Booking an international trip at short notice

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Booking an international trip at short notice can work two ways – prices can be really high if transport and accommodation are almost booked out, or prices can be really low to try and fill the available places. 

And gosh, doesn’t the thought of spontaneously booking a trip sound thrilling!! To just go with minimal planning and see where you end up! Ah, sounds good!

Here are some things to consider before committing to book a trip at short notice…

Passport

Make sure you have a passport with 6 months validity as most countries won’t let you in if you don’t. Some airlines may let you book without a passport, but many won’t.

TIPS | Read the simple tips in this post to help keep your passport safe.

Visa

Choose a destination that is visa exempt for your nationality, or has visa on arrival. 

If you are booking with less than 1-2 weeks notice you may struggle to get the visa back in time depending on the speed of your postal services and the embassy completing the Visa.

Is possible, take spare passport photos if you need them for a visa on arrival.

Immunisations

Check your immunisation history and any immunisation suggestions for the country (if you choose to be immunised). See your doctor if unsure.

TIP | The CDC website provides information on what vaccinations are suggested by country. But you should always seek medical advice for vaccinations requirements.

Travel insurance

Don’t forget to book travel insurance, especially one that has unlimited medical.

Accommodation

So, are you going to prebook any accommodation or just wing it and see where you end up!?! 

I use Booking.com and Agoda for finding accommodation but will often check with the hotel websites first before booking. Although in my experience, Booking.com or Agoda are generally cheaper. Booking.com is a general all-rounder booking website, and Agoda has a good reputation for having more Asia based listings.

Go!

Congratulations you have booked an international trip at short notice!

Double check you have your passport, visa sorted, jabs are current – time to go! 

Oh, and don’t forget to tell your employer you won’t be at work (if needed).

Side note: this blog post was originally called “Booking an overseas trip at short notice”. Being from Australia anywhere international is “overseas”, because we literally have to cross water. But for the majority of the world an international trip does not require crossing a body of water! Just one of those randoms things I never really thought about…

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