Before You Go

Happy holidays start with an up-to-date passport, it is your responsibility to ensure that yours is valid and accepted in the country of travel as well as having the correct visas or other documentation necessary.

It is vitally important that you check all the requirements for your destination before you finalise your travel plans. This page should help you do that, with advice on all our top destinations that require more than your UK passport.

For security reasons the US, most EU States, and other countries now require airlines to provide details about their passengers before they travel. This is known as Advance Passenger Information (API). API is designed to enhance border security by providing Border Control Agencies with pre-arrival and departure manifest data on all passengers.

The information passengers provide is transmitted to Authorities by UK Charter Airlines 72 hours before departure with updates being provided through to day and time of departure. It has been agreed that UK Tour Operators whose customers use charter airlines should be responsible for gathering the necessary information and passing it through to the Charter Airlines.

The Advanced Passenger Information must be provided between 3 months and 7 days before departure. We recommend the lead passenger on your booking takes responsibility for completing the information on behalf of all other passengers on your booking).

• For details if travelling with a Thomas Cook Tour Operator brand (Thomas Cook, Airtours, Sunset, Club 18-30, Neilson, Manos and Direct Holidays) you can find the Advance Passenger Information here - for information on the latest countries where this applies. Please also carefully note any instructions about Advanced Passenger Information on your confirmation invoice or tickets. Please note API details are being collected for Thomas Cook Airlines and Monarch Airlines only - if you are travelling with any other carrier booked through Thomas Cook these details will be collected at check-in.

• For Scheduled flights with Easyjet flights to Spain, Cyprus, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, Turkey and the UK, therefore we are only requesting the information for these bookings. This information must be provided for all passengers travelling, including children and infants.You can find the Advance Passenger Information here. (This link is for scheduled flights only, do not use this link if you are flying with a charter airline - see the section above on holidays with Thomas Cook Group tour operators)

• For other Tour Operators holidays, please refer to your confirmation invoice for details of the relevant website to provide your details.

• For all other scheduled airlines please visit the airlines website to provide the airline with your advanced passenger information.

What is Advanced Passenger Information (API) and how does it affect me?

If you are travelling to the USA at any time after 12th January 2009, we have very important information from US passport control regarding new entry requirements that you MUST read.  See our Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) web page for more details.

Save valuable time on holiday by working out beforehand what you want to see and do - our excellent travel guides are packed full of helpful information on the best sights, not to mention where to eat and what to do.

For an overview of your chosen destination, the pocket HotSpots and CitySpots start at £3.99, whereas the more in-depth Travellers Guides cover everything you need to know.

Click on the link and enter discount code TCMB25 for a 25% discount.

What we wear on holiday is so important - but how do you strike the balance between what you want and what you'll actually wear. How to get there without spending your first day ironing and avoiding those "If only I'd brought..." moments? These tips should help without making you feel like you're planning a military operation!

A convenient way to get travel money is to pre-order your foreign currency and travellers cheques online to be picked up in-store, at Manchester Airport or at Terminal 5 of Heathrow Airport. For larger amounts of money, the Thomas Cook Cash Passport offers total convenience and flexibility with 24-hour access to cash. With the Thomas Cook Credit Card you'll benefit from commission-free holiday money with no cash handling fee at Thomas Cook. 19.9% APR typical variable.

Travel insurance is essential - you should buy this as soon as you have booked your holiday. Good travel insurance will cover you if for some reason you need to cancel as well as cover you for any sporting activities you want to take part in. Make sure you check the small print for exclusions and be scrupulous about declaring any pre-existing medical conditions. If you're planning to take a number of trips, annual travel insurance is better value than one-off cover.

Pre book your airport parking with thomascook.com and you could save time and up to 40% off the cost.

Spread the cost of your holiday and avoid the queues at many of the world's best attractions by booking your attraction tickets and tours in advance.

Also available are travel vouchers and travel insurance.

If you're looking for an alternative to kennels, Barking Mad provides a home from home holiday for your dog. Exercise & feeding routines are maintained just as your dog is used to, he can even take his own bed & toys!

All Thomas Cook and Going Places customers can benefit from a 'free night's stay' with Barking Mad when they book a holiday of 7 nights or more.

Health facilities, hygiene and disease risks vary worldwide. You should take health advice about your specific needs as early as possible. This advice features general information, so more specific enquiries should be accessed via The Foreign and Commonwealth Travel Advice Unit for the most up-to-date information.

You will need your tickets at the airport (or station if travelling by Eurostar), so make sure that you have them available in your hand luggage. If you have an e-ticket remember to take a print-out with you - you may be refused travel without it. For any questions about this take a look at our essential information about tickets and holiday documentation.

After you have booked a holiday there may be reasons why you need to amend the number of people going, transfer arrangements, board basis etc, so we have some essential information here about how to amend your Thomas Cook holiday.

We hope that once your holiday is booked there will be no need for you to cancel, but if you do change your mind or if unexpected circumstances arise, you still have the option to cancel your booking. To find out more about cancellations go to our essential information about cancelling your Thomas Cook holiday (including applicable charges).

Find out what financial protection is available in the rare event of an airline or travel company going bust. Your level of protection will vary depending on whether you’ve booked a package holiday or made your own arrangements.

If you will be flying with Thomas Cook Airlines and require special assistance due to reduced mobility (including a disability or a medical condition), please contact us to find out about the assistance we can provide you with. If you are flying on another airline, you will need to request this directly with them.

View our special assistance page to find out more.