in the toiletry bag and the first-aid kit?
| Clothing | Toilet bag | First-aid kit |
|---|---|---|
| Headgear Scarf Jacket, mackintosh Shorts Long trousers Long trousers Dresses and skirts Shirts / Blouses Jumpers and long tops T-shirts, tops Sportswear Pyjamas Underwear Socks, tights Shoes Luggage insurance Sports shoes Slippers Belt Swimming trunks/bikini/swimming costume Bathrobe Bathing shoes | Shower gel and shampoo SoapBody lotion Face cream Hand cream Deodorant Toothbrush and toothpaste Mouthwash, dental flossLip care Make-up accessories Make-up remover Cotton pads Cotton buds Perfume / Aftershave Razor and shaving foam Sun cream After-sun creamComb / brush Hair dryer, curling iron Mirror Nail scissors, nail file Earplugs Tampons/pads Contraceptives Contact lens accessories | Clinical thermometer Plaster Tweezers Gauze bandages, elastic bandages Medicines against allergies Medicines against nausea Medicines for diarrhoea and constipation Medicines for colds Travel health insurance Painkillers Ointment for burns and sunburn Mosquito repellent Mosquito bite ointment Disposable gloves Disinfectant Birth control pill Destination specific medicines |
How can Flightright help you?
You are stuck at the airport because of a flight delay? Your flight has been canceled, or you have been removed from the passenger list? In each of the situations described, you have a right to compensation as an air passenger.
Tip: Flightright helps you enforce your air passenger rights! With us, you can check your claims free of charge in two minutes. ✔️Easy, ✔️fast & without ✔️risk
According to the EU Passenger Rights Regulation, passengers are entitled to compensation in the event of a delay, cancellation, overbooking, or missed connection. You can claim up to 600 euros of compensation per person (minus commission fee). This compensation is independent of the ticket price. Flightright enforces your right for you. If necessary also in court.
As experts on the subject of air passenger rights, we enforce your right to compensation against the airline! Flightright’s air passenger rights experts are also happy to help you with ticket reimbursements