10 Things to Check Before You Leave for the Airport

There's a particular kind of dread that settles in around midnight before an early flight. You're convinced you've forgotten something. Your passport is where you left it, your bag is by the door, and yet the feeling won't quite leave you alone. We've been driving passengers from across Kent to Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and beyond for years, and we've witnessed — gently, professionally — almost every pre-departure mistake imaginable. This checklist exists because of those journeys.

Run through these ten things the evening before you travel, not in the taxi on the way to the terminal, and your departure day will be considerably calmer.

1. Check Your Passport's Expiry Date

Not just whether you have it — whether it's still valid. Many countries, including most EU destinations, require your passport to be valid for at least three months beyond your travel dates. The UK government updated its guidance post-Brexit, and the rules vary by country. Check the exact requirements for your destination on the FCDO website the week before you fly, not the morning of. A passport that expired six months ago isn't going to be any use to you at the departure gate, no matter how much you argue with airport staff.

If you're travelling on a non-UK passport, check the specific visa and entry requirements for your nationality. Some routes require additional documentation that isn't always obvious until you're standing at check-in.

2. Download Your Boarding Pass

Most airlines allow you to check in online between 24 and 48 hours before departure, and many now charge for airport check-in. Download your boarding pass to your phone and take a screenshot as a backup — airport Wi-Fi is unreliable, phone batteries die at the worst moments, and standing in a queue at the desk costs you time you may not have. If you prefer a paper copy, print it before you leave home.

Double-check the terminal while you're at it. Gatwick has two terminals, Heathrow has five, and Stansted operates a single terminal with satellite gates that can feel like a journey in themselves. Arriving at the wrong terminal isn't a disaster, but it eats into your time.

3. Weigh Your Luggage

Baggage allowances have become increasingly unforgiving across most airlines, particularly budget carriers. Exceeding your allowance by even a kilogram or two can result in fees that cost more than your original ticket. Weigh your bags at home with a luggage scale — they cost a few pounds and save considerably more. If you're on the limit, consider wearing your heaviest shoes and jacket for the journey to the airport.

Remember that cabin baggage dimensions matter as much as weight. Many airlines now check bag sizes strictly at the gate, particularly on short-haul routes. Measure your carry-on against the airline's stated dimensions before you pack it.

4. Confirm Your Airport Transfer

Your transport to the airport is the first link in the chain, and if it breaks, everything after it breaks with it. Confirm your booking the evening before — whether that's a private hire service, a friend giving you a lift, or a pre-booked taxi. Check the pickup time, the pickup address, and the driver's contact details.

At Express Travel Kent, every booking receives a confirmation and a reminder, and we monitor your flight from the moment you're booked. But confirming is good practice regardless of who you're travelling with. If you haven't booked your transfer yet and you're heading to any airport from anywhere in Kent, our airport transfer service covers every major London airport with fixed pricing and no surprises.

5. Check Your Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is one of those things that feels unnecessary right up until the moment it isn't. Check that your policy is active, covers the destination you're travelling to, and includes the activities you're planning. Medical cover is the most critical element — healthcare abroad, particularly in the US, can cost tens of thousands of pounds without it.

If you have annual multi-trip cover, verify that it hasn't quietly expired since last year. If you're relying on credit card travel insurance, check the specific conditions — many policies require you to have paid for at least part of the trip on that card, and some have age or medical restrictions that catch people out.

6. Notify Your Bank

Many banks still flag foreign transactions as potential fraud and freeze cards mid-trip. A quick call or app notification before you travel removes that risk entirely. Let your bank know which countries you're visiting and the rough dates of your trip. Most banking apps now allow you to do this in under a minute, and it's a two-minute task that can prevent significant inconvenience when you're standing at a cash machine in an unfamiliar city.

Also check whether your card charges foreign transaction fees. If it does, consider whether a fee-free travel card is worth getting before you leave.

7. Install the Airline's App

Most major airlines now communicate primarily through their apps — gate changes, delay notifications, boarding calls, and baggage information all come through faster digitally than via airport announcement screens. Download the app before you reach the airport, log in to your booking, and ensure notifications are enabled.

This is particularly useful at larger airports. Heathrow Terminal 5 serves dozens of flights simultaneously, and gate changes happen with little advance notice. Knowing your gate has moved before the departure boards update it can be the difference between a leisurely coffee and a sprint.

8. Charge Everything the Night Before

Your phone, your tablet, your headphones, your e-reader, your portable battery pack. Charge them all the night before and not on the morning of departure, when you're distracted by everything else. Airports are considerably more comfortable when you have entertainment, a working boarding pass, and the ability to call someone if something goes wrong.

If you're travelling long-haul, a portable battery pack is worth its weight. International flights often have USB charging at the seat, but short-haul European routes frequently don't, and a dead phone makes a three-hour delay considerably less manageable.

9. Pack Medications in Your Hand Luggage

Any medication you need regularly — daily prescriptions, inhalers, EpiPens, insulin — should travel with you in your cabin bag, not in your checked luggage. Hold luggage occasionally goes missing, is delayed, or ends up on a different flight. Your health cannot wait for the airline's tracing service.

For medications that require needles or are controlled substances, carry a doctor's letter or prescription documentation. Some countries require advance notification for certain medications, so check the regulations of your destination in advance. This is particularly important for longer trips or destinations in Asia, the Middle East, or the Americas.

10. Set Your Alarm — Then Set Another One

This sounds obvious, and yet. Set two alarms on two different devices. Check that your phone alarm isn't set to silent, that it's set to the correct AM/PM, and that it's actually scheduled for the day of departure rather than a recurring weekday alarm that won't fire on a Saturday. Hotel wake-up calls are worth arranging as a backup if you're staying away from home the night before.

Give yourself more time than you think you need for the morning. The general rule is two hours before departure for short-haul, three hours for long-haul — but these are minimums, not targets. If you're travelling from Kent to Heathrow during rush hour, factor in the road conditions. Our drivers always do.

One Last Thing

The evening before your flight is the right time to run through this list — not the morning of, and certainly not during the journey to the airport. A calm, prepared departure sets the tone for the entire trip. If part of that preparation includes booking a reliable transfer from anywhere in Kent to your terminal, we're here. Book your airport transfer and travel knowing the first part is handled.